Opening in theaters today

A new romantic comedy is challenging “The Green Hornet” at the Box Office this weekend. “No Strings Attached” hits movie theaters today and it stars Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher. The script revolves around a couple of friends who make a deal to have a “no strings attached” fling without the complication of falling in love. Yeah, right.

NBC Universal honcho Jeff Zucker’s final memo to staffers

Now that the Comcast NBC Universal merger is nearly complete, NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker has to move on. Today Zucker sent out a gracious farewell note to staffers. No rancor in it about being kicked to the curb by the Comcast team.  Check it out on The Wrap site.

Beyoncé to star in remake of “A Star Is Born” –Clint Eastwood will direct

A lot of folks in showbiz are chattering about the new remake of “A Star Is Born” — greenlighted with singer Beyoncé  Knowles in the lead role. This will be the fourth big screen version of the story of a talented young woman who falls in love with a self-destructive male star. Her career rises — while his tanks. Heavyweight Clint Eastwood has signed on to direct.

While there is some grumbling about another re-do of this story — most of the debate is about the acting chops of Beyoncé. The singer has appeared in several movies. She’s not quite at the level of Judy Garland or Barbra Streisand — but you never know what could happen.  Remember first timer, Jennifer Hudson, won the Academy Award for best supporting actress for her powerful performance in the movie adaptation of the Broadway musical ”Dreamgirls” (2006). Beyoncé was in that musical as well. Maybe “A Star Is Born” will be her big chance to really shine.

More on the “A Star Is Born” remake and debate on deadline.com – including more than 200 comments.

A chance to make a change in Burbank

Burbank city officials are out to appease voters now that the Primary Nomination Election is coming up soon.  Last week, the Burbank City Council gave final approval to that election set for February 22, 2011 and the General Muncipal Election on April 12, 2011. There is a countdown running on this blog, in the far right column, that gives the exact number of  days, hours, minutes, and seconds until the Burbank Primary Nomination Election. Yes, I think it’s that important.

Burbank city insiders see the 2011 elections as significant as well, and with good reason. Some of those crooks, flakes, and opportunists in Bell would have gotten the boot long ago, if residents had voted them out of office. There is power in the vote. That’s why City Hall officials are taking steps to schmooze the voters, to lull them into thinking things aren’t so bad in Burbank and that they have a real voice in city government.

 Did you get your copy of the new city hall publication, “Burbank USA?”  In his welcome message on the front of the newsletter, Burbank City Manager, Mike Flad, stated: “We strive to be open, accessible and transparent in all aspects of City government and look forward to sharing valuable information through this newsletter.”  Hmm, all of a sudden city officials want to share and be transparent.

I suggest you take a close look at the newsletter, which Flad says will be sent out monthly along with our utility bills. All of it’s fluff: items like free green home house call, city approves regional transit center at the Bob Hope Airport, and the upcoming  “Holiday in the Park.”  Nothing in the newsletter  about the Burbank Police Department scandal/investigation/lawsuits and the millions of dollars being spent for lawyers that city officials are refusing to give the public details on.

There’s a community calendar, but no mention of the November filing date  and deadline for candidates interested in running in the city’s February primary. Three seats on the Burbank Unified School District Board of Education and two on the Burbank City Council will be on the ballot. A major note, up for re-election, Mayor/Council member Anja Reinke and Former Mayor/Council member Gary Bric.

The bottom line, changing the make-up of the city council, would be a giant step toward changing what’s wrong in Burbank. Mayor Reinke and Councilman Bric rubber stamped the recent hike in utility fees for residents and then voted hefty raises for the Burbank Water and Power executives. Despite their claims of being fiscally responsible, Reinke and Bric repeatedly voted outrageous raises for selected Burbank staff in recent weeks. It’s time for a change.

The Burbank City Council needs TWO new members who will actively put the interests of residents first.  It’s up to the voters. If the same decision makers remain on the city council, there is little doubt, the city will continue its bumpy  journey on a path very similar to the one taken by the city of Bell under the guidance of those self-serving officials.

The Leader’s “cozy” and questionable relationship with the BPD

For a long time, The Burbank Leader has been criticized, no slammed, for allegedly being what many consider a cheerleader or mouthpiece  for city government. So you’d think the Leader staff would make an extra effort to deflect this criticism and try to build a reputation of journalistic integrity. Well, maybe not.

Over the weekend in the newspaper and on its website, Editor Dan Evans boasted of a new arrangement with the Burbank Police. Apparently the BPD is going to be feeding certain stories to the Leader. Here’s the link to Evan’s comments (in the middle section of his ”Start the Presses” column). 

The Leader deal got plenty of negative reaction from some Burbank news sites, including this stinging response from BurbankNBeyond Editor, Craig Sherwood, in an opinion piece called, “Outsourcing Burbank Journalism.”

I think this kind of arrangement with one newspaper sends a bad message to ALL media. I guess you can’t fault the Leader editor for asking for special privileges, but Police Chief Scott LaChasse  should have had the smarts to say “no.’

Bees buzzing the flowers in October

During the warm three-day Columbus Day weekend, I noticed quite a few bees fluttering from flower to flower in my Burbank garden.  The bees paid special attention to the colorful geraniums.  Another nice reminder of how lovely fall can be in SoCal.

Another Hollywood celebrity faced a judge in court, today.  Actor Charlie Sheen pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault in a deal that resulted in more serious charges being dropped. Sheen got a break from the Aspen, Colorado judge who suspended a 30-day jail sentence as well.

The assault charge came out of a nasty Christmas Day altercation Sheen had with his wife, Brook Mueller. Also, Sheen was sentenced to 30-days in rehab, but he may not have to do that time either. The Wrap has more on Sheen’s day in court.

Meanwhile, Actress Lindsay Lohan began a 90-day rehab at UCLA Medical Center today. Lohan finished 13 days of a 90 day jail sentence and was immediately carted off to the medical center. Lohan was sentenced to jail and rehab for violating probation in a DUI  case. People magazine has more on the troubled actress’ latest ordeal.

SoCal congresswoman’s husband buys Newsweek Magazine

It’s a done deal. Wealthy Businessman and Philanthropist, Sidney Harman, is the new owner of Newsweek magazine. Harman, a 91-year-old stereo equipment magnate, is the spouse of California Congresswoman, Jane Harman, who represents the 36th District out in the South Bay.

Sidney Harman met with the staff of the struggling news magazine today. The full story on the Newsweek website.  

Summer movies still hot

Despite rising theater ticket prices, folks are continuing to go to the movies. Over the weekend, the dreamscape thriller “Inception” held onto the number one spot at the  Box Office with a take of  $27.4 million — bringing its three-week domestic total to $193.3 million.

The new screwball comedy, “Dinner for Schmucks,” debuted in second with $23.5 million. This is a remake of a French film, “The Dinner Game” (1998),  about an executive who finds just the right guy to take to his boss’ dinner for dummies. The movie stars Steve Carell and Paul Rudd.

The Angelina Jolie spy thriller, “Salt” raked in $19.4 million good enough for third.  The animated flick, “Despicable Me” took fourth with $15.5 million. And rounding out the top five, the new romantic-fantasy starring Zac Efron called “Charlie St. Cloud” with $12.3 million.

Burbank & the Bell salary flap

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- Burbank City Council members (left-right) Jess Talamantes, David Gordon, Gary Bric, Dave Golanski, and Mayor Anja Reinke. Council members posed for pictures after voting in Reinke as mayor on May 3, 2010

Here ‘s a sad, but true tale of two Southland cities where the pay of  selected officials/employees has been jacked up to ridiculous levels.  The Los Angeles Times outed the  small community of Bell recently for paying exorbitant salaries to a handful of its city officials. Nearly $800,000 to the Bell City Manager, $457,000 to the Police Chief, and $376, 288 to the Assistant City Manager. Oh, and most of the Bell City Council members were banking a $100,000 a year.

 The Times’ investigation produced a series of stories and columns, sparking outrage among Bell citizens.  That outrage prompted  the city manager, assistant city manager, and police chief to resign. And grudgingly, the Bell City Council members gave-up their six-figure salaries.

The Bell flap has focused national attention on the problems created by city officials who shell-out hefty salaries and raises to some ”allegedly-more-valuable- than -the-rest” employees to the detriment of the communities they’re supposed to serve.

Here in Media City, many residents are ticked off at the Burbank City Council for recently voting to hike the salaries of the senior executives at the Burbank Water And Power an estimated 7-to-11 percent. Thanks to the generosity of the city council, Burbank Water And Power General Manager Ron Davis’ salary reportedly will take a huge leap from around $218,000 a year, to somewhere between $233-and-$270-thousand per year. Nice gift. I blogged about it in a City Buzz column back on July 7.

 It happened days after the city council approved a budget with fee increases that included a 13 .5% hike in water rates and 2.9% for electrical. Apparently, the four city council members, Jess Talamantes, Dave Golonski, Gary Bric, and Mayor Anja Reinke, who voted for the raises, came down with Bell fever. Council member David Gordon, who did not show signs of the political ailment, voted against the  BWP pay hikes and those proposed by staff at last Tuesday’s city council meeting as well.

On July 27, city staff presented new requests to the city council for some job re-classifications and pay hikes in the Park, Recreation, and Community Services Department as well as a 19 and ½ percent raise and new title for a graphic illustrator in the Community Development Department.

This time around, Councilman Golanski refused to support that 19 and ½ percent raise, but three other council members voted for that salary increase and the others as well. So all of those salary hikes passed. Dr. Gordon voted “no” on all the raises. Reinke, Talamantes, and Bric voted “yes” on all of the raises.

I find it distrubing that the city council is handing out fat raises to some city employees — while members of the Burbank PD work without a contract. The BPD has been hit hard by scandal, corruption, and mismanagement. Still, Burbank cops are out there on the streets putting their lives on the line to protect the city and its citizens. You’d think the city council members and top staff would be scrambling to get raises and a contract for Burbank cops. Now, that would benefit the entire community — not just line the pockets of a few select employees with more taxpayer dollars

Bell fever. I wonder how long certain Burbank City Council members will be afflicted with the malady. Somebody needs to find a cure fast!

Politically Speaking

Photo by Milton Alvarez-Ramos -- Steve Ferguson, Chair of the Park, Recreation, and Community Services Board in Burbank

 Steve Ferguson, Chair of the Park, Recreation and Community Services Board in Burbank, has a new blog, Politically Speaking. Ferguson has posted a thought-provoking piece called, “The Unspoken Conflict.”

Ferguson writes: “Police lawsuits, cut-throat political tactics and gossip have created an environment of fear, paranoia, and desperation. It’s not okay to disagree, to want to know more, or even to read a blog or two in our City. As a result, the dominant culture of our community divides those who are involved, based on their current views of City policies, into three groups: those who are right, those who are wrong and those who are not involved or don’t have a clue. There is no longer any appreciation for a difference of opinion. The division is everywhere. When two individuals from different groups interact it is mostly unspoken and sometimes even eerily cordial.” Read the entire post here.

Update on San Fernando Boulevard Fire 

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- Smoke billows from a huge commercial building fire on San Fernando Boulevard near downtown in Burbank on Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Fire officials are still investigating that major fire at a commercial building in the 500 block of  San Fernando Boulevard near downtown in Burbank, last Tuesday, July 27.  The fire broke out shortly before 7 p.m. and burned hot and fast. Smoke from the blaze billowed out into the neighborhood and could be seen for miles.

There were no injuries, but on Friday,  Burbank Fire Spokesman, Captain Ron Bell,  put the damage estimate to the gutted building at $1 and ½ million and damage to the contents at around $250,000.

Captain Bell says they don’t know yet exactly what caused the fire and it is still “… under investigation and will be so for some time.”

Gripes & Complaints

Some sharp criticism of the Burbank Adult School over on the Semichorus blog. The educational facility is accused of charging for some courses that reportedly should be free to students.  Details here.

Some good and not-so-good news for Oprah

The Forbes Magazine website calls Oprah Winfrey the queen of all media. Winfrey is number one on Forbes’ latest 100 richest and most powerful celebrities list. It’s not just the $315 million Winfrey earned last year that won her the top spot on this list.  You gotta have huge media exposure and online presence to make that ranking. Others who made the top 10, James Cameron, Tiger Woods, Sandra Bullock, and new pop music sensation/fashion daredevil, Lady Gaga!

Another reason Oprah is in the news –  a controversy swirling around a show on her yet-to-be-launched new network. The wrap is reporting that OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network due to debut next January, is accused of rigging the contestant selection for one of its upcoming reality programs. Details here.

“Toy Story 3″ leads the Box Office again

Two high-profile films didn’t quite have what it takes to unseat “Toy Story 3″ at the top of the domestic Box Office last weekend. The animated sequel continues to draw big crowds at movie theaters. Over the weekend, it racked up $59.3 million to bring its two-week total to $226.8 million.

Landing in second place, the new comedy, “Grown Ups,” which debuted with $40.5 million. It’s about a reunion of five friends and their families over the 4th of July holiday weekend. The stars include Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Scheider.

The new Tom Cruise-Cameron Diaz action flick had to settle for third. The plot centers on a female traveler who’s life gets tangled up with that of a secret agent. “Knight and Day” pulled in $20 million at theaters.

The family comedy, “The Karate Kid” is still kicking – scoring $15.5 million for fourth, and rounding out the top five, “The A-Team” with $6.2 million.