New comedy club opening in Burbank

The Burbank City Council has cleared the way for the city’s first comedy club. You would think it was a no-brainer with entertainment being the number one industry in B-town, but it wasn’t. Last night, the city council approved a business assistance loan of $190,000 for The Flappers Comedy Club and Restaurant by a 4-to-1 vote. Dr. David Gordon was the lone dissenter.  

The loan will be used to remodel the old Macaroni Grill site at the corner of East Magnolia Boulevard and North 1st Street, in the downtown area. Even though co-owner Barbara Holliday will secure the loan by putting up her Burbank home and other assets, Gordon was concerned about repayment should the business go under. On the flip side, the other council members saw the potential as being well worth the risk.

Councilman Dave Golonski admitted the site had certain challenges, but liked the passion and enthusiasm he heard and saw in Holliday and her partner Dave Reinitz, and their supporters, including a number of comedians who spoke at the meeting. Golonski said it was a “great use” for the site, the business plan “made sense,” and the project had the “right chemistry, ” so he voted “yes”.

While critics point to the city’s support of failed restaurants like Bombay Bicycle Club, Golonski cited successes like Fry’s Electronics and the hugely popular, Porto’s Bakery & Cafe. Holliday and Reinitz together have more than 20 years experience in comedy production and event planning. I think they have a good chance of making “Flappers” ah, fly. 

During his time in front of the council, showing support for the club, comic Michael Rayner pulled off a very funny trick; spinning a cheeseburger on an umbrella. After the vote, I asked Rayner where else had he performed that trick? He said all over the place, from the “Late Show with David Letterman” to the Burbank library. I’m looking forward to seeing Rayner do that trick again when The Flappers Comedy Club and Restaurant opens in late summer.

Also, the revised and much debated plan for a 24 Hour Fitness gym near the Burbank Empire Center won approval from the city council, too. The vote was 3-to-2, with Gordon and Mayor Anja Reinke opposing.

Councilman David Gordon’s bio up on Burbank city website

BTW, Burbank Councilman David Gordon’s bio is now up on the city website. Now you can read about the backgrounds, interests, and achievements of the entire Burbank City Council. Click here for Gordon’s bio. On the left side of that page, there are buttons to click on for the bios of the other four members as well.  

Baseball coach Jose Sandoval speaks out 

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove –Coach Jose Sandoval outside the Burbank courts building, on November 5, 2009

A lot of chatter about the dismissal of the criminal case, on Monday, against long-time Burbank baseball coach, Jose Sandoval. Yesterday, I e-mailed the volunteer coach for the Burbank Park and Recreation Department and got his reaction. Below are Sandoval’s answers to my questions.

1.  How do you feel about the dismissal of the case against you?

 I feel relieved that this case is finally over and it was dismissed. I know for a fact if it was any other coach this would have never of gone this far. I used all of my vacation days in court and ran out of time last year so it was all on my time.

 2. Your court appearances on this matter started last July?  How many times have you had to go to court?

 I went to court 12 or 13 times before yesterday (Monday) I believe I went twice in a couple of months.

3. After that controversial altercation at the baseball game, you were suspended for a year, right?  When did that end? 

I was able to start coaching in mid April.

4. Are you coaching the same kids or a new team?

Some final words.

I want to thank all that stood with me and by my side through all of this. THANK YOU from the bottom of my HEART.  I want to thank you and your bloggers for all of the kind words and support. if you guys get a chance come check out some of our games we play every day of the week. 

Bob Kramer on the prowl

Photo:  FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank Community Assistance Coordinator Bob Kramer’s get-around-town vehicle promotes the city’s water conservation campaign

Have you seen Bob?  Bob Kramer, the Burbank Community Assistance Coordinator. For the past six months, Kramer has been cruising the city, looking for problems to solve, in the Burbank Water and Power “conserve water” promotion van. Last month, I saw Kramer zipping up the hill on Olive Avenue above Bel Aire Drive, one Monday and a week later, spotted him driving through another hillside neighborhood.

Despite the “conserve water” message on his vehicle, Kramer is not the water police. Kramer says ”every week” he checks all the alleys for junk like dumped couches and graffiti. He reports his findings to city departments for action.

Kramer is considered the “go-to-guy” for all sorts of problems residents might have with trash, parking, sidewalks, trees, or even the well being of a neighbor. Go here for information on how to contact Kramer. 

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank

Burbank officials have hammered residents with new water restrictions, penalties, and higher rates recently. We’re in a water crisis they insist. Well, you’d think if the shortage is as serious as they say, the first order of business would be to make the city as water efficient as possible. There are indications this has not been a high priority or the job was left incomplete.  Besides the repeated sprinkler problem/flooding at the Burbank jail mentioned in an earlier post on this blog, now the city has been caught on video wasting precious water in the downtown area.

The video was shot along a section of San Fernando Boulevard near Olive Avenue by concerned citizen Mike Nolan. The amateur video shows sprinklers drenching giant planters to the point that streams of water run down the sidewalk and into the street in the early morning hours. The same video was shown during the first public comment period at the Burbank City Council meeting, last Tuesday, September 8. Earlier that afternoon, the video was posted on Youtube and a link to it popped up in a comment section on this blog.

At times a certain council member has been arrogant, condescending, and down right rude when some citizens (including Burbank Police Commissioner James Etter at the September 1, 2009 council meeting)  have complained about the water restrictions or expressed doubts about a water shortage. There was none of that following the showing of the water wasting video, which was a relief. Council member Jess Talamantes thanked Nolan for the video saying it “…exposed a lot of waste….” Councilman Dave Golonski admitted it’s the city’s “…responsibility to conserve water…” and called for some kind of plan to be carried out to check the efficency of the public watering systems. Council member Anja Reinke suggested the city should be using drought-resistent plants.

No surprise, the city moved quickly to try to correct this public relations nightmare. Tuesday evening, Nolan says he took a stroll along San Fernando Boulevard and discovered the gushing sprinklers in those planters had been replaced with much smaller ones. Perhaps this will solve one public water wasting problem, but are there others around the city? On this controversial and sensitive issue, the city of Burbank should be out front leading the way on conservation and not be a water waster.