The new school year is only about a week old , but it already has been an ordeal for some Burbank middle school students and their parents. As I first reported on this blog about a week ago, A Burbank city funded, long-running,  and very successful after school program was axed at David Starr Jordan Middle School, leaving some parents scrambling to find a safe alternative for their children.

One parent, I’m keeping her name confidential,  alerted me to the situation in an e-mail and has continued to give me her impressions of what the public is being told vs the reality of what’s going on. 

Last Tuesday, August 17, a Boys & Girls Club official told  me a new after school program sponsored by the club was available at Jordan Middle School. Yesterday, I found the club’s after school program listed on the Burbank Unified School District website.

However, the transition, from the old after school program to the new one, has been very bumpy, according to this parent who sent me an e-mail this evening:

“We signed up for Boys and Girls club today and happily paid our $75. No flyer was given to the children. The only way we would have known of it was through your blog.

I called B&G club about the privileges and the two people I spoke with didn’t know what I was talking about, neither did the person at Jordan so not sure what is involved.

At this stage, just glad I don’t have to worry about my child walking home (a kid was knocked down last week near the school) and am glad to be in a position to pay the $75 (cheaper than a speeding ticket).

So thanks Fronnie as you were hugely instrumental in getting this going. I am sick of paying and paying and getting shafted time and time again. No 13% pay raise for us.”

It’s a real bummer that these parents have been jerked around like this. These Burbank taxpaying citizens and their children deserve better from their city.

It’s a wrap for Burbank Mayor Gary Bric

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank Mayor Gary Bric read a statement about the lawsuits and investigations swirling around the Burbank Police Department at the September 29, 2009 city council meeting. 

Mayor Gary Bric is off the hook… somewhat. Last night, Bric presided over his last Burbank City Council meeting. Over the past months, Bric has improved in his job. The soon-to-be-ex-mayor still needs work in some areas, like when it comes to handling the public comment sections of the meeting. 

The way it’s set up, each person gets five minutes to speak on matters related to Burbank or city business in the first comment section. There were 24 cards from people who wanted to step to the podium last night.  As he has in the past, Bric suggested the speakers be brief and not take all of their allotted time. I think folks who come down to city hall and go before the council with their concerns and issues, should not be discouraged from speaking the entire five minutes. It’s their right. The council members have the responsibility and duty to listen and take those concerns seriously — even if the number of commenters push the meeting to a late hour.

Also, Bric has gained the confidence to stand-up to Councilman/tough guy, Dave Golonski. Last night, Golonski became impatient with Burbank resident Eden Rosen’s explanation of the problems in her apartment building and interrupted her. Golonski claimed Rosen’s complaints did not rise to the level of city business. Rosen insisted it was Burbank business because the building on Olive Avenue was subsidized with taxpayer funds. Bric decided Rosen had a right to speak. Council members Anja Reinke, Jess Talamantes, and Dr. David Gordon refused to get involved — so Bric’s opinion won out.

Over on The Burbank Leader website, there’s a farewell statement from Mayor Gary Bric. The mayor doesn’t mention the Burbank police mess (those lawsuits and investigations), instead focusing on events such as the unveiling of the Dr. David Burbank statue and his trip to South Korea with Vice-Mayor Reinke.

Speaking of Reinke, she has the inside track to become the city’s next mayor. That’s reason to worry. Frequently, Reinke is barely attentive at council meetings and has not shown a lot of sensitivity to the concerns of regular Burbank citizens. 

Example, Reinke has been dancing around scheduling a town hall meeting for the Burbank Police Commission to hear citizen concerns. At the Wednesday, April 21 Burbank Police Commission meeting, the Vice-Mayor did a clumsy tap-dance around why she hadn’t made any progress in scheduling the town hall meeting. Reinke seems more intent on getting “answers” and “plans” together to defend the city rather than giving citizens the opportunity to speak their minds.

Last night Reinke, who is the liaison from the council to the police commission, brought up the town hall meeting, hinting she might have something relevant to say about it at the next police commission meeting, Wednesday, May 19, 2010. Reinke is a fast talker. I just wish there was more substance in what she says.

Oh, if Reinke is having trouble figuring out how to organize a town hall meeting, perhaps she should ask those who put together the two city council town hall meetings in 2008, which she attended. Below, are a couple of photos from those town hall gatherings.

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Then Mayor Marsha Ramos, Council members Anja Reinke and Dr. David Gordon listen to speakers at a town hall meeting back in the winter of 2008.

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — A full house at a town hall meeting held at the Burbank Buena Vista Library in the winter of 2008.

Another controversial firing at a top Hollywood agency

 Nikki Finke is reporting on her  Deadline.com Hollywood that another talent agency controversy is brewing involving a minority assistant. This time the assistant, Katrina Lopez, was shown the door by United Talent Agency for a writing a blog or blog post called “Confessions of a Hollywood Serial Dater.”  According to Finke’s sources, Lopez did not mention names or where she worked. However, a UTA executive is quoted in Finke’s post as saying the assistant violated a number of company policies (probably some they are busy creating now) as well as she “…chronicled personal details of a UTA employee she was dating.” The UTA executive thinks the firing puts an “…end to the story.”  No way. It’s being talked about on the Internet, and according to Finke, the assistant is considering legal action.

Burbank student wins major scholarship

 Burbank High School student Heawon Yang is one of the 2010 Gates Millennium Scholars!  One thousand outstanding minority students were selected from 45 states, Washington, DC, and three U.S. territories. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation shelled out $1.6 billion for the scholarship program, which is administered by the United Negro College Fund.

Gates Millennium Scholars receive financial assistance, academic support, mentoring and leadership training. The program was established in 1999 by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda. Wow, talking about putting your money to work to help others. These scholars, who come from low-income homes, reportedly have an average graduation rate of almost 80 percent — 45 percent higher than the six year rate for all college students.

“By supporting a diverse cadre of students to earn their degrees, we can help develop the next generation of leaders in communities across the country,” according to Senior Program Officer at the Gates Foundation, Margaret Daniels Tyler.

Bees buzzing Burbank and beyond

I spotted some of those eager pollinators in my flower garden during the past few days. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees — the most prolific pollinators. Bees are being watched very carefully not just by researchers, but by average gardeners. In 2006, millions of bees died or mysteriously disappeared. Some experts have labeled it “Colony Collapse Disorder.”

The phenomenon could be the result of a virus, predatory mites or even pesticide. Scientists haven’t reached a definitive conclusion.  The bee decline continues, but has slowed down some. The other pollinators such as wasps and butterflies have suffered as well — but none has been as hard hit as the bees.

Bees help plants and flowers flourish our gardens, as well as  pollinate one third of the crops in our food supply. Due to the bee die-off and its ramifications, I appreciate bees more when I see them at work in my yard.  

Meanwhile, researchers up north at U.C. Berkeley have been studying the diversity and habits of native bees in the state since 2005. La Canãda Flintridge is a part of that survey, which is an extension of the Urban Bee Project that’s being ongoing since 1987. The other cities in the survey are Ukiah, Sacramento, Berkeley, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara.

So far, La Canãda Flintridge has scored the largest number of bees with 94 species. Probably some of those species go hunting for pollen and nectar in the flower beds and landscaped areas of Burbank as well.  Want to learn more? Loads of bees-in-your-garden tips here.

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank

Controversial court ruling involving one of the lawsuits swirling around the Burbank PD

A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge dismissed Burbank Police Officer Jamal Childs as a plaintiff from that explosive discrimination lawsuit filed against the Burbank PD last May by five of its minority officers. On Thursday, March 18, Judge Joanne O’Donnell ruled the statute of limitations had expired on Childs’ claim. Hmm, Childs has been a Burbank Police officer for five years. It’s not like his complaints date back 20 years or so.

Well no surprise the attorney for the officers, Solomon Gresen, plans to appeal. Here’s the Leader story about it. Also, plenty of chatter and information about the ruling, Judge O’Donnell, what constitutes a hostile workplace, and similar discrimination cases over on Jim Carlile’s blog.

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank Police Chief Scott LaChasse

LaChasse’s plan of action

While the city attorneys are busy fighting the allegations of misconduct and civil rights violations in the police department, the new Burbank Police Chief, Scott LaChasse, is making changes. On the job since January, LaChasse is wasting no time in shaking up the department.

At last Wednesday’s Burbank Police Commission meeting, LaChasse introduced two new key members of his team, cop psychologist Dr. Larry Blum and Deputy Police Chief Tom Angel, who comes with 30 years of experience at the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.

LaChasse mentioned improvements were being made in the BPD with the “Department of Justice” in mind. Gee, it sure sounds like LaChasse has discovered there is merit to some of those allegations and complaints against the Burbank Police. I doubt the chief would be trying to fix what wasn’t broken.

What about those town hall meetings?

Vice-Mayor Anja Reinke is a lousy tap dancer from what I can tell. At Wednesday’s meeting, Police Commissioner Jim Etter asked Reinke about the timetable for setting up town hall meetings with the public. Reinke babbled on and on about the problems arranging the meetings and how city officials wanted to have their excuses, ah, responses worked out first, before taking public questions about the police mess. 

Perhaps it was more of a bad case of moonwalking by Reinke. Nevertheless, Etter, the main advocate of the town hall meetings on the commission, listened to her explanation patiently this time. It will be interesting to see if Reinke has the nerve to try to pull the same stunt at next month’s police commission meeting.

State Assembly candidates forum at Burbank City Hall next Wednesday

A televised forum for candidates vying for that vacant seat in the 43rd State Assembly District is set to get underway at the Burbank City Council Chambers next Wednesday, March 24, starting at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend. The League of Women Voters Glendale/Burbank is sponsoring the event. (Maybe the Vice-Mayor should get some pointers from them on how to put together such an event)

By the way, the League is asking the public to submit questions for the candidates via e-mail or by phone. Details here. The primary special election is April 13, 2010.

Ex-Mayor Marsha Ramos still on the hot seat  

More grief for Former Burbank Mayor/Council Member Marsha Ramos. At that most informative Burbank Police Commission meeting, during oral communications, Activist Mike Nolan indicated Ramos’ deposition about the police mess had prompted threats to subpoena her phone records. According to Nolan, Ramos has hired a lawyer to protect her rights.

A strange accident involving a Burbank city bus filled with school kids

A lot of talk and concern in B-City about a traffic accident involving a school bus — that really wasn’t a school bus. Confused?  Well, wait it gets more complicated and weird.

Sources tell me a Burbank City blue bus, with 21 kids on board (ages 11-14), got into a traffic mishap with another vehicle at Olive Avenue and Orchard Drive around 3:20 p.m. on Friday, January 15, 2010. The accident was minor — no injuries, but it raises a number of questions about why the city blue bus was being used as a school bus.

The California Highway Patrol handles all school bus accidents, but the agency refused to deal with this accident because the bus was not a state certified school bus. Even the bus driver was not certified to drive a school bus.

What’s going on here?  Is the city trying to save a few bucks by using regular city transit buses as school buses, violating state mandates and putting children’s lives at risk? How many of these not-really school buses are transporting children around town? Do parents know about the situation?  More on this later.

Parking violations at the Downtown Burbank post office

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Downtown Burbank post office

So what’s up with all the folks boldly parking illegally at the Olive Avenue post office after hours? There are only eight spaces, two are for handicapped drivers, on the side of the building. Rarely can you pull into one of those spaces after dark, because they’re filled with the vehicles of people working nearby or shopping or dining or catching a flick at the AMC or whatever.

There are signs posted that clearly state the parking is only for those doing business in the post office. Burbank traffic cops need to crack down on these violators who force others to double park or do some other kind of inventive parking, just to run in to the post office to buy stamps, mail a letter or package, pick up mail from a P.O. Box …etc.

 A Highland Park college student is really going green this year. Green as in dollar bills. The Pasadena City College student, who doesn’t want his name released, won the SuperLotto jackpot on Saturday, January 2, 2010, according to the California Lottery website.  The jackpot was worth $8 million bucks. Not the kind of jackpot that draws media attention, but enough financial security for this guy to quit his part time job at an auto parts store and to go to school full time.

Oh, the lottery winner wants to use some of his new riches to help others and, “travel to the corners of the world.”

The Mega Millions draw worth at least $48 million

Now if you want to talk about some serious money, tonight’s Mega Millions drawing is worth at least a hefty $48 million. California is one of several states that participates in Mega Millions, the largest multi-state lottery game in North America. The drawing tonight is at 8 p.m.