Since 2015, the City of Burbank and its Cultural Arts Commission has brightened corners of the city with the Utility Box Beautification Program. To that end, the Cultural Arts Commission has put out a call for artists to submit proposals for the upcoming third wave of the utility box program.

Artist proposals are due Friday, August 23. Information on the program, guidelines for submission and the application can be found online here.

Sponsored by the Burbank Fine Arts Federation, David Vega’s “A World of Possibilities” utility box painting “represents time passing by on Earth and the importance of seeking opportunities and attaining knowledge.” (Image Courtesy City of Burbank)

The theme of phase three of the Utility Box Beautification Program is “A World of Entertainment.” Twelve utility boxes throughout the City have been painted in thwo phases by artists via the program in the past.

“Phase three of this project has us looking for 14 fabulous artists to paint 14 traffic signal boxes in the Media District, which includes Riverside Drive between California and Pass,” explained Burbank Cultural Arts Commission member Suzanne Weerts.

“The color and creativity you’ll soon be seeing more of along the streets will be beautiful and eye-catching for our art and music-loving community!”

Submissions will be reviewed by a selection committee consisting of City of Burbank representatives and members of local arts communities. If selected, artists will receive a stipend of $650, to cover cost of materials and time.

The City also seeks sponsors to cover the costs of the program. Currently, Warner Bros., New York Film Academy, Smokehouse, Cusumano Real Estate Group, BurCal Properties and Burbank Fine Arts Federation all lent their support. More information on becoming a sponsor of the program can be found here.

Two more phases of the Utility Box Beautification Program are planned for the future, after the completion of the third phase, “A World of Entertainment.”

The post Burbank Arts Utility Box Beautification Program Calls For Artists appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Pickwick Ice has been a landmark in Burbank since 1961, three years before The Beatles arrived in the United States.

Venerable and hugely popular, on Wednesday afternoon and before a large and appreciative crowd that included dignitaries such as Burbank Mayor Emily Gabel-Luddy, master of ceremonies and current Los Angeles Kings radio analyst Daryl Evans, and Kings left winger Kyle Clifford, the building had its grand reopening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and will now be known as the Los Angeles Kings Ice At Pickwick Gardens.

Burbank Mayor Emily Gabel-Luddy (white hat) is beaming inside the L.A. Kings Ice At Pickwick Gardens. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Eight months ago, the Kings and American Sports Entertainment Company announced the acquisition and operations of the facility, and agreed to a long-term partnership with Ron Stavert, the CEO of Pickwick Gardens, who cut the red ribbon with several young hockey players, both boys and girls, standing nearby.

“This is my grandfather’s dream. To have this stay in the family and be an important part of the community for generations,” Stavert said after the 45-minute ceremony. “The ice rink started off as a plumbing project. He was in the plumbing business, because it was pipes and tubes and refrigeration and it’s turned into an amazing facility with the Los Angeles Figure Skating Club and youth hockey with the Bears and adult hockey.”

Stavert said that the former Pickwick Ice has been popular in Burbank and the surrounding areas for years and hopes the new partnership with the Kings and ASEC will last for at least half a century.

“Not only does it build community in the city itself, but it draws from other communities outside and people come here and see how wonderful the area is and how safe it is,” he pointed out.

Everyone is showing off their certificate of recognition, including Bailey, the Los Angeles Kings mascot. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Stavert thinks the future appears promising.

“That’s the goal,” he noted. “We have about 10 acres of land here. We have bowling, banquets, conferences, ice, weddings. We have the ability to do a lot of different things. The ice is a big part of it and it’s going to be a big part of it in the future.”

Because of the prohibitive cost to maintain the building, Stavert said there was a real possibility Pickwick Ice could eventually go under.

“It’s a very expensive asset,” he said. “We’re just a single operator and have been. There’s not 20 Pickwick’s out there. There’s only one. Capital is scarce and expensive and there was always a concern that there might come a day when the money’s not there. Our partnership now is secure for years to come. There’s a buzz now about Pickwick. The Kings are putting the name out there on radio and TV. I have friends all over the country who have heard about it.”

The 58-year-old facility was rebranded on the inside and outside with the Kings logo.

The Kings brand is everywhere in the former Pickwick Ice arena. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Clifford, a member of the two Kings Stanley Cup winners in 2012 and 2014, spoke to the crowd and said it’s nice to see so many youngsters attend the event.

“I came out 11 years ago to L.A., kind of a little bit before we made our big runs and just to see the impact of those two Stanley Cups, it’s had a huge ripple effect on youth hockey out here,” he said. “It’s great to see youth hockey. You’ve got a lot of young girls and a lot of young boys, and they’re with their teammates. It’s a lot of fun.”

Clifford was there along with his wife Paige, a onetime figure skater, and their three sons, who like hockey and attending Kings games.

A five-foot tall bobblehead of Bailey, the wildly popular Kings mascot stands in front of the ice rink.

For Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, a real-life Bailey, a cute and cuddly lion, walked around and took pictures and slapped high fives with excited fans.

Young hockey players took the ice after the ribbon-cutting ceremony. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

“Any time that you brand a facility like the Kings have here at Pickwick in Burbank, it’s historical, it’s monumental,” said Evans, who played for the Kings, the Washington Capitals and the Toronto Maple Leafs over a career that began in 1981 and ended in 1991. “There’s a big commitment from the Kings. It’s a great message that goes out to the community that they’re committed to not only keep what they have here, but to expand and grow it.”

Evans, who had one of the most famous goals ever for the Kings in Game 3 of a best of five playoff match with the Edmonton Oilers on April 10, 1982, dubbed “Miracle on Manchester” when he knocked in the game-winner in overtime after trailing 5-0 entering the third period and won 6-5, which is the largest deficit in NHL postseason history, then added:

Even the little tikes wanted to have fun on the ice. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

“With the direction that the game is going, with girls’ hockey, our L.A. Lions program taking off, I’m sure one day we’ll have a full girls’ program coming out of here, our high school program, our college teams, the American Hockey League is settled in California now, it’s going to continue to keep growing,” he said. “The NHL two years ago made a commitment to go to China. So the Asian community is getting very involved in hockey. And we need rinks. So I can see here at Pickwick in Burbank, that this is one of the nicest property facilities you can have. Opportunity for growth is incredible. I expect it to expand in the years to come.”

Pickwick Ice has been the home to the L.A. Figure Skating Club and the California Golden Bears youth hockey team.

ASEC was founded 13 years ago and is the largest owner and operator of ice skating and indoor sports facilities in the nation, with a total of 21 located in California, Arizona, Texas, North Carolina and New York.

ASEC also owns the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, which is the practice ice for the two-time Stanley Cup winning Kings.

Now it seems that the Kings, ASEC and the Stavert family will have a long and fruitful relationship.

The post Ribbon-Cutting Is Perfect, Los Angeles Kings Ice At Pickwick Gardens Reopens appeared first on myBurbank.com.

The last three years have not been easy for the Burroughs High football team as the Indians have failed to move on to postseason play, something that has happened since the days of playing in the Foothill League more than a decade ago.

(Photo by Ross A Benson)

But the Indians plan to change that and get back to the days when being a regular playoff participant was customary. Burroughs qualified for the CIF Southern Section playoffs eight of the first 10 years in the Pacific League after leaving the Foothill following the 2005-2006 school year.

“This team this year is a special group of guys that have come together. We focused on that in the offseason. We tried to build a cohesive group that, one wants to play together and two is having fun doing it,” second-year coach Rand Holdren said. “I think this team is capable of a lot of special things this year. It’s been a joy to coach this group. This staff has put in a lot of hours this offseason. I think it is the best staff in the Pacific League and they are giving their all and the kids have put (the work) in. It has been extremely productive this offseason.”

(Photo by Ross A Benson)

Burroughs was very young last year when it went 2-8. Thus the Indians have a lot of talent back from that squad.

Senior quarterback Nicholas Garcia (5-foot-10, 171 pounds) takes over the role full time this year after seeing time at the position last year and has greatly improved according to Holdren.
Junior running back Luke Rogers (5-8, 181) returns as the Indians’ main tailback, the same role he played last year.
Garcia will have lots of passing targets. Senior Ellington Simmons (6-3, 196) and sophomore Elijah Aldana-Pere (6-2, 165) offer large targets.

Seniors Aiden Forrester (6-0, 185) and Carson Cardenaz (5-10, 164) will play in the slot and offer quick options. Some may remember that Forrester returned the opening kickoff against rival Burbank for a touchdown last year.

(Photo by Ross A Benson)

The offensive line is solid led by senior Allen Arriaga (6-3, 246). Caden Cardenaz (5-5, 174) will play center. Sophomore Jose Olivares (6-2, 244),  senior Eric Quintero (6-1, 225), senior Michael Pentland (6-4, 195), junior Brandon Sowers (6-3, 240) and senior Henry Diaz (6-1, 218) will fill in for the rest of the line.

Defensively, the Indians are led by Forrester, who will start at safety. Simmons will also see time at safety. Senior John Alajijian (5-8, 140) should hold down a spot in the secondary along with Aldana-Pere. Seniors Clayton Stricker (6-0, 144) and Diego Castellon (5-6, 135) are two more solid defensive backs.
Diaz, who is a captain, will lead the group of linebackers. Carson Cardenaz also figures to be part of the linebacking crew, as will Rogers.

(Photo by Ross A Benson)

The defensive line will include many of the same players on the offensive line. Oliveros, Pentland, Sowers, and Quintero figure to be the key players rushing the opposing quarterbacks.
Holdren said he knows getting back to the playoffs won’t be easy, but he is optimistic.

“Burbank and CV are always going to be tough. Muir is stacked. You don’t know what is going on at Arcadia. That will be interesting,” Holdren said.  “I know Glendale has put in a lot of work this offseason. I like our chances in the league this year. This is going to be a fun year. This is an exciting team to watch.”

The post Burroughs Football Ready to Put Recent Past in Rear View Mirror appeared first on myBurbank.com.

On August 10th, 2019, over 200 caring individuals and businesses came together at the lovely Castaway Restaurant to attend the Kiwanis Club of Burbank’s 22nd Annual Gala: An Enchanted Evening Under the Sea.

As the biggest fundraiser of the year for Burbank Kiwanis, the evening was also a celebration of the year of caring, sharing, and work that was made possible by all the club’s supporters in Burbank. The evening began in an underwater-themed room, with a cocktail hour and a well-stocked silent auction. The bidding was swift as was the conversation of many friends – old and new – coming together for a great cause.

(Photo by Ross A Benson)

The formal part of the program began with guests being invited into the dining room, which was beautifully appointed in the theme of the evening and afforded the wonderful view of Burbank that the Castaway is famous for providing!

2018-2019 Club President Luis Centeno officially welcomed guests with a short speech. He reminded everyone that the Kiwanis Club of Burbank has been in service since 1922. In its 97 years, the main focus has never changed: To help the children of Burbank and the World. Burbank Kiwanis strives to help children find their voice & self-expression, build their confidence, and increase their leadership skills. Two signature Burbank Kiwanis Projects are the Speech Contest at Muir Middle School and Burbank Singing Star – a singing contest for kids 5 – 14, which are instrumental in achieving Burbank Kiwanis’ goals. Several High School Key Club members were there volunteering on the event!

(Photo by Ross A Benson)

Past President Ron Rothacher did the invocation for the evening and Paul McKenna, retired Marine officer, led the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Master of Ceremonies was Michael Ellington, “The Voice of the Los Angeles Police Department”. Michael brought his over 30 years of experience as a voice-over professional and emcee to entertain and keep the evening on track!

Burbank Kiwanis Gala Committee Chair Linda Wiggins also thanked the guests for supporting the event and thanked the Gala Committee for all the hard work to make the evening a success.  Ms. Wiggins introduced Burbank Kiwanis incoming President, Caesar Milch, as auctioneer for the Live Auction. Bidding was fun and spirited and every item received a winning bid!

The evening’s entertainment was provided by Seville and Ohio Trio Plus – they played and sang tunes from the ’50s to the new millennium and many guests took advantage of the dance floor to dance the night away!

(Photo by Ross A Benson)

Many State, City, and business representatives attended the event. In attendance were: 

State Assemblymember Laura Friedman representing the 43rd District and Burbank Liaison, Maria Azilazian; Arda Tchakian, representing State Senator Anthony Portantino; Jason Maruca, representing LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger; City of Burbank Mayor Emily Gable-Luddy; City of Burbank Vice-Mayor Sharon Springer; Burbank City Council member Bob Frutos; Burbank Chief of Police Scott LaChasse; Burbank Police Captains Denis Cremins and Travis Irving; Chief Tray White from the Burbank Fire Department; Ron Davis immediate past city manager and acting city manager Justin Hess; general manager of Burbank Water and Power, George Somoano, and BWP Manager Lincoln Bleveans; Burbank School Board Members, Steve Frintner and Armond Aghakhanian; BTAC Director Barbara Howell; Family Promise of the Verdugos Director, Albert Hernandez; Current Kiwanis Cal-Nev-Ha District Division 16 Lt. Governor. Cynthia Faust, and Lt. Governor Designate, Lisa Malm.

The post Kiwanis Club of Burbank Holds 22nd Gala ‘An Enchanted Evening Under the Sea’ appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Delores Alexandria Thomas was born September 7, 1931, in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

She was the first child of her father, Haralambos, and her mother, Kalliope who were both Greek immigrants.  Her family grew to include her brother Harry and her sister, Thaspena.  The family lived in St. Cloud where her father operated a candy store, before opening a lunch-soda counter downtown. 

She left Minnesota when she was 20 years old and made her way to Los Angeles.  She studied to be an x-ray technician and met handsome, young Al Thomas, a Marine Corps veteran, who was working as a chef for his father.  Both of Al’s parents were also Greek immigrants.

Al and Delores married on April 7, 1953, and had their first child Mark in 1955, followed by their first daughter, Kal in 1958 and by their second daughter, Karen in 1964.

Despite the effort required to raise a young family in the San Fernando Valley, Al and Delores decided to launch their own restaurant, opening the Tallyrand on West Olive Avenue in Burbank in 1959.  Al ran the kitchen, and Delores managed the front of the house as well as the company finances.  Tallyrand grew to become a fixture in Burbank, attracting customers from the nearby studios, and others who enjoyed its family-oriented atmosphere, and dishes ranging from Eggs Benedict to the Chicken Clubhouse and their famous Turkey Dinner.  Numerous family members worked at the Tallyrand at some point in their lives, and it is still successfully owned and operated today by Mark and Karen.  They celebrated the restaurant’s 60th anniversary in April and Delores attended the festivities.

Delores was the family matriarch, and an early example for her children and grandchildren of a fierce, outspoken and intelligent woman.  While she could be a strong leader of their family business, she also was the generous Grandma Dee Dee, capable of filling a room with laughter and joy!  Life was about making the most of every day, and Delores filled her time with activities such as Bridge group for 50 plus years, golf outings, painting, and travel. 

In the mid-1970s Delores and Al fulfilled their dreams by building a beach house on the sand of a lot in Capistrano Beach.  It became their weekly retreat, and the mainstay for countless family gatherings, still happening today including epic Fourth of July celebrations, getaways, and family vacations. 

Though her health began to fail after Al’ passing in 2003, we will choose to remember Delores cooking a meal on her Coleman stove for the family to enjoy on a Mojave desert outing, crashing a mini-bike on an ill-fated effort to match her kids in the hills above the family’s Sun Valley home, or bringing home a huge Salmon she caught in Canada.

Delores’ life was filled with love and laughter, and we will remember her as the truly great family leader that she was.  She leaves behind 3 children, 6 grandchildren (Eric, Jenna, Kendra, Pammie, Matt & Katie) and 3 great-grandchildren (Jack, Brynn, and Dylan).

The post Delores Alexandria Thomas Founder of Tallyrand Restaurant Passes Away appeared first on myBurbank.com.

One set does not a match make, as the Burbank High girls’ volleyball team learned in its season opener, a nonleague affair against Burbank-based Providence on Monday afternoon.

After winning the initial set, the Bulldogs struggled over the next three as the visiting Pioneers earned a 14-25, 25-22, 25-20, 25-14 victory.

Was what happened to Burbank merely taking its foot off the gas pedal or merely taking Providence lightly after a relatively easy first-game win?

It may not have been either, but something happened after the first set as the Pioneers seized control and never let up.

Burbank’s Gabriella Damroze rises and spikes the ball in a four-set loss to Providence (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

The first game saw the Bulldogs dart ahead 5-3 on a kill from senior outside hitter Katie Treadway, who had a solid outing, per usual.

“I think we really lost our energy there and I think we just lost our momentum and with their serves, we couldn’t get back to it,” Treadway said of the struggles the Bulldogs encountered during the last three sets.

Treadway added: “After the first set, I think we did really good and we were just expecting to do the same thing, but it didn’t play out like that,” she noted. “Providence came out and they were scrappy.”

Treadway said the team felt good about itself after the initial set. “I think there was a little bit of overconfidence because in the first game we did really good,” she pointed out. “We need to have that confidence, but we need to stay with the game and don’t think too big. Just keep how we’re playing.”

Providence evened it at 6-6, but Burbank then moved ahead 11-8 on another winner from Treadway.

Getting the ball to the hitters is one key to winning. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Back-to-back kills from Burbank sophomore opposite hitter/middle blocker Gabriella Damroze made it 15-8 and Damroze’s blast made it 19-9.

The Bulldogs drew within a point of the game on a rocket from senior setter Kassandra Gonzalez and then took the game on an ace.

Burbank actually led 6-2 on senior setter Ashley Eskander’s service ace in the second set and 10-3 on senior middle blocker Leah Tawil’s winner.

“I think we kind of just got in our heads,” said Eskander of the latter portion of the match. “I think maybe we got a little over confident. We thought it was going to be easier than it ended up being and kind of just fell apart. We weren’t very united.”

Eskander continued: “I think it’s more about the execution. Providence is kind of really scrappy and that’s what got to us. I think the game just got to us,” she said.

From there, the Pioneers cobbled together an 11-3 blitz as they moved in front 14-13 on a tandem block by senior outside hitter Liana Artunuan and sophomore middle hitter Sophia Guerrero.

The Bulldogs took the first set, but the Pioneers rallied and grabbed the next three. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Burbank led 15-14 on Treadway’s kill, but the Pioneers retook the lead 18-15 on a mishit from Burbank senior libero/defensive specialist Morgan Bolger.

Providence led 22-17 on Artunian’s winner and 23-20 when Burbank senior outside hitter Brandice Hibbard’s hit sailed out of bounds.

The Bulldogs pulled within 23-21 on Damroze’s kill and 23-22.

The Pioneers evened the match at one game apiece when Damroze hammered the ball out of bounds.

Often times when a match is deadlocked at one game apiece, the third set is crucial and it was Monday.

Providence swiftly took control 6-3 on a mishit by Burbank junior opposite hitter Tamryn Betts. The Pioneers then led 9-4 on an ace from senior libero Isabella Mahan-Mesa, who had nine digs.

Burbank senior outside hitter Katie Treadway played well, despite the loss. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Providence bolted in front 14-8 on a tapper from sophomore outside hitter Ashley Davis, who delivered 11 kills.

The Bulldogs then came within 14-13 on a spike from Damroze as the Pioneers asked for time out.

A kill from Davis made it 16-13, however, consecutive service aces from Tawil brought Burbank to within 18-16.

Providence forged ahead 20-18 on a smash from sophomore outside hitter Dolce Prieto (eight kills) and captured the game on Tawil’s hitting error.

“I just think we needed to just settle down after the first set. Once they remembered that they can play at a high level, that was it,” Providence Coach James Jimenez said of the final three sets. “Once we got our passes to our setters we were going to be fine because we have four hitters who can put the ball away.”

The set clincher saw the Pioneers lead 4-2 on a kill from sophomore libero Mia Madariaga and 8-4 on Prieto’s winner.

Prieto’s kill made it 15-9 and Providence dashed in front 19-9 on back-to-back hitting miscues by Damroze.

Prieto’s bullet made it 21-9, Hibbard’s winner trimmed the advantage to 23-11, but a clean spike from Prieto gave the Pioneers the set and match.

Senior setter Jennifer Tolentino, who had 11 assists, was a key contributor for the Pioneers.

The post Burbank Girls Volleyball Falls in Four Sets To Providence appeared first on myBurbank.com.

The Burbank Unified School District will hold an educational workshop for the community on vaping and e-cigarette use on Thursday evening, August 22, in the Burbank High School cafeteria.

The program begins at 6:30 p.m. For more information, BUSD suggests contacting Breathela.org.

Image Courtesy Burbank Unified School District.

The post Burbank Unified Holds Vaping Educational Workshop appeared first on myBurbank.com.

As season openers go, this wasn’t perfect, but it was more than satisfactory as the Burroughs High football team turned away Hueneme 59-18 in a nonleague match at Memorial Field on Thursday.

Much of the night belonged to quarterback Nicholas Garcia, who passed for five touchdowns and ran for another.

The Indians essentially did what they wanted in the opening half as they forged ahead 46-12 at the intermission, while the second half was played with a running clock.

The Indians’ running game was potent against the Vikings. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

A season ago, the Indians went 2-8 with their only win on the field coming against Glendale and the other victory was a forfeit by Hoover, which didn’t field a team over the latter portion of the season after some of its players were involved in an on-campus fight.

The Tornadoes won’t have a football team for two seasons.

So this was a good way to commence the season even if it was against a short-handed Vikings bunch that dressed about 20 players, with many playing offense and defense which is truly tough.

“It being the first game, there was a lot of first-game issues at all phases and that’s the stuff that we need to clean up,” second-year Burroughs coach Rand Holdren said. “We are still growing  We are still learning all phases, and I really like this team. We have a lot of weapons. We need to focus on using them properly and not getting ahead of ourselves. As games go on, we’re going to use that and being efficient.”

What is Holdren’s overall goal for the team? “We want to be the best we can be,” he noted. “That means to be the best football players we can be. I’m more concerned with us reaching our full potential.”

Garcia sparkled in the opening half when he connected on 12 of 22 attempts for 182 yards with four scoring passes.

Burroughs accounted for five passing touchdowns in a blasting of Hueneme. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

In short order, the Indians (561 total net yards) moved ahead 6-0 on their initial possession as Garcia drove the squad 74 yards on eight plays, capping the excursion with a 10-yard strike to senior wide receiver Carson Cardenaz (45 yards on four receptions) as 9:45 remained in the initial quarter.

“We just executed. We have a lot of things to work on, on offense, especially,” said Garcia, a senior who passed for 205 yards while hitting 14 of 24. “It was a good team win. Our guys hustled and played with a lot of heart.”

Garcia went on: “We’re taking it one practice at a time. If we do good in the practice, that’s a goal we accomplished,” he said. “If it’s a sloppy practice, if we’re not executing, guys messing around, whatever, it’s not a great practice. So we come out the next day and take it day by day.”

Burroughs recovered a pooch kick at the Viking 45 and two plays later, bolted ahead 13-0 when Garcia found Cardenaz with a 22-yard strike as 8:52 was left.

After forcing a Vikings punt, Garcia guided the Indians 12 plays while covering 75 yards as junior running back Luke Rogers (42 yards on eight carries) scored from four yards with 3:53 remaining for a 19-0 edge.

For the most part, the Burroughs’ defense kept Hueneme quarterback Ethan Neos in check. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

With 1:56 left in the first quarter, Garcia (65 yards on six rushes) was off to the races as he bolted 53 yards down the left sideline to make it 26-6.

Garcia’s 16-yard bullet to two-way threat, senior wide receiver/defensive back Aiden Forrester capped an eight-play, 68-yard march as the Indians’ lead became 33-12.

“I love playing defense. That’s super fun for me. I actually started off as a sophomore catching kick returns for varsity. Now that I’m on offense, defense and kick return, I’m going to try and juggle it all without being super gassed during the game because I don’t want to let my teammates down and I don’t want to mess up because I’m tired. I want to continue doing everything.”

Forrester, who had one interception against Hueneme, said the team should be improved.

“I think we’re definitely going to be better,” he said. “I wouldn’t say go all the way. I think if we play together as a team, like we did tonight, we’re going to be better.”

It’s fight for the football. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

What do the Indians need to do in order to improve?

“They’re little mistakes and that we’re there right now, but we need to put in a little more effort and then practice on the details and then we’ll be good,” Forrester said.

The next time Burroughs had the ball, Forrester (114 yards on three carries and 45 yards on three catches) needed one play to burst through for an 83-yard score as 9:16 remained in the second quarter and the Indians’ advantage was extended to 39-12.

When Garcia’s 20-yard aerial found Forrester with 4:56 was left before the half, the Indians, who marched 49 yards and consumed six plays, held a 46-12 edge.

The second half began as the opening half did, with a touchdown as Garcia rifled a 23-yard toss to sophomore wide receiver Elijah Aldana-Pere (55 yards on four receptions) as 9:14 remained in the third quarter as the Indians shuffled ahead 52-12.

Senior running back Adrian Leon (55 yards on six rushes) scored the Indians’ final touchdown, a 15-yard tally with 9:14 left in the fourth period as Burroughs had a 47-point cushion.

Hueneme junior quarterback Ethan Neos (nine of 20 for 101 yards and one interception) had three scoring passes with two landing into the hands of junior wide receiver Manuel Ortiz (50 yards on four receptions) that covered 10 yards and came with 2:15 left in the first quarter that cut the lead to 26-6 and a 22-yard bomb with 3:45 showing in the fourth period that sliced the edge to 59-18.

Neos also proved to be a slick and steady ball-carrier as he accounted for 58 yards on 10 carries for the Vikings (185 total yards).

The Indians will host Victor Valley next Friday night at Memorial Field with a 7 p.m. kickoff.

The post Burroughs Begins Season With 59-18 Win Over Visiting Hueneme appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Burbank High football coach Adam Colman is tired of playing great, but coming up short on the scoreboard.

(Photo by Ross A Benson)

Friday night Colman got a great effort from his young Bulldogs against a Moorpark High team loaded with players who will be playing their trade on Saturdays in future years.
In the end, the Bulldogs fell just short, losing the season opener 14-7 at Memorial Field.

“Downey a couple of years ago, Hart last year, the CIF championship, We’ve been really close in a lot of big-time time games. I just want to get one,” Colman said. “I’m tired of moral victories. That’s the frustrating part. But those kids played with a lot of heart. I think it took them a quarter to really believe.”
Colman said he schedules difficult opponents like Moorpark, which will be in the CIF Southern Section Division 3 playoffs this year should it qualify for the postseason.

“We’re a young team. There’s a lot of returners from last year, but they’re still young. For them to believe,” Colman said of his players. “There are some legit football players on that team. When you can line up with those guys and go toe to toe you probably should have won if you did a couple of things differently, you can never walk into a game scared.”

(Photo by Ross A Benson)

Burbank junior quarterback Aram Araradian, who has spent some time on the varsity the last two seasons, grew up quickly. He completed 13 of 27 passes for 227 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Running back Isaac Glover was solid, carrying the ball 18 times for 72 yards.

The Bulldogs hurt themselves on offense by being called for a false start 14 times. They had just two more penalties the rest of the game.
Burbank had a chance to strike in the second quarter after getting the ball on the Moorpark 3-yard line following a snap on a punt that went over the head of Blake Sturgill, who is also Moorpark’s quarterback.
But penalties prevented the Bulldogs from getting on the board.

The game remained scoreless until late in the first half when Sturgill scored on a 1-yard keeper. Moorpark surprisingly didn’t move the ball as well as one might expect given that it has a massive offensive line. Moorpark left tackle Jonah Monheim, who is 6-foot-5 and is 290 pounds hold offers from Alabama, Oklahoma, and USC among others. The Muskateers have three more linemen at more than 250 pounds as well as 6-foot-5, 250-pound tight end Lucas Egurbide.

(Photo by Ross A Benson)

Burbank tied things with 7:08 left in the third quarter as Araradian found Brandon Pena on a 31-yard touchdown.

Moorpark scored what turned out to be the winning touchdown with 4:09 left, as Sturgill hooked up with Ashton Benner on a 17-yard touchdown.

Burbank put together a nice drive to nearly tie things. But Moorpark sacked Araradian at the 25-yard line in the final minute of the game.

The Bulldogs go on the road next week against Golden Valley at Canyon High School in Canyon Country.

The post Burbank Football Gets Another ‘Moral Victory’ in Loss appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Getting to and then advancing deep into the CIF Southern Section playoffs is always a top priority for any coach.

This being the case, it’s crucial for the team to do extremely well in the Pacific League because this is how the selection committee places seeds the squads in the postseason.

So for the Burroughs High and Burbank girls’ volleyball teams, each wants to finish as high as possible in the league standings.

The Burbank girls volleyball team in a recent practice. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

The Indians, who are coming off a 27-8 overall season and a 13-1 mark in league for a share of the title, always have high expectations.

Longtime Burroughs Coach Edwin Real is optimistic.

“We’re expecting to be competitive,” he said of the league season. “We have some kids who are somewhat younger and we lost several really good players to graduation and we’re trying to get better in those positions.”

A season ago, the Indians advanced to the Division III quarterfinals where they lost to eventual champion Village Christian in five tough sets.

This campaign, Burroughs is 2-1, having beaten Downey and Harvard-Westlake, but losing in five sets to Cypress, in tournament matches, which required three sets in order to determine a winner and not the customary two.

The Indians will pay a visit to Burbank on September 24 and then host the rival Bulldogs on October 17.

Spearheading the Indians will be senior outside hitter Lydia Grote, who has verbally committed to play volleyball for the University of California at Berkeley.

Grote’s older sister, Marin, is a sophomore on the University of Washington women’s volleyball team, and before that was a key cog and four-year starter for Burroughs.

Burroughs, which lost to Village Christian in a CIF quarterfinal match in 2018, is going to be one of the favorites to win the Pacific League. (Photo by © Ross A Benson)

Also key for the Indians will be junior defensive specialist Lily Rogers, who will be a floor leader and an important contributor.

Junior outside hitter Catie Virtue will also be asked to lead the troops, while senior middle blocker Camila Sanchez-Tellez as well as two sophomores, setter Meagan Lynch and defensive specialist Charlotte Hobson, will be vital if Burroughs is to go far, according to Real.

There are several other upperclassmen who will also have a significant hand in the team’s success and they are opposite hitter Joelle Burras, setter Milana Abrahamian and defensive specialist Natalie Hooper.

The rest of the team includes junior middle blocker Emily Caneday, junior outside hitter Camila Palma, junior outside hitter Mariah Bowman and junior defensive specialist Reese Coblentz.

Being in tip-top shape is always a key to winning. Here the Bulldog girls’ volleyball team is racing down the floor. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Rounding out the Indians’ squad will be sophomore defensive specialist Kylie Colton and middle blocker Bella Lomet.

This is Karl Rojo’s fifth season as Burbank’s coach and in the four previous campaigns, saw his squad make the postseason.

“I believe it’s going to be a good season, almost similar to the one before and maybe better than that,” Rojo said. “With the core that we have, they’re pretty experienced and with the young core that we have, they’re learning a lot from the experienced players. It’s working out pretty fine. They’re working hard each day and that’s all I can ask from them.”

Rojo then added: “They’re improving. It could be small improvement. It could be big improvement, but they’re improving,” he said.

Rojo said he likes the attitude of this squad. “They’re all good teammates towards each other,” he said. “But I think it’s drama-free. Not as much drama. It’s going to be positive.”

Burbank posted a 14-16 record and a 9-5 mark in league, but Rojo would like to see definite improvement on those numbers.

Lydia Grote, a senior outside hitter for the Indians, will be one of many weapons. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

“I see us making a big statement in the Pacific League,” he said. “I think we should finish in the top three. But we have a lot of competitive teams. I think we’ll proceed past the first round this year.”

There is enough talent to reach the playoffs according to Rojo and several mainstays will have to play well.

The Bulldogs are 1-3 this season with a sweep over visiting Chatsworth and losses to visiting Providence in four sets, a four-game loss at Saugus and a three-set defeat at Calabasas.

Burbank was swept over three games in a Division IV wildcard match in 2018 against host Calabasas.

Burbank’s top-shelf players are senior outside hitter Katie Treadway, senior libero/defensive specialist Morgan Bolger, senior middle blocker Leah Tawil, senior setter Ashley Eskander, junior middle blocker Bianca Hudson and junior libero Mikayla Kim.

Also expected to contribute for the Bulldogs will be senior setter Kassandra Gonzalez, senior middle blocker/opposite hitter Ava Danesh, senior outside hitter Brandice Hibbard and senior opposite hitter/setter Andrea Paun.

The remainder of the team includes junior opposite hitter Tamryn Betts, sophomore outside hitter Alaina Melgar and sophomore middle blocker/opposite hitter Gabriella Damroze.

The post Burbank, Burroughs Girls Volleyball Poised For Success appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Burroughs High made a strong run at perennial Pacific League power Arcadia last season in girls golf.
But a lot has changed in a year and now it is Burbank High that is in the closest position to battle the Apaches.

Tuesday afternoon the teams met up at DeBell Golf Club in the first Pacific League match of the season.
To no surprise, Arcadia came out on top by shooting 202 as a team covering the par-36 front nine holes.

Burbank finished second by shooting 239, followed by Burroughs at 277. Crescenta Valley shot 362 and Glendale had just four golfers and didn’t have the five needed to figure in the team scoring.

Arcadia’s Erica Lee was the low medalist shooting 36.

Burbank was led by freshman Lisette Orellana, who shot 41.

“Today I didn’t do so great. I think I think my short game was off. I usually shot mid 30s or high 30s, but today I was really off,” Orellana said.

Orellana is coming off a solid weekend in which she placed second in the Cleveland/Srixon Summer Tournament of Champions at Oak Valley Golf Club in Beaumont.

“I thought I would do worse. I thought I’d be at the bottom to be honest,” said Orellana, who would have been fourth best for Arcadia.

Burbank has to be optimistic because they have been joined by sophomore Kiara Hernandez, who transferred from Burroughs for personal reasons.

Hernandez, whose brother Kodiak is a star golfer on the Burroughs boys’ team, will be eligible to play at the end of September.

“Overall, it is a better experience for me,” Hernandez said of her transfer. “The teachers and staff are amazing.”

Orellana is looking forward to having Hernandez as a teammate.

“I think once Kiara gets on the team, we’re going to be really strong<” Orellana said.

Burbank got three golfers who shot 48 in junior Maddie Lee, senior Cassie Morin and freshman Alyssa Tran. Juniors Kara Lee and Reigina Ramos both shot 54.

For Burroughs, senior Jocelyn Kim shot 47. Freshman Annika Lingad shot 50. Senior Abby Powell shot 52, sophomore Adelina Hernandez shot 62, junior Skye Brauer shot 66 and sophomore Sofia Remelius shot 69.

“I wasn’t very happy with my score,” Kim said. “The heat definitely got to me. I couldn’t focus very well.”

Kim said she is hoping her team can make a run at a postseason berth.

“I’m just hoping that our team can go to CIF,” she said.

The post Landscape Has Changed in Girls Golf appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Burbank police received a call from Walmart around 1:20 pm on the afternoon of Tuesday, August 27 of a threat.  The store was immediately evacuated of both customers and employees while waiting for Burbank police to arrive.

Walmart Parking lot nearly empty while the Burbank Police investigate after a suspicious phone call received and the store evacuated. ( Photo by Ross A Benson)

An employee who was in the store at the time of the evacuation told myBurbank that “Talking to other people who know, they said there was a caller who said there was a bomb in the store and then the evacuation was called. The employee later said the store manager thanked the employees for evacuating the store within two minutes. The threatening call was made to the Pharmacy.

Police sent out an update at 2:00 pm with the following, “At about 1:20 PM, Burbank Police received a call from Walmart reporting that a suspicious phone call and a perceived threat was received inside the store by an employee. At this time, the details of that threat are unknown, as Police Officers have not yet spoken to the employee who answered the call. Store management chose to evacuate the store prior to the arrival of police. We are working with store personnel to investigate this incident and determine the validity, type, and origin of the threat.”

(Photo by Ross A Benson)

myBurbank was keeping followers aware of the situation via Twitter, reporting a possible bomb threat per the employee until corrected by Burbank Police in an email.

At 2:43 pm, Burbank Sargent Derek Green said “Our released statement never mentioned a “bomb” threat as you said in your Tweet. It said we had yet to interview the employee to determine what kind of threat.”

At the time, more than an hour had passed and it is not known why it took so long to interview the employee.

Employees hung out near their cars while Burbank Police searched the store during the incident. (Photo by Ross A Benson)

At 3:10 pm, police then sent out a release, “Ongoing police investigation at Walmart in Burbank. Allied agency response with explosive detection dogs being deployed to search Walmart following phone call threat of an alleged explosive device inside the store.”

Dogs searched the store until 3:22 pm when they said there was nothing found in the store. Police at 3:45 pm said they deemed the store safe for re-entry.

No other details have been released at this time.

In the release, police said, “The Burbank Police Department takes all threats seriously and investigates any threat, perceived or otherwise, to the fullest extent necessary to protect and ensure the safety of the public.”

Employees wait for the sign that the store is safe and they can return to work. (Photo by Ross A Benson)

The post “Explosive Device” Threat at Walmart Prompts Police Response appeared first on myBurbank.com.

By Rick Assad

There’s a saying that it’s hard getting to the top, but it’s even more difficult staying there.

This axiom doesn’t necessarily apply to the Burroughs High boys’ water polo team because while it hasn’t always been at the very top of the Pacific League standings, the Indians have usually been in the top portion.

Looking at rival Burbank’s boys’ water polo program, the same can’t be said, but then again, matters can and do change.

If practice makes perfect, then the Burbank High boys’ water polo team is headed in the right direction. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

This season, Burroughs will pay a visit to Burbank’s pool on October 23.

Another important date is the league preliminaries which take place at the Arcadia pool on October 29.

The league finals is at the same site, but will be held October 31.

The CIF Southern Section playoffs will be contested on November 5, 7, 9, 12 and 16.

Coach Jacob Cook has built and sustained an excellent program at Burroughs and this year’s edition should at least contend for the top spot in the league.

“I have high expectations for the season,” Cook said. “We have a talented group this year with a lot of talent and potential. I’m excited to see what we can do.”

Last year the Indians went 13-10 overall and 5-4 in league action, but lost in the CIF first round.

Burroughs, shown in a 2018 match against rival Burbank, look to better its 5-4 record in the Pacific League. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

The projected starters for Burroughs will be senior goalie Arthur Eldridge, senior attacker Chet Conlan, senior attacker Tobey Ho, senior center Matthew Mucha, senior utility Vahagan Sahakyan, junior utility Ryan Jaramillo and sophomore utility Xavier Turla.

Here are the rest of the Burroughs upperclassmen and they include Jon Paul De Fabry, David Karagezyan, Nathan Magdaleno and Aaron Meza.

The juniors on the team are Fox Melo, Miguel Martinez and Alex Lewin, while sophomore Andrew Chapman and freshman Ryan Rolando are also on the squad.

Mike Lucero is the Burbank Aquatics Director and the first-year coach for the boys’ and girls’ water polo teams.

Lucero has been around and was the assistant swim coach for the Burbank boys’ and girls’ programs the last two years.

Mike Lucero is in his first season as the Burbank boys’ and girls’ water polo coach. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

In order to compete with the better teams in the league like Hoover, Glendale and Crescenta Valley, Lucero said it’s important to get faster in the water.

“We’re working on having some speed work,” Lucero said. “You need speed to keep up with teams like Crescenta Valley.”

Lucero then added: “I want to see the water polo team be a year-round program and the players stay with their conditioning. I want to see more team unity,” he said.

Lucero also wants to build a program that will be viable and contend. “Some of these club programs, major swim programs, these swimmers are starting at nine, 10, 11,” he said. “Here they’re coming in at 14. And for the first time they’re learning the basics of water polo.”

Burbank is coming off a campaign in which it went 8-10, failed to make the postseason and doesn’t have many seniors, but it does have players familiar with each other.

A four-year starter and a 2018 Burbank graduate, Varuzhan Bilbulyan is the Bulldogs’ assistant water polo coach.

The Indians, shown in a match versus the Bulldogs, have the talent to do well overall and in the Pacific League. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

“This year we see a lot of young athletes that we have on both varsity and JV contributing a lot of hard work and we see a lot more attentiveness and a bigger drive than in past years to get better and improve themselves,” Bilbulyan said. “We see a very good attitude and very good behavior. Everybody is trying their best and everyone is getting better day by day.”

Bilbuyan went on: “This year’s powerhouses are probably going to be Hoover. They always have a lot of club players,” he said. “Glendale is also going to be good and they have club players. CV’s been good the last couple of years. We can finish in the top five, but our goal is top four so that we’re guaranteed to make the playoffs.”

Seven seniors populate the squad and they include driver Hakop Pilavjyan, driver Sahak Khobiarian, driver Ashot Keshishyan, driver Artush Hovannisyan, driver Edward Bowman, driver Kourosh Dolatshahi and goalie Sarkis Terpetrossyan.

There are four juniors and they are driver Brian Di Mascio, driver Grigor Gasabian, driver Michael Mehserdjian and setter Anthony Sarafian.

Five sophomores are on the team and they include driver Avo Barsegyan, driver Pavel Tantchev, driver Jonathan Agazaryan, setter Robert Kharazyan and goalie Narek Galamdaryan.

Seryozha Soghomonyan is also on the team after being promoted to the varsity at the end of July.

The post Burroughs, Burbank Boys Water Polo Ready For Action appeared first on myBurbank.com.

It is no secret that local cross country teams are continually competitive year in and year out.
But this year figures to a special one for the Burbank High boys’ team. There is no telling how good the Bulldogs can be. They return all seven of their varsity runners from league finals from a year ago and if healthy should finish their season in Fresno at the California State Championships. As hard as it might be to believe, Burbank’s boys’ team has actually never been to the state meet.

Burroughs, which won the CIF Southern Section Division 1 boys’ title in 2014, isn’t far behind.
Both the Burbank and Burroughs girls’ teams figure to fight for the Pacific League title after finishing first and second a year ago.

Burbank

The Bulldog boys’ team is looking to be healthy this year after struggling with that aspect a year ago.  The Bulldogs open the season ranked No. 3 in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 preseason poll. In track season, there were five Bulldogs who broke the 10-minute barrier in the 3,200 meters. This would be comparable to a starting five in basketball that all average in double figures in points.

Senior Victor Goli is coming off a fine track season after he was sick much of last cross country season.  Goli ran 4 minutes, 23.4 seconds in the 1,600 and 9:25.58 in the 3,200. Junior Andres Leon is running right alongside him. He went 4:26.81 and 9:42.18 as a sophomore.

Burbank High’s Victor Goli at the finish line last season.

Seniors Dayne Ellis (9:46.29), Anthony Chiaravalle (9:55.97) and Tadeh Shanazari (9:57.59) all went under 10 minutes in track. Senior Steve Wright (10:10.39) was not far behind. Junior Mher Matevosyan, who is a middle distance specialist, will also be in the running for a varsity spot. Matevosyan went 1:58.59 for 800 meters as a sophomore and 4:38.35 in the 1,600. Fellow junior Tyler Jenkins (4:42.05 and 10:07.77) should also see some time on varsity.

Senior Andrew Uhm and sophomore Damon Lovelace are also fighting for a spot on varsity.

“In a league with so many talented athletes and such knowledgeable, successful coaches, we always make it our goal to be in the top three and this year is no different,” Burbank coach Kathryn Nelson said. “We hope to advance our boys team into the CIF Finals and take a shot at making the State Meet this year.”

The Burbank girls’ team is coming off of a league championship season. The Bulldogs, who are ranked No. 9 in the CIF Division 1 preseason poll, were hit hard by graduation. However, they are still deep and should still be in contention for another league title.

Sol Fernandez is back for her senior year.  She ran 5:18.1 in the 1,600 last spring in track and 11:24.3 in the 3,200.

Sol Fernandez

Junior Mckynzee Kelley was the Pacific League frosh-soph champion in the 1,600, going 5:25.38.  Kelley (11:35.3 in 3,200). Elin Markarian (11:34.00 in the 3,200) was the frosh-soph league champion in cross country last year. Fellow juniors Megan LaCamera (12:19.49 as a freshman), Noela Kim (12:03.51), and Zoe Zeron (12:45.48) figure to play key roles on the varsity.
Senior Cynthia Movsisian (12:36.4 in 3,200), sophomore Kyalin Abarabar (13:12.92 in 3,200), senior Izzy Bittencourt (13:12.19 in 3,200) and freshman Joanna Camacho are also fighting for a varsity spot.

“We have a good group of juniors moving up to support Sol but staying healthy will be key,” Nelson said. “We have a very hard working class of freshman girls and we are excited to watch them grow in the program. Joanna Camacho has already broken into the top 10 coming out of summer and Clara Kim is not far behind.”

Burroughs

The Indians will be solid with the boys and girls teams.

Junior Jordan Guzman, who finished sixth in the Pacific League finals last year, will lead the way. Senior Ceci Whitney, who finished eighth in league, is also back. Sophomore Sophia Navarro, who was 10^th in league finals, gives the Indians a solid top three.

Jordan Guzman of Burroughs

Sophomore Savannah Hernandez (12:14.6 in 3,200) will probably will the role of being fourth. Juniors Briana Contreras (12:46.45 in 3,200) and Kiara Cruz (27^th in cross country league finals last year) should give the Indians enough to be serious league contenders.

Seniors Taylor Lombardo, Samanatha Hoxsie and junior Kaia Mouser are also in contention for spots on varsity.

“We need to work on closing the gap between our top seven runners,” Burroughs coach John Peebles said. “They are working hard and it is a long season, but we have to simply focus on getting better one day at a time.”

The Burroughs boys team is one that might surprise some people because they are quite good, even though everyone is looking at Crescenta Valley and Burbank. The Indians might actually be a year away from being the team to beat in league.

Junior Julian Largaespada was the Pacific League’s frosh-soph champion in the 1,600 (4:36.37).

Junior Jimmy Nealis (4:41.21 in 1,600) is also capability of big things.

Seniors Logan Berger (10:10.29 in the 3,200 in league finals), Trevor Villagran (10:18.30) and  Robert McGraham (10:46.46) are all solid veterans.

Sophomore Mason Ortega (4:50.62 in 1,600 in Buroughs-Burbank dual meet),  sophomore Jalen Leighton (4:54.49 in 1,600 in Burroughs-Burbank dual meet) and sophomore Chase Eldridge (hurdler, middle distance runner in track) will also battle for a spot on varsity.

“The boys are really working on the concept of pack running,” Peebles said.  “The path to success for the boys will be getting the pack to go together.”

The post Burbank Cross Country Ready for Big Year appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Purveyors of the original Baja-style fish taco, Taco Nazo has grown from a humble lunch truck in 1978 to six locations throughout the Southland and immense popularity. We recently visited the Bellflower location as we were driving by on the 91 Freeway, and were in awe of the food and the service.

At first, Taco Nazo can seem overwhelming – there’s a line of people out the door, a line of cars waiting to turn into the parking lot, a line of people waiting at the Taco Nazo Express stand nearby.

A Taco Nazo feast: (back row from left to right) Mixed ceviche of octopus, shrimp, fish and imitation crab topped with half a sliced avocado and served with crispy tostadas and potato and bean tacos topped with crema, cabbage and pico de gallo, along with two Baja-style fried fish tacos topped with crema, cabbage and pico de gallo (front row.) Photo By Lisa Paredes

But in reality, there’s a huge dining room to accommodate all the diners, the line to order moves fast, the food comes out fast and there’s a parking attendant helping people enter, park and exit the lot. Everything flows smoothly and people are friendly and chill.

A Taco Nazo greeter will answer any questions about the menu that diners have and assist in ordering if needed. First-time visitors are welcomed with a free fish taco.

Waiting in line for a few minutes is good, because their menu has a lot of offerings from tacos, burritos, quesadillas, bowls and tortas (sandwiches) to ceviche, Mexican-style seafood cocktails, and usual sides of rice, beans, chips, salsa, guacamole, crema (Mexican style sour cream) and chile gueritos (grilled yellow peppers.)

Taco Nazo feast of mixed ceviche, potato tacos, fish tacos and ice cold Pacifico beer. Missing from the photo are carne asada, al pastor and fried shrimp tacos. (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

The restaurant offers six different kinds of tacos – pescado (fish), camarón (shrimp), carne asada (grilled marinated steak), pollo (chicken), al pastor (grilled marinated pork), papa ó frijol (potato and bean). The potato and bean tacos are made with the perfect amount of requeson, a fresh cheese similar to ricotta.

While Taco Nazo’s specialty is Ensenada-style seafood, their carne asada is also top-notch – tender and flavorful. We’ve had better al pastor at other places but it still was tasty and very good.

The fish and shrimp tacos are battered and fried, served on two small corn tortillas and topped with cabbage, tomato, onion, cilantro and crema. They are absolute perfection in a bite.

The potato taco is fried and served piping hot and topped with crema, cabbage and a pico de gallo (cilantro, onion and tomato.) It’s an eye-opening dish for those who haven’t yet tried the gloriousness that is the Taco Nazo potato taco.

The Taco Nazo fish taco: fried, battered tender white fish topped with cabbage, crema and pico de gallo, served with a squeeze of lime and a grilled chile guerito. (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

The mixed ceviche – we ordered a medium – stacked layers of pulpo (octopus), pescado (fish), jaiva (imitation crab) and camarón (shrimp) topped with half a sliced avocado and served with crispy tostadas. It was out-of-this-world delicious and extremely fresh.

Taco Nazo’s homemade salsas carried a nice kick and good flavor. Plates are served with a grilled chile guerito, which are easy to eat but leave a lingering slow burn that can build, so be mindful of the amount and frequency with which those are consumed.

Some locations but not all serve ice-cold beer and micheladas. All locations offer Mexican drinks, sodas and agua frescas, along with free water.

We enjoyed the fast, friendly service and clean bathrooms. There’s a lot of people working there so tables are cleaned promptly. Even though there are a lot of people eating in the restaurant, it’s easy to find a table as the place is run like clock-work and turnover is quick. For those truly in a rush, try the express stand nearby, which also has plenty of seats.

Taco Nazo’s six locations in Bellflower, La Puente, El Monte, La Habra, Walnut and Azusa are easily recognized by their bright blue and orange signs. (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

Lunch or dinner at Taco Nazo is a perfect way to Get Out Of Town. The food is absolutely worth the drive to any of the six locations – Bellflower, La Puente (the original restaurant), El Monte, La Habra, Walnut and Azusa – from Burbank.

Check the restaurant website for locations and hours, but they are typically open from 9 or 10:00 a.m. until 9 or 10:00 p.m. daily.

We were so focused on ordering Taco Nazo ceviche and tacos, next time we’ll have to try out the cocktails, burritos and tortas.

Maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll open a seventh Taco Nazo in Burbank. But until then, we have to Get Out Of Town for our Taco Nazo fix.

Editor’s Note: While there’s always a lot going on in Burbank, myBurbank’s “Get Out Of Town!” highlights some of our favorite activities and events outside the town borders.

The post Get Out Of Town!: Taco Nazo appeared first on myBurbank.com.

The Southern San Fernando Valley Airplane Noise Task Force (Task Force) – a group formed to address community concerns regarding aircraft noise resulting from aircraft departing from Van Nuys Airport (VNY) and Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) – held its first of up to six meetings yesterday evening. The inaugural meeting laid out the ground rules to ensure a collegial and respectful environment, explained the process for public comments, and voted to elect the Task Force officers and adopt the bylaws.

The Task Force consists of a set of eight voting members from local city government officials and five non-voting participants from the U.S. Congress. Staff from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Burbank Glendale Pasadena Airport Authority (BGPAA), and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) attended the Task Force meeting as technical advisors.

Elected Task Force Officers

• Mayor Emily Gabel-Luddy of Burbank, was elected as the Task Force Chair
• Councilman Paul Krekorian (CD2) was elected as the Task Force Vice Chair

By-Laws Overview

• Task Force meetings will be conducted in accordance with the Brown Act and Robert’s Rules of Order, and moderated by a facilitator.
• A majority of the voting members of the Task Force (five) constitutes a quorum.
• Any action taken by the Task Force shall require the affirmative vote of the majority of voting members present at the meeting.

“We are committed to making sure all voices are being heard,” said Patrick Lammerding, Deputy Executive Director of Planning & Development at Hollywood Burbank Airport. “The Task Force is a collaborative process that encourages community members to voice their opinions, share ideas, and promote solutions for changes to the departure path from both airports.”

“The Task Force is a significant initiative that welcomes community feedback to discover solutions in an inclusive and open format,” said Flora Margheritis, the VNY Airport Manager at LAWA. “I personally want to thank the Task Force and community members for their

commitment to working together to find a consensus recommendation that fits the needs of our communities.”

The official bylaws document and meeting presentation can be found on the BUR website or on VNY website. The second Task Force meeting will occur within the next two weeks.

The post Inaugural Joint Noise Task Force Meeting Held on Aircraft appeared first on myBurbank.com.

The Burbank High football team may be on the short end of the scoreboard, but coach Adam Colman is trying to get his team ready for the tough challenges that lie ahead.

Friday night Burbank ran into another tough challenge, as it faced Golden Valley at Canyon High in Canyon Country.
For the second week in a row, Burbank fell short in a 43-28 defeat.

“We played well against Moorpark, but football is not a do it once and you’ve done it. You have to prove it every week. I think we got rolled into a sense of complacency,” Colman said. “Both with our performance and them not having had a game, what we have to go off of the kids look at their record and think oh that’s great. They were playing in the Foothill League. That’s not a (typical) 2-8 team. They were young last year. We know the Foothill League is a battle, no matter what place you finish.”

(Photo by Ross A Benson)

Burbank had a difficult time stopping Golden Valley’s 6-foot-4, 210-pound running back Johnathan Kaelin. Kaelin rushed for 289 yards in just 13 carries and scored a pair of touchdowns.

“On film he stands out more as a receiver,” Colman said. “He was tough to tackle.”

Burbank got a fine performance from junior quarterback Aram Araradian, who finished the game 28 of 40 for 365 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Golden Valley led 15-0 before Burbank got on the board with 8:07 left in the first half as Araradian and Isaac Glover hooked up on a 32-yard touchdown pass.

Down 21-7 late in the first half, the Bulldogs missed two great opportunities to make things interesting as Golden Valley was twice called for roughing the passer that gave the Bulldogs automatic first downs in the red zone.

Burbank got as close as the 4-yard line with 12 seconds left in the half, but fumbled to ball away, allowing the host Grizzlies to go into the intermission up by a pair of touchdowns.

Glover scored on a 7-yard run with 9:46 left in the third quarter to make it 28-14.

The Bulldogs actually scored a touchdown on the one play that Araradian had to sit out after limping off the field.

Kuba Raymond threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Pena. Araradian immediately returned for the two-point conversion as he hooked up with Vincent Vang.

Burbank added another touchdown with 6:35 to play as Araradian hooked up with Ben Burnham on a 15-yard touchdown.

The post Burbank Football Falls Short Against Golden Valley appeared first on myBurbank.com.

One season ago, Luke Rogers was the go-to running back for the Burroughs High football team.

Older and wiser, Rogers was expected to fill in where he left off in 2019, but this will have to wait after he sustained a fairly serious knee injury in last week’s lopsided win over Hueneme.

Jon English had 147 yards and two touchdowns for Burroughs. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Luckily, Burroughs has enough talent at running back to lessen the loss of Rogers as senior Adrian Leon and sophomore Jon English both contributed mightily and helped the Indians knock off Victor Valley 46-12 in a nonleague game on Friday night at Memorial Field.

“I liked that different guys are stepping up,” Burroughs second-year coach Rand Holdren said. “We had Jon English step up. We lost Luke Rogers for the season, we got a new running back [Leon] and he steps in.”

Holdren went on: “Defensively we’re swarming and we’re creating turnovers,” he said. “Efficiency is what we strive for. That is the goal. I believe Bill Walsh in his book said the score will take care of itself. We’ve got to be efficient. I want these guys to be the best team they can be. And they’re starting to realize they can be a good team.”

The Indians’ defense is like a swarm of bees. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Rogers, a junior, was told by several doctors that the injury could take between eight and 14 weeks, but he still hopes to contribute.

“As far as the regular season goes, it might be a stretch,” Rogers said of returning over the next eight weeks. “I’m striving to play as many games as possible.”

This would mean the CIF Southern Section playoffs, and while the Pacific League won’t start until September 20 at Glendale, the Indians are undefeated after two games, so maybe there is a chance Rogers will play.

Though disappointed, Rogers feels fine. “I feel good,” he said. “It’s tough. Putting so much preparation and hope into this year. If it comes down to not playing this year, at least I have my senior year.”

Covering two nonleague games, Burroughs has allowed 30 points. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Leon (102 yards on 16 carries) ran for 75 yards on 12 rushes in the first half as the Indians bolted to a 33-6 cushion at the intermission and Leon’s five-yard spurt with 9:51 left in the initial quarter made it 7-0 as the drive began at the Jackrabbits’ 34-yard line and consumed five plays.

English (game-high 147 yards on 13 carries) had 55 yards in the first half and scored on a nine-yard run with 2:40 remaining in the initial frame as the Indians (2-0) surged ahead 14-0 as the hosts needed eight plays to trek 65 yards.

When English rattled off a dazzling 60-yard run on the first play of the third quarter, the Indians were in command 40-6.

“I’m very pumped about this game, but there’s much more to come,” English said. “I just want to make the most of it so I came out and did what I did. Our whole team executed and that’s why I got the touchdowns.”

Victor Valley quarterback Isaiah Padilla scored two rushing touchdowns, but the indians made it a long night. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

English then added: “One game at a time. One win at a time,” he said. “I’m just going to do what the coach tells me.”

Senior quarterback Nicholas Garcia had another stellar outing after tossing three touchdown passes and adding a rushing score.

Garcia, who has eight scoring passes, finished by connecting on 10 of 23 attempts for 201 yards and wasn’t intercepted.

Garcia’s 29-yard strike to junior wide receiver John Alajijian (33 yards on two receptions) and 10:49 left in the second quarter made it 20-0 and finalized a four-play, 37-yard drive and was made possible after a pick from sophomore defensive back Christopher Romano.

A four-yard laser from Garcia to Alajijian with 30.4 seconds left in the second quarter, capped a 51-yard, eight-play march that catapulted the Indians ahead 33-6.

A one-yard sneak from Garcia and 6:16 remaining in the opening half gave the Indians a 27-0 edge as he orchestrated a 69-yard, five-play march.

When Garcia spotted senior wide receiver Ellington Simmons for his only reception, a 22-yard pass and 5:54 left in the fourth period, Burroughs pushed ahead 46-6, ending a 90-yard, 11-play drive.

Victor Valley (1-1) was stubborn and came within 27-6 with 4:06 remaining in the first half as senior signal-caller Isaiah Padilla scored on a three-yard burst.

Padilla’s one-yard sneak on the game’s final play, capped a 76-yard, seven-play march and trimmed the lead to 34 points.

The next time Burroughs plays will be Thursday at 7 p.m. on the road against Kennedy [La Palma] in Orange County.

The post Burroughs Football Waltzes Past Victor Valley, 46-12 appeared first on myBurbank.com.

For quite some time, the Pacific League title in girls’ tennis runs through Arcadia.
Thus, Burbank and Burroughs haven’t enjoyed as much as success as they did back when they competed in the Foothill League more than a decade ago.

But the Bulldogs and Indians have still remained competitive and this season figures to be no different.

Burbank

The Bulldogs have five returning varsity players and have begun the season 2-0 with wins over Immaculate Heart and Flintridge Sacred Heart.

Kristina Kirakosyan is finally a senior. She has been a four-year varsity player and Burbank’s No. 1 singles player for three of those years.

Junior Siya Joshi returns and will fill one of the other singles slots.

Freshman Ellen Petrosyan figures to give the Bulldogs another solid singles player.

Elli Sumera

In doubles, sophomore Elli Sumera and freshman Nairi Zeytounzian have played together as the No. 1 team and enjoyed success. The pair won two of three sets in the win over Flintridge Sacred Heart and narrowly missed earning a sweep.

Burbank appears to have found an Emily connection for another doubles team as sophomores Emily Angel and Emily Hasunuma won a pair of sets against the visiting Tologs on Thursday.

The Bulldogs definitely have some camaraderie with the third doubles team as sophomores Lena and Jenna Jabourian are twin sisters.

Sophomore Lilyan Hawrylo and senior Natalie Khachikian are two other varsity returners who could play in various roles for the team.

Burbank opens the league season Sept. 10 at Arcadia.

“They’re our first (league) match of the season. We’re hoping to start strong,” Sumera said.

Burroughs

The Indians are young and will rely on the senior leadership of Alice Weber and Suzy Kim, who are expected to play together as the No. 1 doubles team.

Sophomore Isabella Harris-Bermudez is expected to be the No. 1 singles player. Junior Lauren Pieri is expected to be right behind her as the No. 2 singles player.

Senior Ayana Coha will hold down one half of the No. 2 doubles team. Sophomore Isabella Munguia is currently nursing an injury, but is expected to return soon to partner with Coha.

Sophomore Valerie Lentine could see time in either singles or doubles as could freshmen Elane Shane and Kaitlyn Glaim.
Vanessa Muga and Elizabeth Fraser are two others who could see time on varsity.

Rick Assad contributed to this article.

The post Burbank, Burroughs Girls Tennis Looking to Stay Competitive appeared first on myBurbank.com.

UMe Credit Union is collecting items for the 9th annual Thank-A-Soldier Care Box Assembly project. The community is invited to bring donations to the credit union during UMe regular business hours, September 3 through October 18, 2019.

Donation items will benefit U.S. troops stationed overseas, and should include new personal supplies, snacks and entertainment items. See the full list of accepted donations below.

UMe is working through its philanthropic arm UMeHelps, an initiative that facilitates members and the Burbank community supporting local organizations and individuals in need.

After the donation period, on October 19th, UMe will host the Thank-A-Soldier Care Box Assembly and Community Lunch Event in partnership with Keller Williams. The event will be held in the UMe parking lot from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and will feature live music and free lunch with a donation. Donated items will be packaged on site and readied for troops as a thank you for their hard work and sacrifice.

UMe is located at 3000 W. Magnolia Blvd. in the Magnolia Park neighborhood of Burbank.

Supplies Needed:

ENTERTAINMENT SUPPLIES

° paperback books (no hardback books, please)

° magazines

° crossword / sudoku puzzle books

° playing cards

° DVDs & CDs

PERSONAL SUPPLIES

° toothpaste & tooth brushes (individually wrapped, please)

° deodorant

° soap (no heavily scented soaps such as Irish Spring or Zest, please)

° shaving cream & disposable razors

° shampoo & conditioner

° lotion / sunscreen

° foot powder / corn starch

° baby powder

° handy wipes

° feminine hygiene products

° white athletic socks

° screen cleaning cloths

SNACK SUPPLIES

° hard candy / gum (no chocolate, please)

° snack bars: protein, granola, nutrition, cereal, etc.

° oatmeal packets

° dried fruit / nuts / seeds / jerky

° hot sauce packets

° drink packets: kool-aid, crystal light hot cocoa, etc.

The post UMe Credit Union Collecting Donations for Deployed U.S. Soldiers appeared first on myBurbank.com.