NASA challenged the pros on the reality show ”Top Chefs” to come up with a tasty dish that could be freeze-dried and sent into space for the astronauts to enjoy. The popular Bravo TV show  “Cheftestants” for this seventh season took up the challenge in the Wednesday, September first episode.

Angelo Sosa won the cook-off with his ginger lacquered short ribs with pea puree, pickled mushrooms and horseradish crème fraiche. In a news feature on the NASA website, officials explained why they consider food a top priority in the space program: “Crew members continually say that when they’re in such an unfamiliar environment so far away, food is one of the main things that reminds them of home.”

Following nutritional guidelines set up by NASA scientists, the menu for the space crews has 180 food and beverage items including beef tips with mushrooms, chicken fajitas, shrimp cocktails, coffee, orange juice and lemonade.

The NASA cooks will soon be whipping up Sosa’s dish and adding it to that menu. Oh, for winning the challenge Sosa gets a brand new Toyota Avalon and a chance to attend one of the final two space launches from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.   

Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the last voyage of the Space Shuttle Discovery set for November first, 2010. A few months later, the final flight of Endeavour on February 26, 2011.

NASA is offering the public some opportunities to take part in these historic space missions. One is the “Fly Your Face in Space” or you can send just your name into orbit program. Check out the details. here. The second, is a chance to either vote on or submit an original composition for a wake song for the astronauts on the final missions. For contest information  click over to the really cool  NASA Space Rock website.

A full house at the public forum

Photo: FLLewis/ Media City G -- A big turnout for the Burbank Police Commission's first public forum on Wednesday, August 18, 2010 in the Community Services Building

After all the hoopla, debates, agenda re-writes, and months of delays, the first public forum held by the Burbank Police Commission in recent memory went off with only a few minor glitches.

 First, additional chairs had to be brought out to accommodate the crowd that showed up last Wednesday night, August 18, in the Community Room of the Community Services Building on Third Street, across from the Burbank Police and Fire Headquarters.

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- Resident speaks out at Burbank Police Commission public forum on Wednesday, August 18, 2010

More than 100 people were packed into the Community Room. A large number of personnel from the BPD filled the seats around the perimeter or stood along the wall.  That I’m told, along with the location of the forum, created an air of intimidation and tension for many in the audience. All of the Burbank City Council members were there and so were a number of other city officials and staff.

Most of the 13 speakers who stepped to the mike spoke about personal situations, some involved allegations of harassment by BPD or hassles with neighbors. The 800 pound gorilla in the room, aka the police mess, was touched on briefly or alluded to by only a few speakers. Interesting, considering the chatter on the blogs and around the town for the past weeks and months has been about the police corruption, scandal, firings, lawsuits …etc and the need for some direct answers from Interim Police Chief, Scott LaChasse, about what is REALLY going on in the BPD.

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G -- Burbank Police Chief Scott LaChasse provided some lengthy statements about various projects in the BPD at the public forum, August 18, 2010

If Burbankers came to the public forum to hear about identity theft, crime mapping, and prison reform, well they got an earful from Police Chief LaChasse. As has become his habit, LaChasse danced around, but did not answer, any question related to the police mess.  More and more it seems, the BPD is being run like a secret police in a foreign country where only a privileged few get to know what’s going on — and that does not include the public who’s paying the bills for its operation and its mistakes.  

Word is the Interim Police Chief is lobbying hard for the job permanently. Clearly, LaChasse is not seeking the approval of the public, but of the city government establishment — some of the same officials who may have had a hand in allowing the police mess to get to the point that it’s costing us millions and millions of dollars. Since the forum, I’ve heard more people say “we’re going to have to rely on the Feds” to do the clean-up of the BPD. They just might be right on that.

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G- Police Commission Chair Robert Frutos delivers opening remarks and introduces his fellow commissioners at the public forum, August 18, 2010

As for the Burbank Police Commission, it received positive and encouraging comments from many speakers. Chair Robert Frutos introduced his fellow commissioners: James Etter, Hagop Hergelian, Elise Stearns-Niesen, new member Robert Cohen, Vice-Chair Nathan Rubinfeld, and Secretary Ray Adams.

The commissioners appear to have a strong commitment to the community and a new take charge attitude as demonstrated by Commissioner Adams. When he was alerted by a resident that the forum was not following the printed agenda, Adams quickly took action and  got it back on track. Hopefully, the forum is the first step to a stronger relationship between the Burbank Police Commission and the community.

Update on axed after school program   

Photo: FLLewis/Media City G-- David Starr Jordan Middle School, 420 South Mariposa Street in Burbank

Last Tuesday, I spoke with Julio Herrera of the Boys & Girls Club of Burbank and Greater East Valley, and he assured me that his organization was starting a new after school program at David Starr Jordan Middle School. However, this new program, unlike the previous one, would require a $75 a year membership in the Boys & Girls Club.

Last Sunday, I blogged about the highly-regarded long-standing free, city funded, after school program at Jordan Middle School getting terminated by the city budget cutting axe. Today, I clicked over to the Burbank Unified School District website and checked under after school programs for Jordan Middle School – and yes, there are now details about the Boys & Girls Club program and study hall in the library option as well.  Also, information on how students can ride the “Got Wheels bus” — something the parent who contacted me was reluctant to allow her child to do because of city officials’ refusal to answer pertinent questions about that supicious city bus accident back in January, involving some students from Jordan and Emerson Elementary.  

I still think the city should pick-up the cost of the Boys & Girls Club program for parents. The cancellation of the previous program has caused problems for parents who found out about it just before the new school year began last Monday. If the city officials can find money in the budget to pay for raises to certain “select” employees, they should be able to find a few dollars to help out some parents and their children.

Gripes & Complaints

Did you hear the heartbreaking story that a homeless woman and her daughter told during public comments at last Tuesday’s city council meeting? The woman complained she could not get help for herself and two children. Yeah, the story was convoluted and difficult to follow, but it was pretty evident the  family is in need of assistance.

Steve Ferguson updated the story on his blog, “Politically Speaking” the next day, when he discovered the family still living in a park. The mother had been injured — but still had enough concern to ask Ferguson’s friend to buy something for her son to eat.

Later at the public forum, I asked Burbank City Manager, Mike Flad,  about the woman’s situation. Flad insisted the woman had been given a voucher for a two day stay in a hotel. That’s it? That family needs at least a two-month or even a six-month place to stay in order to get their lives together. And why are they hungry? Could not one of the charitable organizations that get funds from the city find food for this family? This is a shame. City officials need to do something to help this woman who once owned a home in Burbank. She should be able to benefit from some of the tax dollars she has paid to the city over the years.

Bristol Palin to marry Levi Johnston

That Palin family – never out of the media spotlight for long. The latest news,  Bristol Palin is engaged to former boyfriend and father of her son, Levi Johnston. The couple broke the news to US magazine, which posted the exclusive story and some photos on its website today. The Palins really like US magazine. Remember, Sarah Palin on the above US cover with the couple’s son, Tripp, back in 2008?  

Online vampire book sells to major publisher

Photo from www.martaacosta.com

San Francisco Bay Area Author Marta Acosta has a thing for vampires. Acosta sold her latest fang book by posting it on the website scribd. The YA novel, “The Shadow Girl of Birch Grove,” got tons of reads and was bought recently by Tor Books. GalleyCat has the scoop on how Acosta’s novel scored with online readers and the sci-fi fantasy publisher.

 Tribute to Dennis Hopper

“Dennis Hopper Double Standard” now showing in The Geffen Contemporary at the Museum of Contemporary Art in downtown Los Angeles. Celebs like Liv Tyler, Diane Keaton, and Reese Witherspoon turned out for the opening party last Saturday, for this exhibit showcasing the art career of the late, Dennis Hopper. The actor/artist died last May,after a battle with prostate cancer.                                                                                                                            
Vogue website has more on the star-studded affair. The MOCA site has details on the exhibit, which runs through September 26.

Burbank City Councilman David Gordon responds to his critics

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — At the November 3, 2009 city council meeting, Councilman David Gordon called for a major step in dealing with the growing Burbank police scandal

Burbank is still buzzing about the snub of two-term Councilman David Gordon by his colleagues on the council. On Monday, Dr. Gordon was passed over again for mayor and vice-mayor. The positions are rotated every year among the council members, but apparently a decision has been made to leave one member out of that selection process.

This time around, Anja Reinke was elected as the new mayor of Burbank and councilman Jess Talamantes, who’s only been on the council a year, vice-mayor.

The Burbank Leader has “revised” its report about the selection of Reinke and Talamantes at the reorganization meeting of the city council. When it was first posted on the Leader website Monday, the article carried a subhead or deck that said “David Gordon again passed over for vice-mayor.” 

On Tuesday evening, the Leader backed away from that strong stand and changed the second title to “Former vice-mayor commits term to safe, clean streets, sustainability.” The new article still includes this revealing paragraph: “Gordon, who has twice been elected and is the council’s second-longest-serving member, had expressed interest in the vice-mayorship, but some of his colleagues said privately that they wouldn’t support him based on his never voting to approve a budget and his earlier call for then-Chief Tim Stehr to step down.”

What is Gordon’s reaction to these complaints from his fellow council members? I e-mailed the councilman and asked — here are his responses.

 1. Burbank city budget

 Yes, it is true.  I never voted to support a City budget since taking office.
 
With respect to my voting record, I have voted against the budget each year primarily due to the overly broad and rather excessive utility bill increases that seem to be a part of each and every budget. In my first year in office, the Council was told the cost of energy was going up and would “never” go down.  Well, it went down, but no roll back of utility rate hikes ever occurred or was ever considered.  We have many seniors, who are on fixed incomes. These seniors are in a struggle just to keep their home and survive. They are not getting increases in income.  Some have had their meager income and benefits cut back.  Some are forced to ration or skip meals or needed medication just to get by. The people, especially our seniors, have been struggling mightily to make ends meet.  Meanwhile, there has been no discussion whatsoever in stemming the ever escalating costs of the essentials, water and electricity.
 
It should be noted that I have also consistently called for more accountability, transparency, and spending taxpayer dollars more responsibly.  I have voted against raising top management salaries.  I questioned city employees staying at the Mirage and Bellagio hotels while on City business trips to Las Vegas. I have voted against huge cash giveaways in questionable Redevelopment deals.  Meanwhile, I have not been able to get Council support to have the Redevelopment Agency repay the City’s general fund which could help stabilize utility rates.  Whats more, I question the wisdom of having paid Wildan Group, Inc. thousands of dollars for an Excessive Use of Force Audit in 2008 to be told there were no serious problems in Burbank’s Police Department while the City is now incurring millions of dollars in attorney fees to address the serious problems within our Police Department.
 
The City needs to be more prudent in its spending.  We need to find ways to deliver services cheaper and better ways to finance them rather than balancing the budget on the backs of the ratepayers with rate hikes.  My intent in voting against budgets is my way of letting everyone know that more oversight is needed in spending hard-earned taxpayer money.

2. Tim Stehr controversy

I have known former Burbank Police Chief Tim Stehr for several years.  I have had the opportunity to interact with, and get to know, him in my capacity as a member of Burbank’s City Council.  My relationship with him has always been mutually cordial, respectful, and professional.  My knowledge of his background and performance within the Burbank Police Department has been that he put in more than three decades of professional service to the Department coming up through the ranks from recruit all the way to chief…truly a noteworthy career. 

However, beginning with serious allegations first brought to my attention with a series of anonymous letters arriving in mid-2008, followed by numerous allegations and lawsuits involving police improprieties or misconduct, escalating tensions within the department pitting officers against each other seemingly about to reach a flashpoint, and culminating with the tragic and untimely death of Burbank Police Sergeant Neil Gunn, Sr., in October, 2009, all occurring on Chief Stehr’s watch, it became apparent to me that something had to be done by someone to break this cycle. 

On November 3, 2009, I requested that the Council place an emergency item on its agenda for consideration to direct the City Manager to place Chief Tim Stehr on indefinite administrative leave pending resolution of the various ongoing police investigations.  I felt then, and I still feel, that this was the only action I could take as an individual Council member to immediately address what I viewed as a real and immediate potential threat to the health, safety, and welfare of the public and our police department personnel.  The other Council members opted not to support my motion at that meeting.  However, within days, Council member Dave Golonski referring to Chief Stehr’s decision to retire as he appeared on ABC TV news made the following statement,

“He really needed to make way for new leadership in that department.  The problems are pretty severe there and there is a tremendous amount of discord.  And it’s very difficult for someone who is a sitting chief to fix those problems.  And I think he recognized that.”

The agenda debate

More fallout from Monday’s city council meeting and election of Anja Reinke as mayor and Jess Talamantes as vice-mayor. On the Burbank city website, there’s a confusing notation on the agenda for Monday’s reorganization meeting. 

Click on the city website tab Meetings & Agendas, scroll down to  Archived Meetings, click on city council, and go to the agenda for Monday, May 3, 2010. Scroll down to item E and under recommendation you will see: “Select Mayor and Vice Mayor for coming year. Mrs. Reinke was selected as the Mayor and Mr. Talamantes was selected as Vice-Mayor.”

I first read about this on Jim Carlile’s blog. So what does it mean? Was the fix in before the meeting or did someone just add the names of Reinke and Talamantes after the election to the agenda? Hard to tell at this point, but it is very strange.

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.

Probably a lot of talk and cautious e-mailing in Tinsletown and Media City today about the reported  WME  reprimands and firings over a farewell e-mail sent by an employee. On Deadline.com/Hollywood Nikki Finke posted Marcus Washington’s good-bye to the New York office of William Morris Endeavor on Sunday, April 11, 2010.

Apparently the WME management went ballistic and launched a witch hunt for the culprit who leaked the internal e-mail to Finke who says four employees were fired and around 75 reprimanded. This is not the first time agency bosses have tried to track down a leak to Finke’s site. Finke has some choice words for these entertainment honchos. Plenty of comments and chatter about this on Deadline.com/Hollywood.

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank Police and Fire Headquarters

A death in the Burbank city jail

More strange events in Burbank. First, over the weekend, an inmate reportedly was found hanging in his jail cell. It was reported on Jim Carlile’s blog and then on The Burbank Leader website that 60-year-old John Alfred Flores’ body was discovered on Easter.

Flores, a domestic violence suspect, was jailed after an incident Sunday morning. Early reports are calling it a suicide. The Los Angeles Coroner will release the official cause of death after its investigation.

I went looking for a press release about the inmate death on the Burbank city website, but couldn’t find one as of Tuesday morning.  Gee, what’s with that?  It’s not like a death in a Burbank jail cell is routine or business as usual.

Suspicious bus accident prompts investigation by city officials

Add another probe to the list of investigations going on in Burbank. Last month on March 20, it was first reported here about talk around town, particularly among city employees, about a strange bus accident in Burbank involving a city bus and a bunch of school children.

The accident happened back on January 15, 2010 at Olive Avenue and Orchard Drive. It was a minor collision between a bus and another vehicle. No injuries. The thing that sparked the talk is that the bus was apparently a regular city bus, not one designated to carry school children. From what I heard, the California Highway Patrol, which handles all school bus accidents, refused to touch this one because of the type of bus involved. So is this some kind of cost cutting measure by the city that’s putting children’s lives at risk? 

I asked the City Manager Mike Flad about this accident and he told me to contact Interim Community Development Director, Greg Herrmann. This is where it really gets interesting. I sent Herrmann an e-mail on March 30, 2010, asking about the bus accident.

My e-mail:

Dear Greg Herrmann,

I have some questions about a traffic accident involving a Burbank city bus. City Manager Mike Flad recommended I contact you. The accident occurred on January 15, 2010 at Olive Avenue and Orchard Drive. There were 21 school children on that bus who were picked up earlier at Emerson Elementary and Jordan Middle School. I am told this was not proper school bus, not a “Got Wheels” bus, not a youth bus, and not a pupil activity bus. That is the reason the California Highway Patrol, called to the scene, refused to write-up the collision. I understand all accidents involving school buses are handled by the CHP. 
 
The driver, Duane Beekman, was not licensed to drive a school bus. First, why was a regular Burbank transit bus being used to carry school children? How often is this happening in the city of Burbank? Are parents aware that their children are riding on a bus that does not qualify as a school bus?
 
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.
 
Sincerely yours,
 
Fronnie Lewis
 
writer/blogger
http://mediacitygroove.com/awritersgroove/
 
Greg Herrmann’s e-mail response on March 31, 2010: 

Ms. Lewis,

 My information on this incident is that it was a Got Wheels! bus operating on its normal fixed route, which circles through the city stopping at fixed stops like libraries, parks and recreation facilities and other after-school and weekend destinations.  While it may in fact have picked up a number of kids at the fixed stops near Emerson and Jordon, it was not a “school bus” in the sense that it collected the riders at the schools and delivered them at their residence.  The Got Wheels! system operates the same as any other public transit bus, except that it is only available to youth whose parents have pre-registered for the service.   

You ask below why a regular Burbank transit bus is being used to carry schoolchildren?   Again, my understanding is that it was a Got Wheels! bus that was being used, which is our normal operating vehicle for this youth-dedicated route.  The Got Wheels! buses are the same basic vehicle that is used for the Senior & Disabled service, except that they have the Got Wheels! insignia in addition to the BurbankBus designation that all City transit vehicles display.   

I hope that this information adequately responds to your questions.  Please feel free to contact me if you have further questions. 

Greg Herrmann

Community Development Department

City of Burbank

Since Herrmann’s information contradicted what I had heard, I sent a second e-mail on March 31, 2010: 

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

Herrmann’s second response is one we’ve seen all too much of lately by Burbank city officials. It’s the “circle the wagons and go on the attack” reaction, rather than dealing with a problem or situation.  Where is the concern for the community, specifically the children?  I haven’t seen the police report on the accident, but it must really contain some damaging details to prompt the city officials to try to track down and “punish” those who were concerned enough to talk about it.

By the way, according to what I’ve heard, the Burbank City Attorney’s Office has been aware of this accident for some time.