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Update on SAG negotiations & location filming in Burbank

By on Thursday, August 21, 2008

     Those long-running Screen Actors Guild negotiations appear to be stalled in a nowhere zone. The most recent press release posted on SAG’s website is dated August 15 and it claims “informal discussions” are happening. Ah, but wait, over on the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers’ website a posted statement denies there are ANY talks underway.  Not a good sign of progress. Nonetheless, the filming must go on. A crew sets up at a hillside home in Burbank to film a commercial spot for VH-1 and... Read More →

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Books take a back seat to movies and TV

By on Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Book lovers browse at a bookstore in Burbank. People are going to the movies in huge numbers this summer as well as catching up on favorite TV programs after the script drought created by the WGA writers’ strike, so maybe that’s why some book sales are sagging. Bookstore sales declined in June, according to Publishers Weekly. During the first five months of the year, these sales were strong. Then in June, bookstore sales reportedly slipped 7.1%. Overall, bookstore sales for the first half of 2008 were $7.67 billion. I take some of the blame... Read More →

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Gasoline prices drop at the pumps

By on Saturday, August 16, 2008

A couple of motorists pump gas in Burbank. Photo by FLLewis I filled up at a gas station in Burbank on Thursday. It was not as painful as it has been in weeks past – but it still hurt.  I pumped a little over eight gallons – at $4.039 a gallon – total $34.02.  That was a good deal, according to the latest gasoline figures released by the Automobile Club of Southern California. In the AAA Weekend Gas Watch dated August 15, the average price of self-serve regular gasoline in... Read More →

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Bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon’s big event in Burbank

By on Friday, August 15, 2008

Author Sherrilyn Kenyon shows off her new vampire fangs at a book signing.      photos by FLLewis                                           New York Times bestselling author, Sherrilyn Kenyon brought her wildly exciting book tour, complete with vampire fangs, special gifts, and prizes to Burbank on August 8. Even though I was familiar with Kenyon’s incredible success, I was still surprised to see so many local folks willing to sacrifice part of their Friday night to meet the famous writer. At 7:30 p.m. the line snaked around a corner of the 4200 block... Read More →

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Cool writing events in hot August

By on Friday, August 8, 2008

Dr. Gay Toltl Kinman Growing market for young adult and children’s books. On Saturday, August 23, at 2 p.m. Dr. Gay Toltl Kinman will be offering advice on how to make your children’s novel  or YA fiction sparkle.  Kinman writes cozy mysteries, short stories, short plays, YA as well as children’s and adult novels.  Authors with manuscripts should bring the first pages of their work with them. The Buena Vista Branch Library will be the place for this workshop.  Call 818-238-5620 for more information. Get your screenplay in shape.... Read More →

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TPing a nuisance or a joke or a crime?

By on Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Photo by FLLewis Some pranks never really die; they just get passed onto a new generation. TPing or toilet papering is one of those pranks that is repeatedly resurrected by neighborhood kids. If you are not familiar with the term or act, here’s a brief description: TPing is when a group of young marauders swoop down, usually at night, and drape a particular property with streams of toilet paper (white is the preferred color). TPing appears to be a suburb thing. I’ve never seen twisted toilet paper hanging from... Read More →

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Community Calendar

By on Tuesday, July 22, 2008

“The Sounds of Summer” concert series in Burbank continues on Tuesday, August 12, with America’s Premier Doo-Wop Group, The Alley Cats. Bring a picnic, bring a blanket or a lawn chair for an evening of fun. The concert kicks off at 7 p.m. at the Northwest Branch Library, 3323 West Victory Blvd. Call 818-238-5640 for more information. Contributed by Louise Paziak, Publicity Maven for the Burbank Libraries.

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Murder Abroad

By on Friday, July 18, 2008

Mystery author Bruce Cook with a fan at a book signing. Love mysteries and exotic locales, then check out this event tomorrow, July 19, at the Buena Vista Branch Library in Burbank from 2-4 p.m. A panel of mystery authors will discuss their books, as well as the fun and problems of setting their plots and crime scenes in far away places. On the panel will be Eric Stone (Grave Imports), Aileen Baron (The Gold of Thrace), Patricia Wynn (The Motive from the Deed), Gay Toltl Kinman (Death... Read More →

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Coffee & Conversation

By on Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Photo courtesy Sheila Lowe Handwriting expert and book author Sheila Lowe will be joining a panel discussion title “A Slight Case of Murder,” on Saturday, August 2 in Burbank. This event is presented by Sisters in Crime/LA, a local mystery writers’ group. Lowe has parlayed 30 plus years of experience in the handwriting field into a very successful business with clients in the judicial system as well as private industry. Also, her background came in very handy when Lowe created a mystery novel series with a sleuth named... Read More →

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Sign of confusion

By on Tuesday, July 15, 2008

  This hands free phone sign reminder for drivers may have caused some double takes. The sign near the border of Glendale and Burbank, on San Fernando Road at Spazier Avenue, had a misspelling in the first word the first time I spotted it. Check out the photo at the top taken the week of June 23. I took more snapshots of the same sign around July 8. It appears that later the second “h” in the first word had been changed to... Read More →

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Some MySpace users can’t connect

By on Thursday, July 10, 2008

There is a glitch on the popular social network MySpace today. I was talking with a counter clerk in the Central Burbank Library this afternoon and overheard a young man complain to another clerk that the computer he was using, “was broken.” The clerk calmly asked what website he was on. “MySpace,” the man replied. He was then told the site was having problems accepting user passwords. Apparently, the problem had been going on all day. In January 2008, the Los Angeles based MySpace reported more than 110 million monthly... Read More →

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Bargain prices at popular Burbank submarine sandwich shop

By on Saturday, July 5, 2008

The American flags were out at this neighborhood eatery during the long 4th of July weekend. Many local businesses closed up shop during the long holiday weekend: not Giamela’s in Burbank. When I asked the owner, Edward Giamela, if he ever takes off. “We’re never closed.” He declared with a straight face and then smiled. “That’s a lie. We’re closed four days: Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Year’s.” Giamela continue to laugh and joke as he worked making sandwiches behind the counter with three male employees on the... Read More →

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July 4th holiday weekend movie fans head to the theaters

By on Saturday, July 5, 2008

Moviegoers line up to buy tickets in Burbank. The theaters are packed this July 4th holiday weekend and many folks are buying tickets to see Will Smith as an irreverent superhero in “Hancock.” The film has received mostly negative reviews, but Smith still owns the July 4th weekend. In its first three days , “Hancock” has raked in $60.1 million dollars at the box office. That total includes Tuesday previews, along with Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday receipts. That haul is ahead of the two “Men in Black” film... Read More →

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A day to celebrate freedom of choice

By on Friday, July 4, 2008

American flags are flying all over the country including here in Glendale today. On America’s Independence Day, I celebrate freedom of choice. I went for a walk through the Burbank hillside area. I passed a home being demolished by a construction team. A number of gardening crews were out mowing lawns and blowing leaves around. The car wash at Glen Oaks Boulevard and Santa Ana Avenue was doing a brisk business. Many of the residential streets were lined with vehicles and the driveways filled — apparently a lot... Read More →

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High gas prices continue

By on Thursday, July 3, 2008

Despite high prices millions gas up and hit the roads and highways. Today is get-away day for many folks traveling during the long 4th of July holiday weekend. The price for a gallon of gas is well over $4 in most places. Still, the Automobile Club of Southern California predicts that eighty percent of Southland travelers or 2.4 million will go by car. That’s less than a one percent decrease compared to last year. “Our record gas prices clearly are affecting travel for the second holiday in a... Read More →

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Oil prices skyrocketing, no relief at the pumps

By on Friday, June 27, 2008

Our money pains at the gasoline stations are apparently going to get worse. Today, oil prices hit a new record of nearly 143 dollars a barrel. This bad news comes days before the July 4th holiday week when thousands hit the roads and highways. While out and driving in Burbank, I could not help noticing a number of brand new huge SUVs still sporting dealer plates. Those drivers must have received an incredible deal to ignore the cost of keeping an SUV fueled and rolling these days. I... Read More →

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Burbank Democratic Club endorses Barack Obama for President

By on Thursday, June 26, 2008

   I dropped by the backyard cookout of the Burbank Democratic Club this evening. A spirited group of about 20 ate BBQ, sipped beverages of their choice, and discussed the state of the country and the world. And oh yes, talked a lot about politics and the upcoming general election on Tuesday, November 4, 2008.   Club President Janet Reynolds called for a vote and got a unanimous endorsement for the presumptive presidential nominee for the Democratic Party, Senator Barack Obama. Also, the group threw its support behind a... Read More →

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