Burroughs’ Tanner Whitlock dives in safely at second base (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

By Dick Dornan
MyBurbank Sports Editor

Numbers don’t lie. They simply tell the story in a factual manner. So if you love numbers, brace yourself because last night’s VIBL playoff game at Burroughs High was a statistician’s dream come true. This will be less of a story and, as Dragnet’s Sgt. Joe Friday once said, “Just the facts.”

Final score: Burroughs 18 Burbank 3

Danny Bustos struck out 11 Bulldog batters (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

It was a night to remember for the Indians and a game to forget for the Bulldogs (3-7). So here are the facts that truly tell the story.

Fact no. 1- The No. 4 seeded Indians advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time in the 14-year history of the Valley Invitational Baseball League. Burroughs will host No. 12 Loyola, an 8-6 winner against Cleveland, on Saturday at 11 a.m. Expect a whole different Cubs team than the one who lost 7-3 to the Indians back on June 25.

Fact no. 2- The Indians are 16-6 overall which marks their best record ever in the VIBL.

Fact no. 3- The Indians have won 13 of their last 15 games. They are simply the hottest high school team around.

Fact no. 4- The Indians scored a summer-high 18 runs and pounded out a summer-high 19 hits vs. their rivals. For the third time in the last six games, at least nine different players had a hit. Against BHS, 11 players recorded a hit. Everyone is contributing on the offensive end.

Fact no. 5- This one is scary. Of the 11 hitters who reached base courtesy of a hit, seven of them recorded two hits or more. Six of those players scored two runs or more. Eleven Indian runners crossed home plate in total.

In honor of future Hall of Famer Derek Jeter, No. 2, here are numbers that begin with two or more-

Noah Hoed (2 for 4, 3 runs, 4 RBIs), Tanner Whitlock (2 for 5, 2 runs, 2 RBIs), Roy Hirota (2 for 5, 2 runs, 2 RBIs), Thomas Wilson (3 for 4, 2 runs), Chris Peres (2 for 3, 2 runs, 3 RBIs), Max DeAmicis (2 for 5, 2 RBIs), Randy Catlett (2 for 3, 2 RBIs), Ryan Galan (2 runs) and Omar Tejeda (2 RBIs).

Fact no. 6- Five different players had extra base hits for JBHS- Roy Hirota, Chris Peres and Max DeAmicis each had a double; Noah Hoed and Thomas Wilson had triples.

Fact. No. 7- The Indians team batting average began the evening at .306. At game’s end, it skyrocketed to .338 after going 19 for 36 (.528).

Catch your breath yet?

The Indians scored four runs in the third to erase a 2-0 Burbank lead, plated five more runs in the fourth and then had an inning for the ages scoring nine times in the sixth. They batted around in all three innings.

In that “Germany-esque” domination (see Brazil 7-1 thumping) of a sixth inning, Burroughs sent 14 players to the plate. The first 11 reached base safely. The first nine scored.

Jake Noud attempts the throw to first base (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

When Burbank’s Cameron Briggs relieved on the hill in the same inning, he simply said to himself, “I had enough.” He shut down the potent Indians offense 1, 2, 3. Expect to see Briggs pitching in the spring in a more meaningful role when these teams meet again.

Now on to the pitching end of things.

Fact no. 8- Burroughs’ Danny Bustos (11 Ks) and Kyle Nicol (4 Ks) combined to strike out 15 Burbank batters while walking only two.

Bustos earned the win to improve to 4-1 with a summer era of 1.94 while Nicol, the right-handed submariner who continues to baffle batters right and left, lowered his era to 1.68.

“Going into the game I was just hyped up,” Bustos said. “So I went in there throwing my hardest.”

With the victory, Burroughs moves on to the quarterfinals looking for its first VIBL championship in the school’s history. One down, three to go.

For Burbank, this was a game that gets flushed down the toilet and never to be revisited again. The Bulldogs will return in the spring vastly improved and prepared to battle the Indians once more.

After all, when the real season rolls around, last night’s VIBL game will have meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. It was a summer win and a summer loss.

In the end, it’s all about the spring. Hope springs eternal for Burbank while Burroughs marches on in the summer with confidence bursting through its seams.

“We are just hot,” Peres said after the game. “All cylinders are firing and nothing can stop us now.”

The post Burroughs Rolls to 18-3 Playoff Win Against Burbank appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Burbank high school students have a lot of options to get ahead on required school courses this summer. Burbank Unified is testing out a pilot summer program for initial credit classes run by Options For Youth (OFY) charter school at the Burbank High School campus from July 1 through August 7.

The OFY Summer Program is free to Burbank Unified students. The charter school uses Average Daily Attendance funds to pay the teachers, staff and fees and provide textbooks and supplies.

BUSD teachers, curriculum and textbooks are all employed for the OFY Summer Program.

TOSA Kenneth Knoop checks a student’s work during class at Options For Youth’s Summer Program at Burbank High. (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

“Our most popular class is Health/Careers,” commented Kenneth Knoop, Teacher On Special Assignment (TOSA) overseeing the summer program at BHS. “We have four classes of Health students and most are eighth graders going into ninth grade.”

The Options For Youth at BHS program also offers a Physical Education class. The free summer school has approximately 150 students enrolled in five classes.

“Most of the kids attending summer classes here are really motivated and are trying to get ahead and get those required classes out of the way,” Knoop added. “They’re really great kids… the super motivated kids who are willing to spend part of their summer in school.”

Burbank High School Health teacher Marcus Turner with students in Options For Youth’s Summer Program at BHS. (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

“The majority of the students in this summer program are in performing arts, like band or choir, and need to take a double block of classes during the school year to participate in some of those programs,” explained Emilio Urioste, Director II of Secondary Education.

Knoop, in addition to being a Phys Ed teacher at Jordan, also subs for administrators on leave in the district and is Assistant Football Coach at John Burroughs High School. As TOSA, he is acting as supervisor of the summer program, and right now, he is also the substitute teacher and the nurse.

“This is the first year run for this program and we are still working the kinks out, but it’s going very well,” he added.

Knoop acknowledged BHS Principal Michael Bertram and the school’s administrative staff are on site, along with custodial and cafeteria support.

“They’ve all been really great and very helpful,” he said.

Burroughs High School Health teacher Amy Lucas works with students at the Options For Youth Summer Program at Burbank High School. (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

During the summer hours, students in the Phys Ed class exercise outside in the early hours of school, which begins at 7:40 a.m. For the rest of the day, until 1:00 p.m., the students complete in class writing assignments. Teachers take a few breaks, including one for lunch.

The students in the Health/Careers classes cover all the material studied during the school year in six weeks. One day of summer school is equivalent to one week of classes during the school year. Summer school runs four days per week. Absences are frowned upon and missing more than two days out of the summer session may result in being dropped from the program.

Grades for completed summer classes are transferred directly to the student’s transcript.

“Our offering of these programs through Options For Youth is in line with our superintendent’s emphasis on the need to be flexible and provide options for today’s students and their families,” Urioste added. “This vision of greater options and flexibility is what Dr. Jan Britz holds up for the administrators and reminds us to pursue.”

Teacher Marcus Turner’s students think about Health/Careers. (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

An online summer program via OFY is also available to BUSD high school students for both initial credit and credit recovery, with a referral by their counselor. The online program includes classes in social studies and English, among others, and students are required to attend the Options For Youth campus on Burbank Boulevard two hours per week, completing the rest of the class work online at home.

Burbank students may also take classes via Woodbury University’s Initial Credit Summer Program. Because of an agreement set up between Woodbury and BUSD Board of Education, courses taken at the Woodbury program can transfer directly to a student’s record.

The Options For Youth Summer Program seems poised for growth and may add additional classes and subjects next year.

The post BUSD Offers Free Summer School Options For Burbank Students To Get Ahead appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Got something to say about the Burbank Police Department?

Residents and department employees will have an opportunity to sound off for 10 minutes on the police department on Aug. 4 for that very purpose.

Community feedback is required in the voluntary process police are participating in through the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies, or CALEA, an independent agency with ties to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Police embarked on the process in fall 2011, reviewing their policies and practices to be able to say they meet professional standards of law enforcement.

A second opportunity for community feedback will be provided on Aug. 5 when residents may call in and speak with CALEA representatives. Phone comments are also limited to 10 minutes.

Police Chief Scott LaChasse said in an email he is delighted the organization has moved closer to CALEA certification.

“It has taken a Herculean effort, the result being the emergence of a contemporary, open, transparent, responsive and vibrant organization,” LaChasse said. “CALEA certification will give us the distinction of being one of a select few law enforcement agencies that have attained this status. Further, the certification will facilitate our objective to remain contemporary and cutting-edge….meaning that Burbank will be a place where others come to harvest best practices.”

CALEA, founded in 1979 through a grant from the department of justice, was created by four executive law enforcement organizations, including the International Association of Police Chiefs, according to the CALEA website. Riots in the 1960s and 1970s led many to question the professionalism, integrity, training and hiring practices of law enforcement, and resulted in the establishment of a body of standards that police departments could voluntarily subject themselves to.

The August meeting is an opportunity for the CALEA assessors to “to meet with members of the public and see what they have to say about the police department,” Lt. Armen Dermenjian said. “It’s not so much to describe [the CALEA] process, it’s more to ask for feedback from the community.”

Dermenjian, an 18-year veteran, has been overseeing the accreditation process.

“We have made certain claims, about safety issues, how we do business, the programs we offer, and [CALEA assessors] want to know if the community feels the same way,” Dermenjian said. “It’s one thing for us to say we do a good job and another to hear it from the community.”

Police departments participating in the self assessment process are allowed three years to do so, and Dermenjian said Burbank has been doing two things: participating in the CALEA process and drafting new policies for the department. Essentially taking on two large projects concurrently, he said.

“I will be relieved when we are done and they say we are going to be accredited,” he said. “I feel we are doing a good job of providing documentation for standards, and learned more about the organization through the process. Sometimes, we work on assumptions. It’s different when you have to show hard copy, documentation.”

The last three years essentially have been an internal audit of policies and practices, Dermenjian said.

CALEA also requires a citizen survey every three years, and police conducted an online survey between April and May. The results of the 19-question survey are posted on the police department’s web site.

A survey about police services had not been conducted in a long time, Dermenjian said, although a city-wide questionnaire of all departments was conducted in 2010. The survey may have only included a couple of questions about police services.

The recent web-based survey was designed by police and advertised via social media, and was open for five weeks, Dermenjian said. Police used SurveyMonkey,  a popular and trusted survey site that allows users to easily create surveys.

The survey included the ability to ensure the same person did not complete the survey multiple times, and because police were pressed for time, Dermenjian said they thought an online survey would be the best way to reach out to the community.

“In the future, we may expand or supplement it with hard copies, and distribute it to a larger portion of community,” Dermenjian said.

Dermenjian acknowledged that 370 respondents is less than the roughly 100,000 who live in Burbank, but said police are pretty satisfied with the sample size.

“With a population of 100,000, the margin of error is plus or minus 5%,” he said. “The perception of safety is 84% to 94%, even with the error margin.”

Dermenjian is referring to the first survey question, which asks respondents to rate how safe they feel in the city of Burbank, their neighborhood during the day and other locations around town. About 88% rated the city very safe or safe, and about 89% rated their neighborhood very safe or safe.

To reduce the error margin to 1%, Dermenjian said 9,000 responses would be needed, which could be difficult to get.

The questionnaire also revealed that most respondents rated the quality of police services as excellent (almost 37%), and very good (about 34%). Just under 15% rated police services as good; about 9.5% said fair; and about 4% said police services were poor.

Police also posted the results of internal affairs investigations for 2013. They are categorized as citizen complaints (48) and personnel investigations (19), and the allegations of each complaint or investigation are posted as well as the results.

The public meeting is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 4 at 6 p.m. at Burbank City Hall, in Council Chambers, located at 275 E. Olive Ave.

For those who would like to offer comments by phone, the number to call is (818) 238-3025 on Tuesday, Aug. 5, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The post Burbank Police Looking for Public’s Imput for CALEA Accreditation appeared first on myBurbank.com.

“I will never forget the gasp from the audience as the curtain and lights rose for Santa’s workshop this past December! As one child whispered to her mom, ‘It’s just like a real theatre!’ “

You could hear the emotion in Melissa Pamperin’s voice as she described a dream come true for her and fellow teacher John Ossiff, on behalf of her students at Joaquin Miller Elementary School. With the money they received last fall, the teachers were able to purchase lighting and sound equipment that dramatically improved the quality of theatrical productions beyond what you’d normally expect at the elementary school level.

(Photo by Ross A. Benson)

“You can’t begin to imagine the impact that this program has had on our students,” continued Melissa. “Just this past year I watched as one of my most insecure, quiet girls developed the confidence to overcome a stutter and shine onstage.”

At Woodbury University last Wednesday evening, a group of 80 listened to Melissa’s moving story, which went to the core reason of why they are major supporters of the Burbank Arts for All Foundation (BAFA.) The organization’s supplemental arts funding can have a profoundly positive impact on young lives.

(Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Hence BAFA’s “Celebrating Impact” event, hosted by the Board of Directors to remind BAFA supporters of the many ways BAFA has made a difference during the school year just concluded. Mayor David Gordon, Vice Mayor Bob Frutos, Council Member Jesse Talamantes and City Treasurer Debbie Kukta were among BAFA’s well wishers.

(Photo by Ross A. Benson)

There was much to celebrate. Trena Pitchford, who until recently had been BAFA’s highly successful Development Director, is now BAFA’s Executive Director. BAFA attracted seven new Board members: Michael Hastings, John Mazur, Carson Smith, Cathy Stevens, Jill Vander Borght, Tom Vice and Karen Volpei. They join the 14 existing Board members, providing BAFA with an even broader base of expertise. And, BUSD Board of Education President Roberta Reynolds noted that BAFA’s supplemental grant funding had launched many successful arts initiatives, in addition to the model theatre program at Joaquin Miller Elementary School:

• At David Starr Jordan Middle School, media teacher Richard Lightfoot was able to fire up his students to make videos documenting compelling life stories. (Also at Jordan, staff was able to install newer and safer stage risers for the students rehearsing and performing in the school’s auditorium.)

• At John Muir Middle School, teacher Nancy Martin was able to show her students how to combine the art of designing with geometric concepts to address a real-world problem of designing and creating a scale model of a mini-golf hole. Also at Muir, visual arts teacher Fatima Morales was able to provide her ceramics class students with a working kiln, which is available for other clay projects as well.

• At Burbank High School, Burbank High’s Jazz Band was able to acquire a new Yamaha Alto Sax for their Lead Alto Player. It highly motivated the student to practice, even to the point of taking private lessons as well.

• At John Burroughs High School, social studies teacher Justin Lee was able to help his AP European History students create a mural panel that encapsulated and interconnected important historical events. Also at Burroughs, art teacher Beth Morrison was able to enable her students to create three-dimensional art projects.

• At Luther Burbank Middle School, Band Director Cathy Kim was able to purchase three new trombones for her class. This inspired her students to spur each other on “not just in band class, but in their everyday activities.”

• At Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, 3^rd graders learned to play the tonette and 4^th graders learned to play the recorder, very effective ways to learn the fundamentals of music theory.

• At George Washington Elementary School, 1^st and 2^nd grade teachers, Debra Lack and Patty Dagata, teamed up with 24^th Street Theatre to create a residency program and Theatre Field Trip for their thrilled students.

And as Melissa reminded her audience, the impact on students goes beyond having a deeper encounter with the arts. Remember the shy 5^th grader who came to shine on stage?  “The ability that she discovered in herself through our studies of theatre carried over into every aspect of her educational career. The girl that graduated from 5^th grade at the end of May believed in herself in a way that I don’t think could have ever been possible had she not have the opportunity to perform in our program.”

The post Burbank Arts For All Foundation Celebrates A Successful Year appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Vice Mayor Bob Frutos, left, with Burbank Historical Society’s fundraising crew Penny Rivera, Sue Baldaseroni, Mike Dennis, Don Baldaseroni, Betty Penrod and special guest master of ceremonies Randy Kerdoon. (Photo by Joyce Rudolph)

Yesterday, today and tomorrow were woven into the afternoon when the Burbank Historical Society commemorated the 103rd anniversary of the city’s incorporation in 1911 during a fundraiser on July 11 at Story Tavern on San Fernando Boulevard in Downtown Burbank.

It was the third year the society held the anniversary party at the Tavern, but this year the more than 70 guests were seated in the new patio and game room next door. There were door prizes, a silent auction and buffet of pulled pork, mac and cheese and chips and guacamole.

Story Tavern owner Ted Slaught, left, with Burbank Historical Society board member Don Baldaseroni. (Photo by Joyce Rudolph)

“I just want to make sure everybody opens their wallets and spends all their money because its going to the children and the society,” said society President Sue Baldaseroni, who organized the event with her husband, Don Baldaseroni, Penny Rivera, Betty Penrod and Mike Dennis.

Funds raised are earmarked for an interactive exhibit for children at the society’s museum, which is open from 1 to 4 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday and is next door to the Creative Arts Center in Izay Park. Schoolchildren take field trips to the museum during the week.

Tavern owner Ted Slaught is a big supporter of the historical society and attended the event — even helped light the candles on the anniversary cake.

Story Tavern owner Ted Slaught, left, found an antique box that will be displayed in the original Tavern so that patrons can make donations to the Burbank Historical Society. Board member Don Baldaseroni holds the box while museum founder Mary Jane Strickland looks on. (Photo by Joyce Rudolph)

Slaught, with museum founder Mary Jane Strickland at his side, also unveiled an antique wooden box he had acquired that was probably made during the Depression and came from Ohio, he said. On it are the words “Relief Fund — Burbank Police Dept.”

While it is not known which Burbank the box originated from, Slaught said the story he’d been told was that during the Depression, the relief fund and the pension fund for the city was nearly broke and they had to raise money for the children and the widows and this was one of the donation boxes. An Internet search turned up a Burbank, Ohio, population of 207, according to the 2010 census. It’s possible that could be the city from which the box originated.

The box will be placed in the original Story Tavern in Burbank, Calif., and the public can drop donations into it for the local historical society. The gesture ties in nicely because Strickland’s father was the first police chief here.

Guests listen to monologue delivered by master of ceremonies Randy Kerdoon. (Photo by Joyce Rudolph)

Sportscaster Randy Kerdoon served as master of ceremonies and kept spirits bright with historical quips.

“I think this location is pretty awesome,” he said. “This used to be a hardware store and I was reading the sign outside and it’s just fascinating how things transition. It’s gone from plumbing and hardware to a sports bar. We’ve basically gone from buying a screwdriver to drinking a screwdriver.”

Burbank Historical Society President Sue Baldaseroni holds the winning ticket as Randy Kerdoon reads the prize. (Photo by Joyce Rudolph)

While that may be so, the drink of the hour during the fundraiser was the 1911 Cocktail, whose main ingredient is Applejack, or distilled apple cider, one of America’s first spirits, said Story Tavern co-owner Brian Slaught, Ted’s son. It is garnished with a slice of cantaloupe, which was one of the lucrative crops in Burbank and is said to have saved the town’s life financially when the land boom collapsed.

The Burbank Historical Society was founded in 1973 and operates the Gordon R. Howard Museum, which includes an 1887 Victorian house, a memorabilia building including a Lockheed Aviation display and other historical artifacts, a vintage vehicle building, a salon and the Ray Sence addition in which 19th-century-era rooms are shown.

Burbank Historical Society President Sue Baldaseroni, left, blows out the candles with museum founder Mary Jane Strickland. The anniversary party honored the 103rd anniversary of the incorporation of the city of Burbank — July 11, 1911. (Photo by Joyce Rudolph)

The Salvatore brothers dressed in Road Kings shirts for the Burbank Historical Society fundraiser at Story Tavern. (Photo by Joyce Rudolph)

City Manager Mark Scott, left, with Vice Mayor Bob Frutos at the 103rd anniversary celebration of the city of Burbank incorporation. (Photo by Joyce Rudolph)

Rhonda Rikki Kirchner with brothers Nasty Noel Salvatore, center, and Fast Eddie Salvatore, who are keeping track of several drawing prize tickets at the Burbank Historical Society fundraiser at Story Tavern. (Photos by Joyce Rudolph)

The post Burbank Historical Society Celebrates 103 Years appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Bruce Weitz, Jack Sundmacher, Dee Ann Newkirk and Christina Pickles star in the Colony Theatre’s World Premiere production of “FAMILY PLANNING,” (Photo Courtesy of Michael Lamont)

Family Planning launches The Colony Theatre’s 40^th season with explosions of laughter. Playwright MICHELLE KHOLOS BROOKS has crafted a first-rate romantic comedy, firmly anchored in real-life, with a sober undertone beneath the bright and sparkling dialogue.

Michael (JACK SUNDMACHER) snuggles with his wife Sidney (DEE ANN NEWKIRK), forgetting his business struggles for a few precious moments. These lovebirds, now in their early 40s, had moved back into the house of Sidney’s long-divorced parents to keep the Great Recession wolf at bay.

Dee Ann Newkirk and Bruce Weitz star in the Colony Theatre’s World premiere production of “FAMILY PLANNING,” written by Michelle Kholos Brooks and directed by Cameron Watson and now playing at the Colony Theatre in Burbank (Photo Courtesy of Michael Lamont)

One little problem. Actually, two big ones. The parents are moving back in. Larry (Emmy-winning BRUCE WEITZ, who was Mick Belker in the TV series Hill Street Blues) has turned into a laid back New Ager. And he still feels entitled to second-guess son-in-law Michael based on his earlier life as a hustling entrepreneur. And Diane (Emmy-nominated CHRISTINA PICKLES, who was Nurse Helen Rosenthal in the TV series Saint Elsewhere) still knows how to drive her daughter Sidney nuts. (And Diane beautifully sets up a hilarious comeback line from Sidney.)

(Photo by Ross A. Benson)

All four actors are great. And when Diane and Larry lock horns with each other, it’s pure theatrical bliss. Director CAMERON WATSON seamlessly blends the physical and verbal comedy, and these two veteran actors have an absolute ball.

Playwright Michelle had explored similar domestic themes before but “the characters were still there and Family Planning surfaced.”  Surfaced, that is, after development at the workshop level and further honing with Cameron as the world premiere date at the Colony neared.  The perspiration paid off.

(Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Of superstar playwright Neil Simon, Wikipedia states, “Simon’s facility with dialogue gives his stories a rare blend of realism, humor and seriousness which audiences find easy to identify with.” The same praise applies to Family Planning.

So theatergoers, keep your eye on Michelle Kholos Brooks. She’s on her way to becoming the next Neil Simon.

Family Planning continues through Sunday, August 10. Performances are Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 p.m. Ticket prices range from $20 to $49. The Colony Theatre is at 555 North Third Street (at Cypress), next to the Burbank Town Center Mall. For tickets, call the box office at 818-558-7000 ext. 15, or go online at www.ColonyTheatre.org.

(Photo by Ross A. Benson)

(Photo by Ross A. Benson)

(Photo by Ross A. Benson)

The post For A Great Evening, Plan To See Colony’s Family Planning appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Burroughs soccer coach Mike Kodama (far left) enjoyed a memorable trip to Brazil for the FIFA World Cup

Burroughs boys soccer coach Mike Kodama was gracious enough to provide his personal insight from his trip to Brazil for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Here is his story-

The post Mike Kodama Shares Personal Experiences from World Cup in Brazil appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Cartoon Network hosts a biweekly, lunchtime farmers market inside the studio with organic produce from Stevenson Elementary’s Pirate Patch garden during the summer. On July 18, studio employees perused fresh fruits, herbs and vegetables brought by garden volunteer Claire Torrey and her Stevenson students.

Red and yellow tomatoes freshly picked from the vine, artichokes, amaranth, small apples, chard and pomegranates were popular. Along with a bevy of herbs, including mint, basil, Thai basil, lavender, parsley, thyme, dill, sage and lemon verbena, the farmers market sold out within minutes.

(from left to right) Cartoon Network’s Alexandria Taylor and Linda Barry wash some fresh vegetables and herbs. (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

More than $100, including some generous donations, noted Torrey, was raised for the Stevenson Pirate Patch at Friday’s farmers market. Her seven-year-old daughter, Anya Kallianpur, was kept busy bagging produce and helping out customers.

“It’s good advertising for our employees,” commented Zita LeFebvre, Cartoon Network’s Director of Operations and Community Relations. “We got a new volunteer for the garden today, too.”

“The garden is really a good outlet. To leave the office and go work in the garden is really theraputic,” LeFebvre added.

Cartoon Network employees have been planting in the Stevenson garden for many years, she continued, remembering a fig tree planted 10 years ago that continues to bear fruit.

(from left to right) Zita LeFebvre from Cartoon Network, Stevenson second-grader Anya Kallianpur and Pirate Patch garden director Claire Torrey hold fresh produce and herbs. (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

Two apple trees, a lemon tree and rose bushes are some of the other plants placed in the garden over the years by studio volunteers, in addition to benches and planters.

The Stevenson Elementary Pirate Patch Farmers Market will set up a table at the Ladies and Gents Night Out on July 25 in Magnolia Park, said Torrey.

The farmers market table will be located in front of Romancing the Bean cafe and they hope to have some freshly picked figs available for purchase, along with out vegetables and fruits from the school garden.

Future farmers markets at Cartoon Network expect to have zucchini, tomatoes, figs and more items as they come into season.

The post Cartoon Network Hosts Pirate Patch Farmers Market appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Coach Adam Hochberg and the Indians made a lot of progress during the summer (Photos by Dick Dornan)

By Dick Dornan
MyBurbank Sports Editor

Many of the local high school sports programs have been busy for the past seven weeks since the school year ended. Basketball, soccer and baseball have begun preparing for the 2014-15 season with a full slate of games. Many of the area’s softball and volleyball players have been playing on the club circuit as well.

The summer provides coaches the opportunity to evaluate individual talent while building their team for the future. Look no further than at the John Burroughs boys’ basketball program that ended a very productive summer last week. Coach Adam Hochberg was kind enough to send us a recap of their games, practices and workouts.

Burroughs’ Chris Hovasapian

This behind-the-scenes insight shows how much time and commitment a team invests during the summer. Building a strong program requires dedication, a passionate and selfless attitude, and a personal sacrifice to become the best you can be.

A year ago, Burroughs finished 16-11 overall and 8-6 in league (tie for third place). The Indians qualified for the CIF playoffs and are looking to repeat the success they had this upcoming winter. In order to reach their goals, every player and coach had to be committed as one.

“We had a very productive summer season working extremely hard and improving each day and week that passed,” Hochberg said. “After two weeks of running our youth camps at the start of June with our players as coaches, we got into a pattern of morning conditioning workouts consisting of track, weight room, and pool and then about 1.5 – 2 hours of basketball workouts consisting mainly of individual skill work/shooting, and breakdowns of what we do system wise offensively and defensively.

Steven Hubbell of the Indians

“The varsity played a little over 30 games this summer, mainly all in June. A lot of days we played multiple games. Many of our games during the week were after we had already worked out for about three hours. I was looking to challenge them mentally when their bodies were already tired.

“As June rolled along, we got mentally and physically better and had a stretch in which we won 15 out of 20 games including wins over Cathedral, St. Francis, La Canada, and West Ranch. We went 3-2 in the very tough Maranatha Block Party making it to the silver division. The best part was that this tourney culminated us playing 14 games over 10 days and we got stronger each day and outworked our opponents.

“We have returning players that got a lot of experience last season in close games and their growth has been very evident. We were led on the perimeter by junior Steven Hubbell, and seniors David Schwer and Chris Hovasapian. Our best line up though is with the three aforementioned guys playing outside and attacking the paint along with seniors Jakob Davis and junior Angelo Solis who are a tough duo inside. They simply outwork other teams’ interior players. With them, we are real competitive.

“Solis is our most improved player since this spring and his 6-foot-8 wingspan makes him a great help side defender, shot changer, and tremendous offensive rebounder. Both him and Davis have an instinct for the ball and are learning more each day playing together and off of each other.

Burroughs’ Jakob Davis

“Davis was our most consistent player this summer and has developed fundamentally with his perimeter footwork and ball handling making his game expand to be able to play outside and then attack the rim. He is strong and fearless.

“Juniors Eric Allen, Nick Howard, and Rocky Cascolan have also added to our depth since coming up from the JV and they each provide a spark to go along with the other guys already discussed.

“Overall, this team is going to be a pleasure to coach because we know we don’t pass the eye test and we are going to outwork most teams. If we communicate defensively, take care of the ball, and attack the paint and boards, we will be very competitive and have a solid chance to be in the top half of the Pacific League again this upcoming season.”

Hochberg has been the coach at Burroughs for the past five seasons and will begin his sixth year this fall.

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Burbank’s City Attorneys Association (BCAA) has announced that it is disbanding the employee bargaining group.

Representatives of the BCAA advised the City Manager by letter on July 17, 2014, that their group is disbanding effective immediately and is withdrawing a lawsuit and several complaints with the Public Employees Relations Board (PERB).

BCAA President Terry Stevenson said their members unanimously felt that the decision best served all involved. “Although the Association is proud of the work it has done on behalf of its members, it has become increasingly clear in the last few months that we can no longer effectively represent the interests of our members without potentially damaging our professional relationship with other members of City management and creating disharmony in the City Attorney’s Office. We believe the only way to avoid this is to disband the BCAA,” said Stevenson.

City Manager Mark Scott expressed appreciation that the labor disputes with BCAA will no longer be at issue and thanked its membership for looking positively toward the future saying, “In my year with the City, many of my best day-to-day interactions have been with the talented members of the City Attorney’s Office. We all fully appreciated the employees’ right to organize as an employee bargaining group, and we likewise respect this decision to disband.”

The BCAA bargaining unit represented seven Senior Assistant City Attorneys, two Deputy City Attorneys and one Litigation Paralegal. The employees will return to their previous classification as “unrepresented management employees.” As a result, there are now 78 Burbank management employees classified as unrepresented.

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Burbank police worked in a cooperative effort with colleagues in the Los Angeles Police Department to focus an operation to combat property crimes in an area of southwestern Burbank and the adjoining city of North Hollywood, directly west of Burbank’s border.

During the evening hours of July 17, Operation Blue Knights II went into motion, with 20 BPD personnel working targets in the southwestern area of Burbank. At the same time, 30 members of the LAPD were focused on areas on their side of the cities’ border, said Burbank Police.

Members of the San Gabriel Valley AB 109 Task Force (Tri-cities Team) also conducted “roll back” checks at additional locations where evidence or stolen property might be located.

“A recent analysis of crime trends in Burbank revealed that property crimes have dominated the crime spectrum for the first half of 2014,” said Sgt. Darin Ryburn of the Burbank Police Department. “Of particular note has been the targeting of unattended motor vehicles for items of value that had been left inside the passenger compartments.”

“Crime analysts on Burbank’s border in Los Angeles noticed a similar trend,” he continued. “In an effort to aggressively address this issue, personnel of the Burbank Police Department joined with their Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) colleagues in planning Operation Blue Knights II, the second operation of its kind in the past three months.”

Operation Blue Knights I, conducted in May 2014, resulted in the arrest of 13 felony suspects and the recovery of two firearms.

“The main concept of the operation was to provide heavy deployment of police personnel on each side of the border in their respective cities,” explained Ryburn. “In this way, criminal activity would be suppressed, yet with officers deployed on each side of the border, the criminal element would not be able to merely slip away to the adjoining city.”

Representatives from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and the Los Angeles County Probation Department assisted the BPD and LAPD.

Operation Blue Knights II netted 21 felony arrests on charges that included narcotics violations, identity theft, violation of restraining orders and included individuals who had been released from custody under the Post-Release Community Supervision program. Four people also were cited for misdemeanors.

Although the multi-agency operation was a “success,” according to police, the BPD reminds Burbank citizens they can help reduce property theft opportunities by locking and securing cars and houses and keeping property out of sight.

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Celebrity cars, Jay Leno, and Drake Bell will take center stage at the third annual Downtown Burbank Car Classic this Saturday, July 26, from 3:00 to 9:00 pm.

Included will be a Red Carpet Expo with celebrity vehicles from film and television, along with a display of legendary cars from the Warner Bros. VIP Studio Tour, Petersen Automotive Museum, The Television Motion Picture Car Club, and the world famous West Coast Customs.  Additional blocks will feature 200 restored and pre-1974 vehicles, exotics, and hot rods. The Downtown Burbank Car Classic is free and open to the public.

Jay Leno will accept the Lifetime Achievement Award from the main stage located at Orange Grove and San Fernando Boulevard at 6:00 pm.

Notable cars include:

The Batmobile from the 1997 movie “Batman & Robin” starring George Clooney.  Courtesy of Warner Bros. VIP Studio Tour.

A 1966 Chrysler Imperial “Black Beauty,” driven in the “Green Hornet” TV series from 1966-67. Customized by Dean Jeffries, courtesy of The Margie and Robert E. Petersen Collection.

A 2002 Jaguar XKR driven in the 2002 movie “Die Another Day,” courtesy of the Petersen Automotive Museum, and is a gift of the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust.

A 1965 Lincoln Continental Convertible from the HBO hit “Entourage”

A Volkswagen Beetle from the film “Herbie: Fully Loaded”

Live music will be performed by The Seen from 7:30 to 9:00 pm, a four-piece rock powerhouse consisting of Los Angeles musicians Clark Souter (John Waite, Kimberly Locke, Kristine W), Yogi Lonich (Chris Cornell, Wallflowers, Fuel), Scott Bennett (Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton) and Ty Dennis (The Doors, The Motels). Playing a wide range of classics, you’re in for a night of high-voltage rock and roll!

Drake Bell will join The Seen for four songs. Bell just released his third album, Ready, Steady, Go!, which debuted on the Billboard 200, and sold thousands of copies in its first week of release.

The Downtown Burbank Car Classic will take place on San Fernando Boulevard from Burbank Town Center to the Holiday Inn. The Red Carpet Expo will be located on San Fernando Boulevard from Angeleno Avenue to Olive Avenue, with the Main Stage at San Fernando Boulevard and Orange Grove Avenue.

For more information please visit www.downtownburbankcarclassic.com

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Open just 10 months, Sharkey’s Bistro is located in a typical unassuming strip mall (where else?) on Glenoaks Boulevard in Burbank. Dujuan Sharkey and his family brought their recipes to Burbank from the South. They serve 100% hand-crafted homemade, hearty and absolutely delicious plates for breakfast, lunch and dinner six days a week.

Sharkey’s collard greens and pulled pork sandwich are out-of-this-world delicious. (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

While Sharkey’s has a wide menu selection and the burgers we tried out were excellent, the BBQ items are the true stars of the restaurant. The pulled pork sandwich, made Memphis-style with coleslaw, pickles and barbeque sauce, was an absolute explosion of flavors. Sometimes, pulled pork can be tough but this pork was extremely tender and perfectly prepared.

Complemented by a side of collard greens flecked with slices of garlic and flavored with a slight vinegar tang, the plate was approved by everyone at the table.

We tried two different burgers, the standard cheeseburger and the Jazzy Burger. Both were big hits. The ground beef in the burger tasted very fresh and got everyone’s attention.

Sharkey’s Cheeseburger – tasty, tasty. (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

Dressed with cheese, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, mayo and mustard, the cheeseburger was a classic recipe done perfectly, all the way to the airy, toasted bun.

The Jazzy Burger was an exercise in indulgence. Topped with cheese, bacon, onion rings and BBQ sauce, the burger was a burst of all things decadent in every bite.

Sharkey’s Jazzy Burger is decadence and deliciousness. (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

After eating that Jazzy Burger, we all felt our next meal should be primarily vegetable-based. Sharkey’s offers some colorful and healthy salads as well, including a basic mixed green salad and a grilled chicken salad with spinach, pecans and cranberries. They also have a Kale Avocado Salad and a Kale and Spinach Salad, each complemented with nuts, apples and homemade dressing.

We also tried the Shrimp Po-Boy – four huge grilled shrimp in a bed of lettuce, mayo and tomato inside a grilled french roll. Tasty and simple, it was a good sandwich for a lighter meal.

Sharkey’s Shrimp Po-Boy. (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

Fries heaped with minced garlic and fresh parsley for the table and a bowl of fantastic macaroni and cheese rounded out the meal.

Sharkey’s Mac and Cheese. (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

Typical morning fare including eggs, omelets and breakfast sandwiches are listed on the menu. Sliders, a variety of cold and hot sandwiches and a plethora of burgers, ribs and smoked meats round out the offerings. Sides of collard greens, mac and cheese, baked beans, coleslaw, corn muffins, chili and different kinds of fries add to the experience.

Piles of fresh garlic and parsley accentuate the fries at Sharkey’s. (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

We found the bathrooms and tables clean and plenty of parking in the lot. Service was very friendly. It did take a while for orders to be prepared, as they seemed to only have one cook on duty when we visited and the restaurant was steadily busy. We found the leisurely wait worth the end result, but for someone in a hurry, calling in to order in advance may be a better option.

Sharkey’s also caters large and small events and delivers throughout Burbank. For their pulled pork sandwich and the burgers, Sharkey’s Bistro gets a Tops in Town. We look forward to stopping by Sharkey’s a lot more in the future and checking out more of their menu.

Restaurant Info: Sharkey’s Bistro is located at 520 S. Glenoaks Boulevard, Burbank, CA  91502. 818-842-5116. Open Tuesday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Closed Mondays.

Sharkey’s Bistro receives: Tops In Town

myBurbank Ratings:
Tops In Town (Outstanding)
On The Marquee (Really Good)
Could Use A Rewrite (Average or Slightly Below)
Don’t Quit Your Day Job (Roadkill)

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Major Construction Activities for the Week of July 27 to August 1, 2014

Day Work

• Fill placement between the San Fernando Boulevard tunnel and the Lincoln Street/Victory Place intersection.

• Removal of vegetation along southbound I-5 between Scott Road and Burbank Boulevard.

• Construction of a boring pit at Victory Place and Wilson Avenue.

• Removal of concrete pavement between Burbank Boulevard and Buena Vista Street on southbound I-5.

• Manhole work at Victory Place and Empire Center Drive (the signaled intersection near Wendy’s and Catherine’s).

• Gas Company work: utility removal/relocation near the intersection of Empire Avenue and Victory Place.

Night Work

• Material delivery to and near the (closed) southbound I-5 Scott Road off-ramp.

• Gas Company work: utility removal/relocation on San Fernando Boulevard between the northbound I-5 Scott Road off-ramp and Grismer Avenue.

Please be attentive to closures, slow down, and watch for workers in construction zones.

What to Expect: Residents and businesses close to the freeway may notice vibration and construction noise, but it will not exceed levels permitted by state, federal and local regulations. Also, the contractor is using approved dust-control measures to minimize airborne particles, but some dust is expected. Additionally, motorists should be attentive to new traffic patterns created by restriping of travel lanes and concrete barriers. Please proceed cautiously and watch for workers.

Closures for the Week of July 27 to August 1, 2014

Street Closures (near Empire Center)

Between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., Victory Place will be reduced to one lane north of Empire Avenue. Empire Avenue at Victory Place will be left turn only.

Permanent I-5 Ramp Closures

• Northbound Burbank Boulevard/Walnut Avenue on-ramp

• Southbound Scott Road off-ramp: This ramp will be integrated into the Empire interchange, which will open in mid-2016

• Southbound Victory Place/Lincoln Street on-ramp: This ramp will be integrated into the Empire interchange, which will open in mid-2016

Resources for Motorists

§  Project Information: Information about the project is here.

§  Closure Information: Closure information for this and other freeway projects is also available on the Caltrans website and the I-5 website.

§  Real-Time traffic Information: Visit quickmap.dot.ca.gov, go511.com, or call 5-1-1.

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Burbank Roller Hockey League (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

By Dick Dornan
MyBurbank Sports Editor

On any given weekday evening and especially all day on Saturdays, Ralph Foy Park off Victory Blvd. is home to the ever growing popular sport of roller hockey. Resurrected in 2010 after six years of non-activity, the Burbank Roller Hockey Rink currently hosts 75 teams consisting of more than 750 participants ranging in age from 4-years-old to adults.

More than 250 kids participate in the Burbank Youth Roller Hockey League (Photo courtesy of Frank Dalessandro)

It has become the fastest growing hockey program in the area and is sponsored by the Community Sports Foundation.

Visit the official website at www.BurbankRollerHockey.com for information on costs and each individual program.

The kids receive all the equipment (skates, sticks, and pads), a free jersey and trophies at the end of the season. Free youth team jerseys will be provided by the Community Sports Foundation. Most importantly, free lessons and instructions are available. Youth hockey holds one practice and one game a week.

All games are held at the Burbank Roller Hockey Rink at Ralph Foy Park (Photo courtesy of Frank Dalessandro)

A “Learn to Play” program for kids four to five years old is available for beginners. Other leagues for youth are 16-and-under, 13-and-under, 10-and-under, 8-and-under, and 6-and-under.

“We continue to grow every week as we are constantly getting more people walking in the door, finding us online and getting great referrals from the current players and parents who now enjoy the leagues on a weekly basis,” Director Frank Dalessandro said. “It has been a ton of hard work and some very long hours at times but it is all worth it to see these programs to continue to grow.”

There is FREE youth roller hockey every Friday for kids from 3:30 – 5 p.m. which includes free equipment. The rink is split into half with the younger kids on one side and the older kids on the other.

Ages 10-and-Under:

Times: 3:30 – 5 p.m.
Dates: Every Friday
Costs: FREE for all youth skaters. All goalies are FREE!
Program: All kids who are 10-and-under or are beginners to hockey will receive free lessons on passing, shooting and skating to get them ready for the upcoming season. Please make sure the kids are on time.

Ages 17-and-Under:

Times: 3:30 – 5 p.m.
Dates: Every Friday
Costs: FREE for all youth skaters.
Program: All kids who are 17-and-under will receive free lessons on passing, shooting and skating to get them ready for the upcoming season. Please make sure the kids are on time.

“This program has only been successful because of all the people involved and there are a lot of them who each do their part,” Dalessandro said. “With the help of everyone involved, I am sure we will continue to grow.”

For more information, please call Frank Dalessandro at the Rink Office (818-845-0960) or the Home Office (818-360-4302) or visit the official website at www.BurbankRollerHockey.com

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Three Burbank high school students, who are also members of the same jazz trio, recently attended the selective Grammy Camp summer program to further their intensive music study.

Drummer and percussionist Kobi Abcede, a senior at Burroughs High School, attended the Grammy Camp in Minneapolis earlier in July. Band members Josh Turner and Evan Mehta attended the Los Angeles Grammy Camp session later in July.

(left to right) Evan Mehta, Kobi Abcede and Josh Turner have formed a high school jazz trio. (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

“Grammy Camp was special from the other camps because it was the closest thing I ever felt to being a professional musician,” Abcede commented. “We got to work with other people, not just musicians, and we all collaborated to make something special.”

Bassist Turner, a junior at Burroughs, met Abcede, then a ninth-grader, when Turner was an eighth-grader in middle school jazz band. They joined forces with keyboardist and pianist Mehta, a junior at Burbank High School, after connecting with him at a Burbank-Burroughs combined jazz performance earlier this year.

(Photo By Lisa Paredes)

“Grammy Camp was an incredible experience yet again, it is incredible to be with other musicians and songwriters of a high caliber,” said Mehta, who attended the Los Angeles program for the second year in a row. “To play with world-class musicians and to be able to gain attention from people like the president of Capitol Records, the founder or Earth Wind and Fire, Justin Timberlake’s producer and major artists from around the planet every day is a priceless opportunity.”

In its tenth year, Grammy Camp holds one-week intensive workshops and sessions with music industry veterans and seasoned professional musicians in Minneapolis, Nashville, New York City and Los Angeles. The culmination of each week is the Launch Party, at which program participants jam onstage.

Students at Grammy Camp celebrate the program’s culmination with a ‘Launch Party.’ ( Photo courtesy of The Recording Academy®/WireImage, photo by Mark Sullivan © 2014)

Held at the El Rey Theatre, this year’s Launch Party for the L.A. program brought together the session’s 75 students who performed original material. Hosted by actress and singer Nikki Reed, the event was attended by Atom Factory’s Troy Carter, singer/songwriter Caitlyn Crosby and Roar Management’s Will Ward.

“I feel that my preparation and ability to seize opportunity allowed me to be selected out of thousands of applicants,” Mehta continued. “My advice to other young musicians would be to employ the same preparation and be ready to grind in order to become a full-fledged professional. It is NOT good enough to be just a great pianist, singer or dancer. You need to be able to do it all.”

Turner plays electric and upright bass and basically is self-taught. After joining middle school band in sixth grade, he continues to explore his love of music, playing in the Burroughs high school band and jamming with other local musicians like Abcede and Mehta.

“I am really influenced by Early funk like, Parliament Funkadelic, Brothers Johnson, Kool and the Gang, KC and the Sunshine Band and Chic,” he said. “I am also influenced by Ray Brown, Paul Chambers, and Jaco Pastorius.”

Josh Turner, Kobi Abcede and Evan Mehta run through a jazz standard. (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

Mehta took formal piano lessons until age 12. Since that time, he says he’s been self-taught from books and recordings. He also plays in the Burbank High School band program.

“I ran a jazz trio my sophomore year that played at reputable clubs in LA, most notably Vitellos, Vibratos and LA Live,” Mehta continued. “Now, I am in the process of creating a fusion band with some college musicians, writing for film, producing and writing R&B/Hip Hop tracks, learning how to mix and master tracks and forming business connections with older industry professionals.”

“We play mostly Latin and straight-ahead jazz standards that I have rearranged or re-harmonized,” Mehta said about the as-yet-unnamed Burbank high school trio. “We also play fusion, neo-soul and funk. None of my groups work with a teacher, they are self-led; however we have been approached by very reputable mentors such as Gordon Goodwin, Russell Ferrante, Ron Jones, Pat Senatore and others.”

At a recent rehearsal in Burbank, the trio sounded well put-together, running through recognizable jazz standards. The group intends to play at local school functions and around the L.A. area in the coming year.

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In response to the state’s dire drought and the July 14 adoption of emergency water saving regulations made by the California State Water Board, the Burbank City Council voted 5-0 to activate Stage II of the Burbank Sustainable Water Use Ordinance.  This action limits landscape watering in the city of Burbank to Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and for no more than 15 minutes each day for each irrigation station.

Following three dry years in California and with 80 percent of the state experiencing extreme drought conditions, Governor Brown issued a drought emergency proclamation in January and called for 20% reductions in water use by California’s citizens.

On July 15, the California State Water Board adopted emergency regulations that require urban water suppliers, such as the City of Burbank, to implement mandatory restrictions on outdoor water use, effective August 1, 2014.  Per the State Water Board regulations, water suppliers that do not have water shortage contingency plans in place would have to limit landscape irrigation to two days per week.

In 2009, Burbank adopted the Sustainable Water Use Ordinance to help Burbank best manage this most precious of resources.  The Ordinance has six Stages, each with progressively restrictive uses of water that could be required due to water supply constraints.  Stage 1 is always in effect and includes prudent water-saving actions, such as not watering on rainy days or while the sun is out, not hosing down driveways, patios and other hardscape surfaces, and repairing plumbing and irrigation leaks promptly.  Stages II through VI progressively limit the use of potable water for irrigation.

Stage II of Burbank’s Sustainable Water Use Ordinance, which will be in effect as of August 1, limits potable landscape irrigation to no more than 15 minutes/day/station and no more than three days per week during April through October (limited to Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays), and no more than one day per week during November through March (limited to Saturdays).

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Twelve students from Burbank’s sister city Incheon, South Korea, are visiting Burbank and southern California as part of an ongoing student exchange program between the two cities. The students, whose trip runs from July 22 through August 4, toured places of interest in Burbank on Wednesday, July 23.

The students, along with their chaperone, saw City Hall and met Mayor Dr. David Gordon and visited the Police and Fire building. They also had lunch and shopped at the Burbank Town Center.

Exchange students from Incheon, South Korea, with Burbank Mayor Dr. David Gordon at City Hall. (Photo Courtesy of the City of Burbank)

Students also visited Cartoon Network Studios and learned about the Shorts Program from Supervising Producer Mike Roth and how the studio takes pitches, the process of making a show and the large number of people needed to produce a cartoon from Producer Nate Funaro.

“They were surprised to hear how long it takes to complete a show,” said Zita LeFebvre, Director of Operations and Community Relations at the studio. “They had a sneak preview of a new short, The Royals, that has not aired yet. They all loved the show and can’t wait to see it on Cartoon Network.”

Exchange students from Incheon, South Korea, listen to producers at Cartoon Network talk about new shows and how the studio takes pitches. (Photo Courtesy of Zita LeFebvre)

Roth also told the students about a Public Service Announcement (PSA) he is working on with the local Boys and Girls Club of Burbank. They watched a short film,You Are Special, written and storyboarded by Jordan Middle School student Sherryn Sims, that was animated by the studio.

Andres Salaff, Supervising Director on Adventure Time, spoke to the kids about their favorite characters on the show, said LeFebvre, who also told the exchange students about the Young Writers Program Cartoon Network has with Burbank schools.

“They said the kids in Burbank were so lucky!” added LeFebvre.

“While here, they are staying with local Burbank families and participating in a variety of activities where they get to learn more about Burbank and surrounding areas, American culture and lifestyles, as well as some local history,” commented Sharon Cohen, Library Services Director at the Burbank Public Library.

Future trips include visits to JPL, the San Fernando Mission, downtown Los Angeles and Disneyland. The visit is coordinated by the Burbank Sister City Committee.

In addition to a student exchange program with Incheon, the Burbank Sister City Committee also coordinates a student exchange program with Ota, Japan. On July 8, 12 local high school students and two chaperones traveled to Ota, Japan. They returned on July 23.

The Burbank students who visited Japan reported “a fabulous time during their stay in Ota,” added Cohen. “Like the Korean students visiting here, our students stayed with host families while in Ota, visiting local attractions.”

Burbank has four sister cities: Solna, Sweden (1960), Incheon, South Korea (1961), Gaborone, Botswana (1975) and Ota, Japan (1984), explained Cohen.

The Committee, a nonprofit organization, is partially funded by the City of Burbank and through fundraising efforts. More information on the Committee is available at www.BurbankSisterCity.org.

The Committee will begin accepting applications in September from Burbank students who are in grades 9-12 for the Summer 2015 student exchange trip to Incheon. Applications will be available on the website.

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The Group Rep’s A Streetcar Named Desire will knock you off the tracks to nowhere and send you careening into a New Orleans den crackling with sexual energy.  Kudos to Director L. FLINT ESQUERRA and his superb cast.

(Photo Courtesy of Drina Durazo)

If you’ve never seen the play before, the Rep’s performance will show why Streetcar remains an eternal classic. If you have seen the play, maybe the movie version featuring Marlon Brando’s iconic performance, see it again at the Lonny Chapman Theatre. You’ll discover that a new generation of actors can summon the primordial powers that lurk behind ordinary life.

The set up: In post-WWII New Orleans, Blanche DuBois (DIEDRA CELESTE MIRANDA) visits her younger sister Stella (ANYA PROFUMO) and brother-in-law Stanley Kowalski (DANIEL KAEMON.)

(Photo Courtesy of Drina Durazo)

Have you ever had a relative (or two) who moved in with you “just until they got back on their feet?” Then you know that the conflicts that can be pushed aside during the annual holiday gathering (if no one gets too plastered, that is) are not so easily ignored during longer visits.

In Streetcar, the summer is steamy, and the Kowalski’s cramped apartment is a pressure cooker without a relief valve.

Blanche, in her salad days a commanding and seductive beauty, is now becoming wilted lettuce. Not a good situation for a woman in financial freefall, thanks to personal misfortune and feckless male relatives. Kitten Stella and tiger Stanley are wild about each other, in spite of Stanley’s explosive temper and errant fists. Stanley is not wild about Blanche, and openly scorns her aristocratic airs.  Meanwhile, sad sack “nice guy” Mitch (KENT BUTLER) is trying to fumble his way into the sack with Blanche, “trying” being the operative word here.

(Photo Courtesy of Drina Durazo)

The program flyer rightly notes that Tennessee William’s Streetcar “is considered one of the most remarkable plays of our time.”  And it’s rightly inspired any number of scholarly books, PhD dissertations and undergraduate essays. For me, it boils down to this: men have to learn to be men, neither wimps nor brutes. When they fail at this, sooner or later they drive the women around them nuts.

I think Tennessee Williams did tuck in a more hopeful vision of man-woman relations. Husband Steve (J. KENT INASY) and wife Eunice (LAURA COKER & LIZ ANNE KEIGLEY) give us a wonderfully realized vision of passionate married love that rises above human foibles while staying perfectly aware of them. It is perhaps no accident that they are a generation older than Stanley and Stella. Their sexual wisdom is not easily won or quickly attained.

(Photo Courtesy of Drina Durazo)

And perhaps that’s why Blanche is rude to Eunice when they first meet, in spite of Eunice’s friendly overtures. Eunice’s looks may be fading along with Blanche’s, but unlike Blanche, a butterfly is stirring within the wrinkling cocoon.

A Streetcar Named Desire continues through September 7. Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sunday Matinees at 2 p.m. Running time is 2 hours, 45 minutes, plus one intermission. Go to Lonny Chapman Theatre, 10900 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood, 91601. Regular admission, $25; seniors or students, $20 and groups of 10 or more, $15. For tickets or information, please visit www.thegrouprep.com or call (818) 763-5990.

(Photo Courtesy of Drina Durazo)

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The Indians are eyeing a league title in 2015 (Photo courtesy of Mitch Haddad)

By Dick Dornan
MyBurbank Sports Editor

Eleven months have flown by since Craig Sherwood was hired as the Burroughs baseball coach back on August 27, 2013. During that span, the Indians played 92 games and the fruits of their labor have now begun to show.

Yes, 92 games. That isn’t a misprint. Exactly 56.8% of a major league team’s 162-game grind. The Indians got a sniff of what a MLB professional player goes through.

Burroughs went 20-20-1 in winter ball, 14-14 during the spring and 16-7 this summer. The upcoming senior class played a primary role in that stretch which began October 15 and recently concluded on July 19 when JBHS was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the VIBL playoffs.

(Photo courtesy of Mitch Haddad)

“This summer our players learned a little bit about how to win,” Sherwood said. “I was extremely happy with the dedication and hard work of our players.”

Sherwood, a passionate a coach as they come, has his sights set on bringing the Indians back to the forefront of the Pacific League (they haven’t won a league title since 1997). The journey will take some time but the ride will be well worth it. They are clearly on the right path.

“You can field, pitch and hit, but it is doing whatever it takes whenever it takes for the good of the team which is so important,” said Sherwood. “Only true team players will ever learn and embrace that important ingredient.”

The ‘masterchef’ of the Burroughs program has created a recipe for success. His ingredients include a mixture of sound fundamentals, constant repetition, attention to detail and executing a system that Sherwood has a firm belief in.

“I really felt them bonding not only as a team, but under a new system,” he said.

His foundation of baseball was instilled by Scott Muckey, the legendary coach who retired on Wednesday from Crespi High School. Muckey won 502 games, 11 league titles and two CIF championships during his time at Crespi.

Sherwood spent 16 years as an assistant at Crespi learning the system of success from one of the best high school coaches in the country. He has taken those ideals and principles to Burroughs.

(Photo courtesy of Mitch Haddad)

In order to reach the ultimate destination of their choice (presumably a league title), the Indians rely on a heavy dose of competitive baseball. With it comes plenty of trial and error. But more than anything comes experience.

Nothing beats experience. Gaining valuable hands-on decision making and understanding of how the game should be played has benefitted Burroughs through their 92-game jaunt. The Indians’ stellar performance in VIBL sheds a ray of hope and optimism for the spring season.

“I felt that we had a productive summer this year,” senior infielder Ryan Galan said. “We had a lot of positives that can be built on. I expect this team to come out and play hard when the season comes around and contend for a league championship.”

The Indians are two-deep at every position and have shown the capability of fielding a different lineup each day and producing similar results. Competition will be fierce (in a positive way) when the team reconvenes for winter ball.

Remarkably, 10 players batted .364 or better during the summer. The Indians had a team batting average of .333. On the hill, Burroughs recorded a team era of 3.07. When these two aspects of the game are above average, good things happen.

(Photo courtesy of Mitch Haddad)

Case in point: the Indians went 13-3 over the last 16 games of the summer and advanced the farthest the program has ever gone in the 14 years of the VIBL.

A healthy combination of productive returning players along with an infusion of young, talented junior varsity players has the program taking strides in the right direction.

“The administration at Burroughs has been nothing but supportive and mentoring,” Sherwood said. “Hopefully the players feel that there is now going to be some stability in the program and how it is run. Not only do our varsity players believe in themselves and their teammates, they are also setting an example for our younger players who look up to them.

“I am extremely excited about the future for not just next year, but for many years to come.”

(Photo courtesy of Mitch Haddad)

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