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Photo: Jill Weisleder/Los Angeles Dodgers --Manny Ramirez hits a home run in a game against the San Diego Padres back on April 30, 2009

Manny Ramirez gets dumped by the Dodgers

By on Monday, August 30, 2010

It’s official, Manny Ramirez is no longer wearing Dodger blue. In a curt press release today that amounted to about 7 lines, the Dodger organization finally put the seal of truth on all those rumors about Ramirez heading to the Windy City: “The Los Angeles Dodgers announced today that outfielder Manny Ramirez was assigned on a waiver claim to the Chicago White Sox and right-handed pitcher Ramon Troncoso was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque to take his spot on the active roster.” After all the hoopla about Mannywood, those Manny Bobbleheads, and... Read More →

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Entertainment: Charlie Sheen pleads guilty to assault, Lindsay Lohan goes to rehab, new surprise owner of Newsweek, and the Box Office

By on Monday, August 2, 2010

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... Read More →

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Entertainment: Conan O’Brien scores Emmy nominations, Disney loses big time in court & “Eclipse” still hot at the Box Office

By on Thursday, July 8, 2010

 Conan O’Brien gets four Emmy nominations Late night talk show host, Conan O’Brien, has plenty to joke about after receiving four Emmy nominations today, for his short-lived version of “The Tonight Show,” including nods for outstanding variety music or comedy series, for writing, directing, and art direction. How many nominations did his rivals Jay Leno and David Letterman get? Nada! Zilch!   That recent odd-ball Emmy ad campaign by the TBS Network for the comedian just might have paid off. Or maybe O’Brien got a lot of sympathy votes... Read More →

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City Buzz

By on Wednesday, July 7, 2010

A quake rattles Burbank and other parts of SoCal Some rocking, rolling, and shaking in the Southland late today. I was sitting in my car waiting for the red light to change at Glenoaks Boulevard and Olive Avenue, in front of the Burbank Central Library, when a 5.4 quake hit at 4:53 p.m. My cruiser rocked so much, I thought for a moment one of those cell phone/texting distracted drivers had bumped into the ride.  Not this time. It was a natural occurrence, a reminder, that we live in earthquake country. The quake was centered... Read More →

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Entertainment News Bits: “The A-Team” movie, Ex-Disney worker goes to court again & weird Emmy campaign for Conan O’Brien

By on Thursday, June 10, 2010

“The A-Team” movie and the dish on its development “The A-Team” film re-do of the popular 1980s TV series reportedly has been in the works since the mid 1990s. No wonder there’s a long list of writers on the project. Nikki Finke over at Deadline.com/Hollywood has the dish on the behind the scenes dealings on the film and who got the best writer credit on it. “The A-Team” and the remake of “The Karate Kid” are the two major movies opening in theaters tomorrow, Friday, June 11. Moviegoers have been cool to sequels and... Read More →

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City Buzz

By on Wednesday, May 12, 2010

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... Read More →

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Criminal case against Burbank Coach Jose Sandoval dismissed

By on Monday, May 10, 2010

                        Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Coach Jose Sandoval outside the Burbank courts building last fall. After almost a year, the controversial criminal case against a Burbank baseball coach was dropped today. Attorney David D. Diamond says his client,  Jose Sandoval , appeared in a Burbank court before Judge Dorothy B. Reyes and agreed to attend 12 counseling sessions; in exchange for the Burbank City Attorney’s Office dismissing the case, including the misdemeanor charge of battery against him. This questionable case began with a heated altercation between Sandoval and an umpire during a baseball... Read More →

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A Labor Day salute to Grand View visitors/volunteer workers

By on Saturday, September 5, 2009

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove Most visitors to cemeteries come bearing flowers and mementos not rakes, shovels, and cleaning supplies. At Grand View Memorial Park in Glendale, there is a hardy group of visitors who regularly arrive at the struggling cemetery ready to put in several hours of serious work; from clearing weeds and debris to cleaning tombstones and grave markers. Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove Grand View will be open tomorrow, Sunday, September 6, from noon to 4 p.m., and if you drop by you’ll probably see some of... Read More →

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Coach Jose Sandoval enters a plea in a Burbank court

By on Thursday, July 2, 2009

Photo courtesy Jose Sandoval — some of the players and coaching staff Burbank Volunteer Coach Jose Sandoval probably would have preferred to spend this morning out at a sunny park, teaching some local kids how to swing a bat or throw a baseball. Instead, Coach Sandoval was in Burbank Superior Court at 8:30 a.m. today, to face a charge of misdemeanor battery arising from an altercation during a game at McCambridge Park on May 18, 2009. After a heated exchange over a disputed call, Sandoval says he headed for the dugout followed... Read More →

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Bernard Madoff sentenced to 150 years in prison

By on Monday, June 29, 2009

Convicted swindler Bernard Madoff will spend the rest of his life behind bars. Today a New York Judge sentenced 71-year-old Madoff to the maximum term, 150 years. Many of Madoff’s victims, who were in court, broke out in applause when the sentence was announced. Earlier in the proceedings, Madoff apologized to his victims for what is estimated to be at least a $50 billion fraud. Madoff was convicted of running the largest Ponzi scheme ever. In court today, some of his victims spoke bitterly of how the scheme had wiped... Read More →

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Phil Spector sentenced to 19 years-to-life

By on Friday, May 29, 2009

A Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge threw the book at convicted murderer and music legend, Phil Spector, today. Judge Larry Paul Fidler sentenced the 69-year-old Spector to 19 years-to-life, the maximum term. Last month, a jury convicted the eccentric music producer of second-degree murder in the death of 40-year-old Lana Clarkson. The B-Movie actress of such films as “Barbarian Queen” (1985) was found shot to death in the foyer of Spector’s Alhambra mansion in 2003. Spector’s first trial ended in a mistrial when the jurors were not able... Read More →

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California Supreme Court rules on anti-gay marriage Proposition 8

By on Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank The battle over same-sex marriage has been long and contentious in California. Today the state supreme court ruled the ban on gay marriage, Proposition 8, is constitutional, but that doesn’t appear to settle the debate. That’s because the high court’s ruling allows 18,000 gay marriages, that occurred before the proposition was approved by the voters, to stand. It’s a partial victory for both sides, but not a clear cut ruling on the issue. Last November, the controversial ban on gay marriage passed on a 52... Read More →

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Three defendants arraigned in Anna Nicole Smith drug conspiracy case

By on Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Photo:  starstories.astrology.com Howard K. Stern, Anna Nicole Smith’s lawyer and companion, and two of the actress’ physicians were arraigned in a Downtown Los Angeles court today. The three defendants pleaded not guilty to charges they were involved in a conspiracy to provide the late actress with thousands of prescription pills and other drugs during the final years of her life. Smith died in Florida in February of 2007, after being discovered unresponsive in a hotel room. Later, it was determined the 39-year-old former Playboy model died from a fatal drug overdose.... Read More →

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Phil Spector found guilty of second degree murder

By on Monday, April 13, 2009

The second time around turned out to be a real downer for legendary music producer Phil Spector. Today, the Los Angeles jury in Spector’s retrial found him guilty of second degree murder for the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson at his Alhambra mansion in 2003. The first trial in 2007 ended in a mistrial because the jury was unable to reach a verdict. That jury deadlocked 10-2 for conviction. The retrial began last October. This time Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler gave jurors the option of second degree murder or a lesser... Read More →

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Grand View open Good Friday & Easter Sunday

By on Tuesday, April 7, 2009

FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove During this Christian Holy Week the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is remembered and honored. In a rare arrangement, Grand View Memorial Park will be open twice in the next few days: Good Friday and Easter Sunday, noon-to-4 p.m. Visitors are welcome to spend some of this special time with relatives and friends laid to rest at Grand View. As in the past, visitors will be allowed to leave flowers and mementos at the gravesites.  Grand View, a local landmark in Glendale, is in... Read More →

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Jury deliberations underway in Phil Spector’s murder retrial

By on Friday, March 27, 2009

  For a second time, the fate of legendary music producer Phil Spector is in the hands of a Los Angeles County jury today. The jury got the case yesterday after closing arguments wrapped up. The 12 jurors will decide if Spector murdered 40-year-old actress Lana Clarkson. The cult film actress was found shot to death in the foyer of Spector’s Alhambra mansion in 2003. During the nearly five months of testimony in the retrial, the prosecution tried to prove an enraged Spector killed Clarkson when she tried to leave... Read More →

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Phil Spector’s defense team sums up its case for the jury

By on Thursday, March 26, 2009

  The fate of legendary rock producer Phil Spector will soon be in the hands of a Los Angeles County jury. Today the prosecution is expected to complete its rebuttal to the defense team’s closing arguments, which began on Tuesday. Spector’s attorneys urged the jury to acquit their client on the grounds that the alleged victim, actress Lana Clarkson, probably committed suicide. Clarkson was found shot to death in the hallway of Spector’s Alhambra mansion in 2003. The prosecution claims an enraged Spector pulled the trigger of the .38 Special... Read More →

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Closing arguments underway in the Phil Spector murder retrial

By on Tuesday, March 24, 2009

After nearly five months of testimony, the murder retrial of rock legend Phil Spector is about to wrap up. Yesterday, the prosecution presented its closing arguments in an attempt to convince the jury to convict Spector of murdering 40-year-old actress Lana Clarkson. The actress was found shot to death in Spector’s Alhambra mansion back in 2003. Clarkson starred in “Barbarian Queen” (1985) and the movie spoof “Amazon Women on the Moon” (1987). Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Truc Do called Spector a “demonic maniac” who was known to use a gun to play Russian Roulette with the lives of women... Read More →

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Grand View cemetery open to the public on Sunday

By on Saturday, March 21, 2009

FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove  — Visitors at Grand View cemetery during a recent opening. The gates of Grand View Memorial Park cemetery in Glendale will once again be open for a few hours tomorrow, Sunday, March 22. This is one of a series of openings ordered by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Anthony Mohr. The 125-year-old cemetery is considered to be a landmark by many in the nearby community; both Burbank and Glendale residents. Grand View has fallen on hard times and it has little to do with the economic meltdown.... Read More →

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Arrest warrant canceled for actress Lindsay Lohan

By on Monday, March 16, 2009

Beverly Hills Courthouse   A Beverly Hills Superior Court Judge today cleared actress Lindsay Lohan of any probation violation. Lohan did not attend this morning’s court hearing, but her attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, did. The hearing lasted around an hour and Holley came out and told reporters it was just a misunderstanding, “… this was really much ado about nothing.” There was some sort of mix-up involving documentation dealing with Lohan’s treatment program. Holley says the problem developed when the 22-year-old actress switched programs. The mix-up led to an arrest warrant... Read More →

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An arrest warrant issued for actress Lindsay Lohan

By on Saturday, March 14, 2009

  Actress Lindsay Lohan is in trouble with the law again. Today the People website and other media are reporting that the Beverly Hills police have an arrest warrant out for 22-year-old Lohan. The Beverly Hills Superior Court issued the $50,000 warrant yesterday. It apparently relates to some kind of probation violation in connection with Lohan’s DUI cases nearly two years ago. In May of 2007, Lohan was arrested after crashing her Mercedes. The actress suffered minor injuries in that accident. Two months later in July, she was arrested again following a dispute and a high speed vehicle chase. Lohan ended up pleading... Read More →

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Three charged with supplying drugs to Anna Nicole Smith

By on Friday, March 13, 2009

                                     Photo from  starstories.astrology.com   A surprise development in the investigation surrounding the accidental drug overdose death of model/television reality star, Anna Nicole Smith, two years ago. Smith’s long time lawyer and boyfriend Howard K. Stern, and two doctors have been charged with providing thousands of prescription pills to the troubled celebrity. Stern and Dr. Sandeep Kapoor were booked and released on $20,000 bond each late yesterday. A third person, Dr. Khristine Eroshevich, is expected to turn herself into authorities sometime in the next few days. All three are facing several felony... Read More →

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