The Mega Millions jackpot is stuffed with greenbacks and closing in on the $100 million mark. The winning numbers in last Friday’s draw were 21, 27, 32, 40, 52 and the Mega number 36. No one ticket in that draw had all of those hot numbers. However, one California player did come pretty close to winning the money pot with all but the Mega  number correct. That ticket is worth $292, 587.

So the Mega Millions jackpot now stands at $96 million and could go higher before tomorrow’s draw at 8 p.m.

A lot of lottery players have their eyes on the Mega Millions jackpot, which stands at around $86 million.  No one purchased a ticket with the winning numbers from last Tuesday’s draw. Those hot digits are: 6, 29, 38, 50, 51 and the Mega Ball 39.

Two California players came real close to scoring the big one. They got all of those numbers correct, except for the Mega Ball. Each ticket is worth $128, 276.

The next draw for the Mega Millions game is tomorrow at  8 p.m.

A whole lot of green in the Mega Millions jackpot today. No one got lucky enough to purchase a ticket with all of the winning numbers in last Friday’s draw.  So the jackpot exploded to $85 million!!! That’s some serious moolah.

Those winning numbers: 8, 10, 22, 47, 48 and the Mega Ball 35. One ticket holder in California almost scored the top prize. Someone who bought a Mega Millions ticket for that draw in the Golden State has a ticket with all of the winning numbers, except the Mega Ball. That ticket is worth $250, 530.

The next draw is Tuesday, August 2, at 8 p.m.

The Mega Millions jackpot just keeps rolling along collecting millions!  That lottery jackpot skipped over the $100 million mark after no one had all of the winning numbers in last night’s draw. That big money stash now stands at $105 million.

Those lucky digits are: 12, 17, 27, 47, 48, and the Mega Ball 33.  Someone bought a ticket in California that has all of those digits, except for the Mega Ball. That ticket is worth a hefty $701, 316.  Now that kind of  money will start your July 4th holiday celebration off with a bang!

The next Mega Millions draw is Friday, July first at 8 p.m.

The Mega Millions jackpot has ballooned to the $64 million mark. No ticket held all of the winning numbers in last night’s draw.  Those  important digits: 12, 29, 46, 47, 51, and the Mega Ball 24.  One lucky California player has a ticket with all of  those hot numbers, except the Mega Ball. That ticket is worthy a hefty $735,439.  A very nice return on a dollar investment.

The next draw is Tuesday, June 21, 2011 a 8 p.m.

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- Chevron gas station at Glenoaks Boulevard and Olive Avenue in Burbank April 12, 2011

 Skyrocketing gas prices are turning motorists into gas scouts — on the lookout for the lowest pump prices anytime they hit the road. If that makes some of ditch the cellphone calls and texting to pay more attention to their surroundings –that’s a huge plus!

I spent $20 on gasoline last Tuesday and I got less than five gallons. I didn’t gas-up at a high end station like the Chevron at Glenoaks Boulevard and Olive Avenue, which was charging $4.23 for a gallon of self-serve regular. At the lower end a couple of blocks away, the Arco station at Tujunga Avenue and Glenoaks Boulevard was charging $4.11 for regular.

Photo:FLLewis/Media City G -- Arco station at Tujunga Avenue and Glenoaks Boulevard in Burbank April 12, 2011

I should have stopped at the Arco station. Instead, I popped into a 76 station across town and paid $4.15 a gallon for regular. I plan to do a better gas prices scouting job next week.

In general, we’re paying about a dollar more per gallon than last year. Here are some figures from the AAA Fuel Gauge Report website about the average price of regular gasoline.

Nationwide

• Average today       $3.8 a gallon
• A year ago              $2.8 a gallon

California

• Average today        $4.1 a gallon
• A year ago              $3.1 a gallon

Los Angeles/Long Beach (this includes Burbank)

• Average today     $4.2 a gallon
• A year ago            $3.00 a gallon

Another major Mega Millions lottery jackpot up for grabs tomorrow. On Tuesday, April 12, no one picked all of the winning numbers, but a player in San Francisco did get all but the Mega Ball correct. That lucky ticket is worth $467,776.

The winning numbers from Tuesday’s draw:10, 23, 39, 41, 45, and 15. The next draw is Friday at 8 p.m.

Texting behind the wheel or driving and talking on a hand-held cell phone are not just dangerous habits, they violate the law. California is sponsoring its first Distracted Driving Awareness Month in April. 

Photo: FLLLewis/Media City G -- Traffic at Main Street and Alameda Avenue in Burbank

Starting today, Burbank Police will be joining law enforcement agencies throughout the Los Angeles area in cracking down on texting and illegal cell phone use by motorists.

“We take the issue of distracted driving very seriously,” said Burbank  police Chief Scott LaChasse in a press release. “Cell phone use and texting while driving is such a serious concern that we are putting officers on the road with a zero tolerance approach to these violations. Is that text message of cell phone call really worth $159?”

That’s right, the first ticket will cost you $159 and as much as $279 for repeat offenses. It’s a smarter move to pull over to the side of the road and stop, before texting or picking up that cell phone.

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- Sprinklers spray a lush green yard on Sunset Canyon Drive in Burbank March 2011

Last Wednesday, March 30, Governor Jerry Brown declared the state drought over, done, finished — a total wrap. After nearly three years of being in drought mode, Governor signed a proclamation ending it.

Brown’s announcement followed the fourth snow survey of the season, conducted by the Department of Water Resources (DWR), which found that water content in California’s mountain snowpack is 165 percent of the April 1 full season average… according to the Governor’s website.

Despite the good news, Brown urged residents to continue to conserve: ““While this season’s storms have lifted us out of the drought, it’s critical that Californians continue to watch their water use,” Brown said. “Drought or no drought, demand for water in California always outstrips supply. Continued conservation is key.”

Could that mean no water hike for Burbankers this year? Don’t bet on it. Someone has to pay for the pet projects and those hefty raises for executives in the Burbank Water and Power.  Hopefully, fewer Burbank residents will have to let their lawns go dry up and go brown during the hot summer months. A decision that depends more on city water rates than the governor’s proclamation.

More on the end of the drought and the governor’s remarks here.

Photo: Megan's Law/Media City Groove -- New photo of Amy Victoria Beck March 2011

As first reported on this blog, convicted sex offender and former Burbank sixth grade teacher, Amy Victoria Beck, is no longer behind bars. Beck was released from state prison on March 20, 2011 after serving “…approximately 8 months…”according to California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation official, James W. Symington, III.

Back in March of 2010, the former David Starr Jordan Middle School teacher turned herself in to Burbank Police and admitted to having a sexual affair with a 14-year-old male student. Some sort of “special hold” was placed on Beck’s booking photo. I have made numerous requests to the Burbank Police for that photo — all were turned down. Even CDCR official, Symington, could not get the authorization to release a photo of Beck to me last Friday.

This week, this new photo of Beck appeared in her sex offender profile on the California Megan’s Law website. As part of her two year prison sentence, Beck has to register as a sex offender in the city where she lives. Symington says she now resides in Sunland, California. The 34-year-old Beck is the mother of three and reportedly married to a Los Angeles Police Officer.

Finally, someone has a Mega Millions lottery ticket with all of the winning numbers from last night’s draw. Sigh, that ticket is not at my house — not even in California. The ticket that won the estmated $312 million jackpot was purchased in New York. There are reports that in the final count that jackpot could top out at $319 million.

The winner gets the choice of 26 annual payments or a one-time cash option. Either way, the ticketholder is going to be very rich.

The Golden State did not get totally shut out of the big money. Five players got all but the Mega Ball correct. East ticket has a value of $287,323. The winning digits: 22,24,31, 52, 54, and the Mega Ball 4.

The next Mega Millions draw for a $12 million jackpot is Tuesday, March 29, 8.p.m.

The Mega Millions lottery jackpot is stuffed with the kind of money that could probably help balance the budget in a few cash-strapped cities or school districts. No one matched all of the winning numbers in last Tuesday’s game. That resulted in more moolah being added to the jackpot, which now stands at around $304 million.

 The lucky digits: 1, 14, 35, 50, 53, and the Mega Ball 43. Five players in California came very close to winning it all. They got all but the Mega Ball correct. Each ticket is worth a cool $297, 525.

The next Mega Millions draw is tomorrow at 8 p.m.

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- Chevron station at Glenoaks Boulevard and Olive Avenue in Burbank selling self-serve regular for $4.01 per gallon on March 18, 2011

The price of regular gasoline has been hovering very close to that dreaded $4 a gallon mark for several days here in B-town. Today, for the first time, I saw stations with posted prices for regular at a little over $4 a gallon. I began reporting on the appearance of $4 a gallon gas in Burbank about two weeks ago.

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- Chevron station at Main Street and Alameda Avenue in Burbank selling self-serve regular for $4.05 March 18, 2011

There are still gas stations in Burbank selling regular a bit cheaper: $3.91, $3.93, and $3.95. I gassed up my ride today for $3.93 gallon. That was bargain when you consider the average price for regular gas today in California is $3.96, according  to the  AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report. 

The national average for regular is $3.54 right now. Again, we’re getting slammed by jacked up gas prices here. The state with the dubious honor of  having the highest average price for regular gas? Not the Golden State, but Hawaii, at $4.07 per gallon.

The Mega Millions lottery jackpot is now super-rich. This morning another load of money got dumped into the double-M jackpot, after no one picked all of the correct numbers in last night’s game.

Tuesday’s winning digits: 10, 11, 12, 28, 43, and the Mega Ball 45. Three tickets bought in California matched all but the Mega Ball. Each of those tickets is worth $168, 654. The next Mega Millions draw is Friday, March 18, 8 p.m.

Will the Mega Millions jackpot reach $200 million? It’s heading in that direction. No one matched all of the winning numbers in last night’s game, so more greenbacks got stuffed into the jackpot, which now stands at $172 million!

The winning numbers from Friday: 14, 19, 21, 42, 45, and the Mega Ball 6. Four players in California came pretty close to winning the money pot. They got all but the Mega ball correct. Each of their tickets is worth $113, 947.

Th next Mega Millions draw is next Tuesday, March 15 at 8 p.m.

Like gas prices  — the Mega Millions lottery jackpot just keeps going higher and higher. Today that money pot grew to at least $151 million, after no one got all of the winning numbers right in yesterday’s game. The hot digits: 3, 17, 19, 41, 55, and the Mega Ball 24.

One ticket bought in the Golden State had all but the Mega Ball correct. That ticket is worth $410, 758 — not a bad return on a dollar investment. The next Mega Millions draw is this Friday, March 11 at 8 p.m.

The Mega Million jackpot got supersized and is now standing at $127 million. Extra millions were added to that lottery jackpot after no one picked all of the winning numbers in last Friday’s game. Those rich digits are: 8, 10, 15, 23, 41, and the Mega Ball 7.

Three players in California matched all but the Mega Ball in that draw. Each ticket is worth $123,660.

The next draw is Tuesday, March 8 at 8 p.m.

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- Chevron station at Alameda Avenue and San Fernando Boulevard in Burbank posts $4 gas price

We all saw it coming — but the reality is still hard to handle. A couple of days ago, on Tuesday, I bought almost 7 gallons of regular gasoline for $25 at the Chevron station, Alameda Avenue and San Fernando Boulevard in Burbank. I paid $3.79 a gallon.  At that time, Supreme stood at $3.99 a gallon.

Today, Supreme is selling at the same station for $4 a gallon. That’s the price of Supreme at the Mobil Mart up on Glenoaks Boulevard near Verdugo Avenue, too.

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- Mobil Mart at Verdugo Avenue and Glenoaks Boulevard selling gas for $4 a gallon

The way the prices are rising, it could be just a matter of days before regular hits the $4 a gallon mark. That’s a bummer for a couple of reasons. One, gas prices are much higher here than the national average, according to the Auto Club, which tracks gas prices daily across the country. 

National average — $3.42 a gallon for regular

California average  — $3.81 a gallon for regular

The two stations I checked here in the Media City today, Chevron and Mobil, were both selling regular for $3.89 a gallon.  

The other reason $4 a gallon gas ticks-off consumers — we know there’s a good chance even higher prices are looming not too far in the distant future. A total bummer.

Look out for lottery fever! The Mega Millions jackpot has leaped over the $100 million mark. You’ve read it here before, but I’ve gotta say it again, no one picked all of the winning numbers in yesterday’s game. The big money numbers are: 1, 12, 19, 20, 47, and the Mega Ball 25. So the jackpot rolled over to 105 million bucks!

Two tickets bought in California for yesterday’s game got all but the Mega Ball number right. Each ticket is worth $146, 446. The next Mega Millions draw is this Friday, March 4 at 8 p.m.

The Mega Millions is a hot ticket today. The reason: the jackpot for that lottery game is simmering at $88 million. In last Friday’s draw, no one got all the winning digits right. Those numbers are: 4, 5, 17, 19, 50, and the Mega Ball 7.

Once again, some lucky player in California did match five of the winning numbers, but missed the Mega Ball. That ticket is worth $261, 782.

The Mega Millions draw is this evening at 8 p.m.