The new Disney 3D movie “Up” soared to the top of the Box Office this weekend, raking in an estimated $68.2 million. This animated adventure features the voices of Ed Asner and Christopher Plummer and it easily won the ranking as the number one movie in the U.S.

“Up” left its rivals far, far behind.  In second place, another family-friendly film, “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” with $25.5 million. Last week, this sequel was perched in the number one spot. “Night at the Museum II” lost a little steam, but had enough gusto to clear the $100 million domestic mark this week.

The new horror flick, “Drag Me to Hell” scared up around $16.6 million for third. The futuristic sci-fi action picture, “Terminator Salvation” followed in fourth with about $16.1 million; and rounding out the top five, “Star Trek” with $12.8 million.  

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank police vehicle

Like a ticking time bomb, folks in the know have been waiting for an explosion of bad news and legal trouble to hit the city of Burbank. It happened on Thursday, May 28, but the bomb, in the form of a lawsuit, came from a surprising source — several members of the city’s own police force.

Late Thursday, Burbank’s top city officials were shaken up over the filing of the suit by Lieutenant Omar Rodriguez, along with officers Jamal Childs, Cindy Guillen-Gomez, Steve Karagiosian, and Elfego Rodriguez. On Friday, a slew of e-mails about the suit and its content landed in my in-box. Last night, I got a copy of the lawsuit as well. Also, stories broke in the media, including the Burbank Leader and the Daily News.

The lawsuit allegations are alarming and claim a rampant pattern of discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation in the Burbank Police Department. In the 50-plus page complaint there are numerous charges from the plaintiffs of witnessing or being subjected to offensive language based on color, race, gender or sexual orientation; examples, “fags,” “dykes,” “wetbacks,” “taco venders,” “beaners,” “spics,” “towel heads,” “Armos,” “Julios,”  ”niggers,” and  ”Malcolm X.”

Also, the suit questioned promotional practices on the force citing the example that “…no African-American employee in the entire history of the Burbank PD has ever been promoted above the title of ‘police officer.’” According to the suit, there are currently five black officers out of approximately 165 officers on the Burbank PD.

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank Police Chief Tim Stehr

 As I reported here on this blog, at the May 12 city council meeting I had a brief conversation with Burbank Police Chief Tim Stehr about the problems in his department and the discontent among some officers. Stehr admitted, “… there are some issues…” but insisted “… (we will ) work together to fix them.” Apparently, the chief’s efforts were not enough to stop the filing this lawsuit, which some media reports say could cost the city as much as $25 million dollars.

I’m a long time tax paying Burbank resident. Also, I’m an African American female. The allegations in this lawsuit are shocking and disturbing to me.  My confidence in the Burbank police department has been shattered. City officials need to move swiftly to either prove these allegations false or admit the failings of the police department and immediately come up with a plan to correct the problems with strong decisive actions.

Photo: Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers Matt Kemp hit a home run against the Chicago Cubs yesterday. The homer at Wrigley Field broke the Dodgers’ four game homeless streak. Still, the Dodgers got beat by the Cubs 2-1.

Photo: NBC

After 17 years, Jay Leno hosted his last official ”Tonight Show” taping this evening with laughs, gags, memories, and some favorite guests. Some of the entertainer’s fans in the audience had spent hours in line to make sure they got a chance to watch the taping of Leno’s finale.

Leno is not heading off into the sunset for retirement, at least not yet anyway. Actually, Leno and his crew are moving into new digs on the NBC lot in Burbank and will soon be gearing up for a new program. “The Jay Leno Show” is a five-nights a week prime time variety program scheduled to get underway this fall. Oh, Conan O’Brien is taking over the “Tonight Show” hosting job.

 This fall when both shows are on the air, we’ll see who delivers the best program with the highest ratings. You know, a little healthy competition might be good for both shows. 

A Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge threw the book at convicted murderer and music legend, Phil Spector, today. Judge Larry Paul Fidler sentenced the 69-year-old Spector to 19 years-to-life, the maximum term. Last month, a jury convicted the eccentric music producer of second-degree murder in the death of 40-year-old Lana Clarkson.

The B-Movie actress of such films as “Barbarian Queen” (1985) was found shot to death in the foyer of Spector’s Alhambra mansion in 2003. Spector’s first trial ended in a mistrial when the jurors were not able to reach a verdict, after deadlocking 10-to-2 in favor of conviction.

Spector will not be eligible for parole until age 88. During today’s hearing, Spector’s lawyers reportedly gave Clarkson’s mother a check for $17,000 to pay for the actress’ funeral, which was part of the sentence. A sad end for all concerned. Clarkson’s life was cut short by an act of senseless violence; Spector’s fame and image forever tarnished by the crime.

Back in the 1960s, Spector created the landmark recording technique of layering multi-instrumental tracks to produce what has come to be known as the ”wall of sound” effect. Spector used it on such rock hits as “Be My Baby” by the Ronettes and “You’ve Lost that Loving Feelin’” by the Righteous Brothers. Spector was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.

Photo (1980): Lisa Jack — from the Los Angeles Times

In 1980, Occidental College student Lisa Jack got very, very lucky. A bright handsome freshman named Barry Obama agreed to a photo session for one of Jack’s class assignments. The session produced 36 shots of a cool, youthful Obama. The photo above shows Obama wearing a bomber-style jacket with swirls of smoke from his cigarette floating around him. Years later, President Barack Obama apparently has dumped the smoking thing; ah, no matter, he’s still pretty cool without it. Obama spent his first two years of college at Occidental, which is in the nearby Los Angeles community of Eagle Rock, before moving on to Columbia University in New York.

Jack, who is now a college professor and therapist, saved the negatives from that long-ago photo shoot. Many of the images from that session are part of a new exhibit called, “Barack Obama: The Freshman,” which will open tomorrow evening at the M & B gallery, 612 North Almont Drive in West Hollywood. The exhibit is free and runs through July 18, 2009. Here’s the gallery website www.mbfala.com, but the overwhelming interest in the exhibit crashed the site this morning.

Photo: Leila Navidi/Las Vegas Sun — Senator Harry Reid & President Obama at Vegas fundraiser last night.

Meanwhile, President Obama jetted into the Southland from Las Vegas today. Last night, the president spoke before a sell-out fundraiser at Caesars Palace. The event raised nearly $2 million for the re-election campaign of Nevada Senator/Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, according to the Las Vegas Sun.  

Tonight, the president is speaking at another Democratic fundraiser at the Beverly Hilton, in Beverly Hills. I got an invite to this affair, but the ticket prices were much too high for my budget. KNX 1070 newsradio reports some folks shelled out between a thousand and $30,000 for tickets. Hopefully, the next time the president speaks at a local gathering, the ticket prices will be more affordable. 

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank

The battle over same-sex marriage has been long and contentious in California. Today the state supreme court ruled the ban on gay marriage, Proposition 8, is constitutional, but that doesn’t appear to settle the debate. That’s because the high court’s ruling allows 18,000 gay marriages, that occurred before the proposition was approved by the voters, to stand. It’s a partial victory for both sides, but not a clear cut ruling on the issue.

Last November, the controversial ban on gay marriage passed on a 52 percent vote. Proposition 8 amends the state constitution to allow marriage only between a man and a woman. The ballot measure overturned a ruling by the state supreme court last spring, which legalized same-sex marriage.

Several states have wrangled with this issue. Massachusetts, Iowa, Vermont, and Maine have legalized same-sex marriage. More than likely, voters in California will be faced with a new ballot measure on gay rights and the definition of marriage very soon. 

The way I see it, the issue could easily be settled if those who believe in traditional marriage exchange wedding vows with someone of the opposite sex; and those who believe in same-sex marriages, well, they should tie-the-knot with someone of their own gender. That’s a live and let live solution, which would resolve all this controversy. Too bad it’s not that easy.  So get ready for more protests, election campaigns, and probably court cases involving the issue.

“Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” had to slug it out with another new film, ”Terminator Salvation,” for the top spot at the Memorial Day holiday weekend Box Office. “Terminator Salvation” got off to a fast start with screenings on Thursday, while the second “Night at the Museum” movie opened on Friday.  Still, the family-friendly fantasy clobbered the high-tech futuristic sci-fi drama. “Night at the Museum” raked in an estimated four-day total of $70 million, to become the number one movie in the nation.

“Terminator Salvation” had to settle for second with around $53.8 million over the long holiday weekend. This fourth installment of the popular sci-fi action series takes place in 2018 during a war between the humans and the high-tech machines. The film stars Christian Bale and Sam Worthington. A lot of head scratching from the experts on why the “Terminator” got decked by the comedy-fantasy. Some reports say there has been a glut of sci-fi films at theaters recently and moviegoers were looking for change. Also, I’ve heard this “Terminator” has lot of action, but not much heart.

Meanwhile in “Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian,” like its predecessor, historical exhibits and characters come to life. Ben Stiller stars as the ex-security guard/now successful inventor. The first “Museum” adventure took place in the Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. The setting for the sequel is the Smithsonian.

After three weeks, the latest “Star Trek” movie is still flying high. It earned an estimated $29.4 million over the four-day holiday weekend for third, followed by the thriller “Angels & Demons” with $27.7 million and rounding out the top five, the Wayans brothers’ new dance film spoof, “Dance Flick” with $13.1 million.

 Photo: Carla Thomas/NASA

Bad weather in Florida continued today, so the space shuttle Atlantis dropped out of the sky and landed at Edwards Air Force Base here in California at 8:39 a.m. Pacific Time. The crew of Atlantis carried out an extensive and complex upgrade of the Hubble Space Telescope during a 13-day journey.

Later, Commander Scott Altman spoke for his six-member crew: “We’re all thrilled to have the mission complete and it was a testament to the teamwork and cooperation of folks all across the country.”

Meanwhile, NASA is gearing up for the next mission into space. Space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to blast-off next month, June 13, on a trip to the International Space Station. 

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank

The economy is still struggling. Job layoffs by the thousands continue. Gasoline prices at the pumps are up. On Thursday, May 21, I paid $2.60 a gallon at a gas station in Burbank. A month ago at the same station, I paid $2.30 a gallon.  And food prices are still outrageously high; why is that the case?

On the plus side, President Obama signed sweeping credit card reform into law yesterday. You can still catch a flick for around 10 bucks or so.  Some big movies playing this weekend include “Star Trek,” “Angels & Demons,” and the new arrivals “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Simthsonian,” and “Terminator Salvation.” This holiday weekend is still a great time to connect with the people we care about, hang out at our favorite joints, parks, and shopping places, or just do nothing but kick back and relax.

At the top of my to-do list this weekend, being grateful for the choices we have in this country. First, I’ll give thanks to a higher power. Then for the next few days, I’ll join my neighbors and people across our nation and fly the stars and stripes to say thanks to our military, especially to those who have died in that service, for protecting our values and freedoms.  

 Photo: Lawrence Jackson/White House — President Obama shares a fistbump with a proud young graduating Midshipman at the U.S. Navy Academy commencement today.

President Obama kicked off the long Memorial Day holiday weekend today with a speech to the graduating class of 2009 at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland: “After an era when so many institutions and individuals acted with such greed and recklessness, it’s no wonder that our military remains the most trusted institution in our nation. (Applause)

And in a world when so many forces and voices seek to divide us, it inspires us that this class came together and succeeded together, from every state and every corner of the world. By building an institution that’s more diverse than ever — more women, more Hispanics, more African Americans — the Naval Academy has reaffirmed a fundamental American truth: that out of many, we are one.”  (Applause)

More of the president’s speech and photos of the event on the White House blog.

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank City Council  (from left to right) Dr. David Gordon, Dave Golonski, Anja Reinke, Jess Talamantes and seated, council member/Mayor Gary Bric

Suspicions are growing that something troubling is brewing behind the scenes in Burbank that involves the police department and legal matters. Officials are trying to keep it hush-hush, but all that has done is fuel rumors and concerns among residents as well as city employees.

Last Tuesday, May 19, at the city council meeting, long-time resident Mike Nolan encouraged council members to address a number of issues including rumors about a controversial e-mail floating around from a member of the police commission. More on that later.

Also, Nolan alluded to lawsuits going on and asked, “how many law firms” are involved? Nolan put it most succinctly when he demanded to know: “What is going on here?” City Councilman Dave Golonski spoke up and admitted, “…there are internal and external investigations going on…” Ex-Mayor Golonski explained,  …”we are not at liberty…” to discuss them because we do not comment on “…ongoing investigations.” Hmm, hasn’t the Burbank City Council heard that we are now in the era of transparency.

If President Obama can face the American people and answer difficult and sometimes sensitive questions, so can the city officials in Burbank. Who’s funding these investigations? If taxpayer money is being spent on law firms and investigations, residents deserve to know the why and the what, not every detail, but something to justify the expense and the secrecy. The way I see it, far better for city officials to make a disclosure now, rather than be forced later on to explain these legal matters as well as the long delay in informing the public about them.

As for that provocative police commission e-mail, after much discussion among the council members and staff, it was decided that the council needed to see it. Burbank City Manager, Mike Flad, has taken up the search for the e-mail and from what I am hearing, once it is found, it will be made public.  Stay tuned.

Photo: Pete Souza/White House

Talking about a long distance call. President Obama chatted with the crew on board the space shuttle Atlantis late yesterday. The crew got Wednesday off to rest and relax, after completing five spacewalks and numerous repairs and upgrades on the Hubble Space Telescope. This is the fifth and final tune-up for Hubble.

The president spoke with Atlantis Commander Scott Altman, while the rest of the crew listened in.

President Obama: “I wanted to personally tell you how proud I am of all of you and everything that you’ve accomplished. Like a lot of Americans, I’ve been watching with amazement the gorgeous images you’ve been sending back and the incredible repair mission that you’ve been making in space. I think you’re just providing a wonderful example of the kind of dedication and commitment to exploration that represents America and the space program generally. And these are traits that have always made this country strong and all of you personify them.”

Captain Altman: ”Well thank you very much, sir. I think you’re exactly right that this mission’s been an example of what our country can do as we work together. It’s been a teamwork of all the folks on the ground in addition to the folks outside spacewalking making this all come together and work for us.” More of that conversation on the NASA shuttle website.

 Photo: NASA — the crew of Atlantis on board the space shuttle

Captain Altman’s crew includes astronauts Gregory C. Johnson, Michael Good, Andrew Feustel, John Grunsfeld, Mike Massimino, and Megan McArthur. Today the crew is preparing for the trip home. Atlantis is scheduled to land at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at around 10 a.m. EDT tomorrow. 

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank Polling Place/Joaquin Miller Elementary School

California voters didn’t just reject five of the propositions championed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and other legislators as fixes for the financially-strapped state budget, they slammed them to the mat in yesterday’s special election. Propositions 1A through 1E were soundly defeated by huge margins.

STATEWIDE RESULTS

Proposition 1A  “Rainy Day” Budget Stabilization Fund          34.1% Yes   65.9% No

Proposition 1B   Education Funding Payment Plan                37.4% Yes    62.6% No   

Proposition 1C   Lottery Modernization Act                           35.4% Yes    64.6% No

Proposition 1D   Children’s Services Fund                             34.2% Yes    65.8% No       

Proposition 1E   Mental Health Funding Temporary Reallocation 33.6% Yes  66.4% No       

The only measure passed by the voters yesterday is 1F, which would prevent state officials from pocketing salary increases in years when there’s a budget deficit. That measure won by a landslide statewide, 73.9% Yes to 26.1% No. In Los Angeles County, voters overwhelmingly supported the measure by more than two-to-one with 69 % Yes to 31% No.

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove – Burbank City Hall

When I voted at Joaquin Miller Elementary Tuesday afternoon, I saw mostly grim faced voters in line and a couple of harried pollworkers trying to process them. Later, I walked into Burbank City Hall for a city council meeting and found a table of smiling and cheerful pollworkers. The voters here didn’t look any happier about the task at hand, but the pollworkers were in a great mood, even though most of them had been on the job since early that morning.

Election Inspector, Silva Kechichian, told me voters had come in a “steady” trickle all day long. Kerchichian rated the turnout “good” for a special election. She admitted Tuesday’s turnout was nothing like the long lines and crowds that showed up for last November’s presidential election.

Burbank city hall pollworkers, Lilian Avila, Narcisco Dulao, Melina Alaka, and high school junior Brooke Johnson expressed excitement about the voting process and their part in it. They said they want to do it all again –together– the next election. Three cheers for the pollworkers!

Even decades later, the movie comedy “Some Like It Hot” (1959), directed by the legendary Billy Wilder, is still very funny. It’s a true classic that stands up against the changing times and culture. The film stars Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis as two musicians on the run from gangsters who disguise themselves as women and join an all female band. Both fall for the band’s sexy lead singer, Sugar Kane, played by Marilyn Monroe. 

Now 83-years-old, Curtis has hooked up a book deal for a behind-the-scenes memoir about what went on during the filming of “Some Like It Hot.” This tell-all book will include details about Curtis’ relationship with Marilyn Monroe, according to Publisher’s Weekly.  John Wiley and Sons bought the book and plans to publish it this fall to mark the 50th anniversary of the release of “Some Like It Hot.”

Last year, “American Prince: A Memoir” by Tony Curtis and Peter Golenbock hit bookstore shelves. Curtis, born Bernard Schwartz on June 3, 1925, has enjoyed a long acting career and colorful personal life, which have provided him with plenty of material to write about. He appeared in more than 100 films. Also, he married five times, the first to actress Janet Leigh. In his later years, Curtis’ paintings have brought him new fame as a visual artist.

Photo: Pete Souza/White House

President Obama takes a break from his busy schedule to toss a football and share a moment with family pet Bo on the south lawn of the White House last Tuesday, May 12, 2009. That Bo is really enjoying his dog’s life at the White House.

Some folks in Southern California are still recovering from last night’s reminder that we live in earthquake country. That reminder came in the form of a 4.7 quake which rocked, rolled, shimmied, or shifted the ground from side to side for up to 15 seconds, according to those who felt it. Experts say the shaker shook up a large section of the Southland at 8:39 p.m. and was followed by an aftershock of 3.1 a few minutes later.

The quake was centered near Lennox in the South Bay. I experienced the shaking in Burbank: so did folks in a number of places including Hemet, Woodland Hills, all the way down to Long Beach and parts of Orange and San Diego counties.

Photo: Lawrence K. Ho/Los Angeles Times

No reports of major injuries or damage, however, there were some shattered windows, smashed dishes, and other minor property damage. ln the above photo, Long Beach firefighters are shown cleaning up broken glass on the street, the result of broken windows in the Blue Ribbon Drapery shop.

 ”Angels & Demons” did not pack the appeal and Box Office numbers of its predecessor, “The Da Vinci Code.” Nonetheless, the new thriller about a deadly plot against the Vatican grabbed the attention of movie fans and debuted with an estimated $48 million this weekend to become the number one movie in the country.

“Angels & Demons” is based on another Dan Brown novel.  Brown’s mega-bestseller, “The Da Vinci Code” became a blockbuster movie in 2006. ”The Da Vinic Code” earned $77 million on its opening weekend in the U.S. The film had a terrific run in theaters. Domestically, “The Da Vinci Code” hauled in $217 million and $540 million in foreign markets. Both films are directed by Ron Howard and star Tom Hanks as the lead character, Harvard University symbologist, Robert Langdon.

Last week’s top flick “Star Trek,” remained popular with moviegoers and pulled in around $43 million for second place. The two week total for the sci-fi space adventure is an estimated $147 million in the U.S.  The comic book action film, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” clawed its way into third with $14.8 million. The romantic comedy, “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past” claimed fourth with $6.8 million and rounding out the top five, the thriller “Obsessed” with $4.5 million.

Photo: Jason Reed/Reuters

A speedy filly named Rachel Alexandra thundered past a pack of males to win the Preakness yesterday in Baltimore, Maryland. Rachel was the favorite and she did not disappoint. She’s the first filly to cross the finish line first at the Preakness since 1924!  You go girl! 

Photo: Tim Shaffer/Reuters

Rachel got high praise from her jockey, Calvin Borel: “She’s the greatest horse I have ever been on (in) my life.” Two weeks ago, Borel rode Mine That Bird to victory in the Kentucky Derby. This time around, Mine That Bird had to settle for second to a lady. It was the sixth straight win for Rachel. The $1.1 million Preakness Stakes is the second race in the U.S. thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown series, which kicks off with the Kentucky Derby.

Photo: William P. Gottlieb (1947)

Legendary crooner Frank Sinatra died 11 years ago on May 14, 1998, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after suffering a heart attack. Sinatra was 82. Now the entertainer, known as “Ol’ Blue Eyes” or “The Voice,” is about to live again on the big screen and in the pages of a new book.

Francis Albert Sinatra was born December 12, 1915 in Hoboken, New Jersey and grew up to become one of the best known and most accomplished American singers ever. Also, Sinatra achieved recognition as a stage, television, and film actor. In 1954, Sinatra won the best supporting actor Academy Award for his performance in the classic war flick, “From Here to Eternity.” Sinatra’s personal life was just as extraordinary as his career with alleged ties to organized crime and four wives, including actresses Ava Gardner and Mia Farrow.

This week, there were media reports dealing with a new Sinatra movie to be directed by Martin Scorsese. The famous director has had success with films about billionaire recluse Howard Hughes and controversial prize fighter Jake La Motta. The Sinatra project came together after years of negotiations with the singer’s family and business interests, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The script is by Phil Alden Robinson who wrote the screenplay for the much-loved baseball movie “Field of Dreams.”

Photo: http://www.franksinatragolf.org/

 Meanwhile, Sinatra’s fourth wife has sold a book project to Harmony Books, according to Publisher’s Weekly.  Barbara Marx, a former model and Las Vegas showgirl, was married to Sinatra from 1976 until his death in 1998. The book is tentatively titled, “Life with Frank.” Wendy Holden is co-writing the book with Barbara Sinatra.