After being in Burbank for many years, Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH) will be closing its Burbank location.

Signs inside OSH encourage final sales (Photo By Craig Sherwood)

There are already going out of business signs and discounts all over the store as merchandise is thinned out prior to the store’s closing.

An employee stated that she was sad to see the store go and that it is so hard to find a new full time job.  She would like to stay with the chain but has not been offered any opportunities yet.

According to employees, the store will now try and sell as much of the merchandise as possible and will then shut down the store permanently in about 8 to 10 weeks.  Any other merchandise that is left will be transferred to other locations.

It will leave the closest location to Burbank in either La Crescenta or Van Nuys. OSH filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy recently with most of its holding and assists being sold to Lowe’s.

This is the announcement that was sent to Burbank customers

The post OSH Shutting Its Doors in Burbank appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Andrew Williams, #10, returns for the Indians (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Ryan Meredith, #8, returns at QB for the Bulldogs (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

By Dick Dornan
MyBurbank Sports Editor

Are you ready for some football?! The high school season begins three weeks from today. In fact, the 65th edition of the “BIG GAME” is exactly three months away. “Hell week” for both schools is fully underway as they prepare for their regular season openers on September 6.

Previews of both teams will be available right here on MyBurbank in the next couple weeks. In the meantime, here is a quick glimpse of the schedules for Burbank and Burroughs for the 2013 season.

BURBANK BULLDOGS

BURROUGHS INDIANS

The post Burbank & Burroughs Release 2013 High School Football Schedules appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Note: All suspects arrested are presumed innocent until found guilty by a court of law. Arrestes made by Burbank Police Dept. unless otherwise indicated.

Updated:  8/16/13

August 14:
Jorge Perez Nieto, 29, of Burbank
12:10 a.m. at San Fernando Blvd. & Providencia Ave., Burbank
Resisting arrest, Driving under the influence warrant

Danielle Emily Caffey, 25, of Burbank
8:15 a.m. at 123 S. Sparks St., Burbank
Drug possession warrant

Claudio Roberto Bulgarelli, 48, of El Monte
9:30 a.m. at LAPD Metro Division
Vandalism warrant

Franz Waldimar Orsan, 47, of Burbank
11:20 a.m. at 25 E. Alameda Ave., Burbank (Ralphs)
Battery warrant

James Calvin Roberson, 40, of Burbank
6:20 p.m. at 4201 W. Olive Ave., Burbank
Battery, Making criminal threats

Karapet Levoni Akmakchyan, 24, of Glendale
11:30 p.m. at Glendale Jail
Petty theft warrant

Peter Butrus, 20, of Burbank
LAPD
Auto theft

Michael Decarolis, 56, of Burbank
LAPD
Battery on a police officer

Gagik Tonoyan, 58, of Burbank
LAPD
Driving without a license

Valerie Barrientos of Burbank
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department
Domestic violence

August 13:
Cassandra Ann Hernandez, 25, of Sun Valley
3 p.m. at 1500 W. Victory Blvd., Burbank
Driving with a suspended license warrant

Farees Ricky Tavangari, 28, of Burbank
4 p.m. by Burbank PD
Domestic violence

Lilliana Rita Eshoo, 65, of Los Angeles
9 p.m. at 1100 W. Victory Blvd., Burbank (Granada)
Public intoxication

Madeline Zarembo, 33, of Sherman Oaks
9:30 p.m. at 1601 Victory Pl, Burbank (Nordstrom Rack)
Petty theft, Burglary warrant, Driving without a license warrant

Jacob Warshaw, 20, o of Burbank
East Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station
Possession of methamphetamine

August 12:
Ricardo Rodriguez, 40, of Los Angeles
2:50 a.m. at 3523 W. Burbank Blvd., Burbank
Driving under the influence

Laura Jean Shapard, 34, of Burbank
2:08 p.m. at Victory Blvd. & Spazier Ave., Burbank
Driving under the influence, Hit and run

Olga Mora, 30, of Los Angeles
3:35 p.m. at Monterey Park PD
Burglary warrant

John Bryan Sandoval, 18, of Burbank
6:30 p.m. at Naomi St. & Burton Ave., Burbank
Possession of methamphetamine

Yesena Escobar, 29, of Arleta
9:10 p.m. at Victory Blvd. & Hollywood Way, Burbank
Failure to appear warrants

Pecola Coleman, 36, of Burbank
9:50 p.m. at 1000 N. San Fernando Blvd., Burbank (Kmart)
Making criminal threats, Battery, Trespassing warrant, Failure to appear warrant

Rachel Wood, 55, of Burbank
10:10 p.m. at Victory Blvd. & Main St., Burbank
Driving under the influence

Laura Lyons, 25, of Burbank
LAPD
Transporting controlled substance

August 11:
Carlos Andres Perez, 31, of Burbank
2 a.m. at San Fernando Blvd. & Amherst Dr., Burbank
Driving under the influence

Jay Edward Bonnar, 36, of Sherman Oaks
5:35 a.m. at Alameda Ave. & Main St., Burbank
Drug possession

Melina Lisa Gonzales, 18, of Burbank
12:40 p.m. at LAPD Van Nuys Division
Petty theft warrant

Rane Melkom, 27, of Glendale
6:14 p.m. at University Ave. & Sixth St., Burbank
Credit card fraud, Probation violation

Jesse Heredia, 33, of Burbank
9:10 p.m. at Magnolia Blvd. & Screenland Dr., Burbank
Trespassing

Nicole Mendoza, 38, of West Covina
10:30 p.m. at San Fernando Blvd. & Brighton St., Burbank
Driving with a suspended license warrant

Gustavo Gurrola Nava, 36, of Pacoima
11:45 p.m. at Tujunga Ave. & Third St., Burbank
False personation, Possession of false identification

Luis Villalvazo, 32, of Burbank
Century Sheriff’s Station
Spousal battery

Melina Gonzales, 18, of Burbank
LAPD
Petty theft

Jonathan J. Bauer, 28, of Burbank
Altadena CHP
Driving under the influence

August 10:
Omar Andrade, 21, of Arleta
4 a.m. at Buena Vista St. & Thornton Ave., Burbank
Possession of drug paraphernalia, Resisting arrest, False personation

Francisco Javier Amarillas, 25, of Pacoima
4:20 a.m. at Buena Vista St. & Thornton Ave., Burbank
Possession of drug paraphernalia

Maria de la Luz Sanchez-Garcia, 18, of Woodland Hills
4:45 a.m. at Buena Vista St. & Thornton Ave.
Possession of methamphetamine, Identity theft

Joshua Surina, 20, of Burbank
7:55 a.m. at Wyoming Ave. & Ontario St., Burbank
Public intoxication

Kevin John Brooks, 48, of Burbank
1:40 p.m. at Alameda Ave. & Buena Vista St., Burbank
Petty theft with prior convictions warrant, Failure to register as a sex offender warrant

Kyle Jedrick Buenaventura, 20, of Burbank
4:10 p.m. at 1800 Empire Ave., Burbank (Target)
Burglary

Rezvan Kaokhodazadeh, 59, of Los Angeles
6 p.m. at 201 E. Cypress Ave., Burbank (Macy’s)
Burglary

Elvis Romikovich Kazaryan, 28, of Burbank
6:42 p.m. at 200 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank
Possession of methamphetamine, Drug possession, Resisting arrest, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Probation violation

Rafael Inchausti Gallegos, 24, of Sun Valley
7:50 p.m. at Victory Blvd. & Buena Vista St., Burbank
Marijuana possession

Gary Zabounian, 46, of Hesperia
11 p.m. at Buena Vista St. & Tulare Ave., Burbank
Parole violation

Arootin T. Savarani , 20, of Burbank
Glendale PD
Kidnapping, Unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor

Mehran Amini, 41, of Burbank
Malibu/Los Hills Sheriff’s Station
Trespassing

Ashley Davis, 22, of Burbank
LAPD
Driving under the influence

Kelly S. Matthews, 30, of Burbank
Glendale PD
Driving under the influence

Siegfred Abrogena, 26, of Burbank
LAPD
Possession of methamphetamine

Brian Ottmer, 34, of Burbank
LAPD
Driving under the Influence

Estephen A. Rivera, 21, of Burbank
Altadena CHP
Driving under the influence

Tyler J. Padilla, 21, of Burbank
Bakersfield PD
Petty theft, Possession of narcotics paraphernalia

August 9:
Juan Garcia, 21, of Panorama City
2:35 a.m. at 108 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank
Driving under the influence, Immigration violation

Heidi J. Strickler, 46, of Burbank
12:40 p.m. at Clybourn Ave. & Clark Ave., Burbank
Public intoxication

Cory Labeco Escobedo, 20, of Bell Gardens
3:15 p.m. by Santa Clarita Sheriff’ Station
Possession of methamphetamine warrant

Kyung Yooneunice Chung, 30, of Harbor City
4:15 p.m. at 1601 Victory Pl., Burbank (Nordstrom Rack)
Burglary

Shahed Kalaleh, 26, of Glendale
10:05 p.m. at Palm Ave. & First St., Burbank
Battery on a police officer, Drug possession, Resisting arrest, Public intoxication, Disturbing the peace, Felony resisting arrest

Andrew Davis Fisher, 27, of Glendale
11:20 p.m. at Glendale Jail
Driving under the influence warrant, Driving with a suspended license warrant

Ernie Mastracchio, 67, of Burbank
Glendale PD
Driving under the influence

Andrew J. Osborne, 22, of Burbank
Carlsbad PD
Public intoxication

Leslie A. Abelia, 31, of Burbank
Pasadena PD
Petty theft

August 8:
Charniece Frank White, 24, of North Hollywood
1:38 a.m. at Alameda Ave. & Hollywood Way, Burbank
Driving under the influence

Jorge Luna, 20, of North Hollywood
7:45 a.m. by LAPD Van Nuys Division
Driving without a license warrant

Matthew Fulk, 42, of Kalispell, Montana
11:05 a.m. at 200 N. Third St., Burbank (Police Station)
Petty theft

Matthew Harrison Hager, 25, of Simi Valley
11:20 a.m. at 649 N. Orchard Dr., Burbank
Grand theft warrant

Hakop Jack Achemyan, 22, of Glendale
1:10 p.m. at 1804 W. Olive Ave., Burbank (Harvard Medical Supply)
Furnishing tobacco or tobacco paraphernalia to a minor warrant

Marcial Armenta, 22, of Los Angeles
2 p.m. at L.A. County Probation Dept., Los Angeles
Robbery, Failure to appear warrant

Riad J. Hanna, 43, of Burbank
2:50 p.m. at 1212 N. San Fernando Blvd., Burbank
Child annoying warrant, Furnishing tobacco or tobacco paraphernalia to a minor warrant

John Tyler Benton, 26, of Kansas City
4:35 p.m. at Bonnywood Pl. & Providencia Ave., Burbank
Public intoxication, Failure to appear warrant

Gregory Allen Collier, 60, of Burbank
7:13 p.m. at Victory Blvd. & Cypress Ave., Burbank
Public intoxication, Public intoxication warrant

Autumn Levandoski, 23, of Burbank
LAPD
Possession of methamphetamine

Brenannal Roibinson, 20, of Burbank
Altadena CHP
Driving with a suspended license, Speeding

August 7:
Dorothy Aurora Rivas, 47, of Burbank
12:45 a.m. by Burbank PD
Domestic violence

Deanna Vivienne Barbour, 22, of Van Nuys
2:22 a.m. at Magnolia Blvd. & Hollywood Way, Burbank
Driving under the influence

Kirsten Lexis Hadley, 23, of Los Angeles
2:25 a.m. at Magnolia Blvd. & Hollywood Way, Burbank
Proof of insurance warrant, Failure to appear warrant

Ruben Antonio Esparza, 53, of Burbank
6:40 p.m. at Alameda Ave. & Gateway, Burbank
Public intoxication, Spousal battery warrant

Ronald Peter Kalinowski, 25, of Burbank
7 p.m. at 806 E. Grinnell Dr., Burbank
Assault with a deadly weapon, Resisting arrest, Failure to appear warrant

Sonny Luis Acosta, 18, of Burbank
7:40 p.m. at 250 W. Santa Anita Ave., Burbank (Santa Anita Playlot)
Resisting arrest

Aleksey Iyevlev, 29, of Burbank
LAPD
Possession of methamphetamine

August 6:
Gregory Scott Fletcher, 53, of Burbank
4:30 a.m. by LAPD Van Nuys Division
Public intoxication warrant, Trespassing warrant Open containers in public warrant, Burbank Municipal Code violation warrants

Colin Joseph Wilkie, 30, of North Hollywood
6:40 a.m. at Olive Ave. & California St., Burbank
Driving under the influence

Forest Becowah Herman, 20, of Burbank
6:50 a.m. at 2505 N. Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank
Violating a court order, Domestic violence, Failure to appear warrant

Johnnea Lee Holland, 56, of Glendale
8:35 p.m. at Victory Blvd. & Hollywood Way, Burbank
Possession of methamphetamine

August 5:
Jonathan Killy, 32, of Burbank
12:10 a.m. at 421 N. Pass Ave., Burbank
Possession of methamphetamine

Doreen Gonzales, 33, of Burbank
3:55 a.m. by Burbank PD
Child abuse

Daniel Lee Gibson, 52, of Burbank
12:40 p.m. at 23520 Valencia Blvd., Valencia
Continuous sexual abuse of a child under age 14

Vasco V. Naumov, 43, of North Hollywood
8:25 p.m. at Magnolia Blvd. & Third St., Burbank
Public intoxication warrant, Driving under the influence warrant

GaryEdward Wicker, 58, of Burbank
11:25 p.m. at 1212 N. Whitnall Hwy., Burbank
Possession of methamphetamine

Raymond Dario, 34, of Burbank
LAPD
Possession of methamphetamine, Transporting/selling drugs

Jesus Lucero, 38, of Burbank
LAPD
Possession of methamphetamine

August 4:
Joshua Rodolfo Pimental, 27, of Burbank
2 a.m. at Olive Ave. & Buena Visa St., Burbank
Identity theft

Gian Carlo Valdecantos, 32, of Los Angeles
2 a.m. at Olive Ave. & Buena Vista St., Burbank
Identity theft, Possession of drug paraphernalia

Emmanuel Luartes, 25 of Reseda
2 a.m. at Olive Ave. & Buena Vista St., Burbank
Identity theft
|
Sheila Marie Rodriguez, 27, of Reseda
2:15 a.m. at Olive Ave. & Buena Vista St., Burbank
Identity theft, Possession of methamphetamine

Samuel Moran, 39, of Sylmar
8:20 a.m. at 1230 Hollywood Way, Burbank
Public intoxication

Seth Max Feinberg, 29, of Athens
10:10 a.m. 2900 N. San Fernando Blvd., Burbank (Ramada Inn)
Marijuana possession

Manuel Ulloa, 27, of Los Angeles
1 p.m. at Burbank Blvd. & Ontario St., Burbank
Spousal battery, Contempt of court, Immigration violation, False imprisonment warrant Contempt of court warrant, Driving under the influence warrant

Sarita Marie Vidal, 33, of Glendale
1:45 p.m. at 301 N. Pass Ave., Burbank (Vons)
Petty theft

Vicente Chico Cazares, 37, of North Hollywood
2:30 p.m. at Burbank Blvd. & Victory Blvd., Burbank
Driving without a license warrant, Failure to appear warrant

James Korey Henderson, 48, of Burbank
4:30 p.m. at 200 N. Third St., Burbank (Police Station)
Making criminal threats

Richard Mario Hernandez, 20, of Maywood
4:30 p.m. at Thornton Ave. & Naomi St., Burbank
Marijuana possession

Peter Israel Bustos, 21, of Burbank
4:30 p.m. at Thornton Ave. & Naomi St., Burbank
Public intoxication warrant, Driving with a suspended license warrant, Failure to appear warrant

Kimberly Krueger, 26, of Canoga Park
5:30 p.m. at Hollywood Way & Valhalla Dr., Burbank
Driving under the influence

Maximo de los Santos, 19, of Burbank
7:30 p.m. at San Fernando Blvd. & Frederic St., Burbank
Possession of methamphetamine

Jorge Jimenez, 27, of Burbank
7:55 p.m. at 1315 N. Buena Vista St., Burbank
Child Endangerment

Alexander J. Vega, 41, of Burbank
Blythe CHP
Driving under the influence, Under the influence of drugs

Vicente Uribe, 35, of Burbank
San Dimas Sheriff’s Station
Possession of drug paraphernalia

Stevie A. Lutz, 20, of Burbank
Fullerton PD
Elder abuse

August 3:
Jose Antonio Contreras, 21, of Lake Balboa
12:10 a.m. at Grismer Ave. & Rogers Pl., Burbank
Vandalism

Jose Machado, 33, of Los Angeles
1:10 a.m. at San Fernando Blvd. & First St., Burbank
Driving under the influence, Failure to appear warrant

Richard David Barrera, 44, of Wilmington
2:20 a.m. by Burbank PD
Domestic violence

Angel Panch Lesigues, 19, of Glendale
8 p.m. at 100 block E. Orange Grove Ave., Burbank (Islands parking structure)
Drug possession, Possession of stolen property, Possession of drug paraphernalia

Carlos Alfredo Vasquez, 39, of Los Angeles
8:10 p.m. 133 E. Orange Grove Ave., Burbank
Driving under the influence

Lucero Gomez, 26, of Burbank
LAPD
Driving under the influence

Fernando Luna, 32, of Burbank
LAPD
Drug possession

August 2:
Cesar Osvaldo Quintanilla, 23, of Los Angeles
1:05 a.m. at Alameda Ave. & Niagara St., Burbank
Driving under the influence

Vartan Samani, 37, of Burbank
5:15 p.m. at 110 N. Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank (Central Library)
Identity theft

Erin Marie Mariani, 27, of Burbank
6:30 p.m. at 111 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank (Sears)
Petty theft with prior convictions

Robert Rodriguez, Jr., 22, of Valencia
6:33 p.m. at Burbank Town Center East Garage
Driving under the influence

Maria Hagenow, 51, of Burbank
6:55 p.m. at 3315 W. Alameda Ave., Burbank
Failure to appear warrants, LA Municipal Code violation warrant, trespassing on posted property warrants, Trespassing warrant, Failure to appear warrant

Jessie Jimenez-Castro, 22, of Lake View Terrace
7:50 p.m. 260 E. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank (Gitana parking structure)
Possession of methamphetamine, Illegal possession of nitrous oxide warrant

Sonvonna Phillips, 44, of Long Beach
8 p.m. at 4121 Toluca Lake Dr., Burbank
Elder abuse/theft, Prostitution

Donald Albert Phillips, 44, of Burbank
9:15 p.m. at Hollywood Way and Burton Ave., Burbank
Drug possession

Theresa Lynn Koshak, 52, of Woodland Hills
11 p.m. at 133 N. San Fernando Blvd., Burbank (Fantasia Billiards)
Drug possession, Possession of drug paraphernalia, Petty theft warrant, Drug  possession warrant

Jeffery Udeozor, 26, of Burbank
LAPD
Child annoying

Robert Logan, 69, of Burbank
LAPD
Petty theft

Debra Levine, 47, of Burbank
LAPD
Possession of methamphetamine for sale, Driving with a suspended license, Failure to appear warrants

Sevan Gerigorian, 26, of Burbank
Glendale PD
Possession of drug paraphernalia

Christopher Struble, 26, of Burbank
Newhall CHP
Driving under the influence

August 1:
Gamaliel Elenes Camacho, 46, of Burbank
9 a.m. at 313 W. Elmwood Ave., Burbank
Possesson of drug paraphernalia, Driving without a license warrant, Possession of drug paraphernalia warrant, Burbank Municipal Code violation warrant

Arthuro Navarro, Jr., 25, of Burbank
9:10 a.m. at 313 W. Elmwood Ave., Burbank
Possession of methamphetamine warrants

Adrian Madrigal, 38, of Burbank
9:30 a.m. at 313 W. Elmwood Ave., Burbank
Parole violation warrant

William Allen Treadwell, 62, of Burbank
12:24 p.m. on Cornell Dr., Burbank
Driving under the influence warrant, Resisting arrest warrant

Danielle Iarin Surplice, 26, of Valencia
2:50 p.m. at 1051 W. Burbank Blvd., Burbank (Costco parking lot)
Possession of methamphetamine warrant

Alexander Michael Denkovski, 44, of Burbank
4:05 p.m. at 200 N. Third St., Burbank (Police Station)
Possession of methamphetamine warrant

Savannah Jones, 18, of Burbank
4:40 p.m. at 1601 N. Victory Pl., Burbank (Nordstrom Rack)
Petty theft

Melina Lisa Gonzales, 18, of Burbank
4:40 p.m. at 1601 N. Victory Pl., Burbank (Nordstrom Rack)
Petty theft

Robert Jones, 25, of Burbank
4:45 p.m. at 2529 N. San Fernando Blvd., Burbank
Possession of drug paraphernalia, Probation violation

Tiffany Marie Knepper, 24, of Pacoima
6 p.m. at 200 block W. Cedar Ave., Burbank
Assault with a deadly weapon, Evading, Auto theft, Bringing drugs into a jail

Gilbert Joseph Canales, 38, of Burbank
6:10 p.m. at 200 block W. Cedar Ave., Burbank
Felon in possession of a firearm, Auto theft, Evading

Mojgan Hakmi, 44, of Montrose
7 p.m. at 200 E. Cypress Ave., Burbank (Macy’s)
Petty theft

Brian Austine Padilla, 31, of Ontario
7:30 p.m. at 641 N. Victory Blvd., Burbank (Orchard Supply Hardware)
Receiving stolen property, Failure to appear warrant

Jacqueline Nicole Acosta, 27, of West Covina
7:30 p.m.641 N. Victory Blvd., Burbank (Orchard Supply Hardware)
Receiving stolen property, Possession of methamphetamine, Drug possession, Possession of drug paraphernalia

Robert Castillo, 21, of Burbank
9:35 p.m. at 148 E. Santa Anita Ave., Burbank
Making criminal threats

Brittany Young, 23, of Burbank
LAPD
Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia

Andres Tafoya, 30,  of Burbank
Orange County Sheriff’s Department
Probation violation

The post Arrest Reports for August 2013 appeared first on myBurbank.com.

The John Burroughs High School Vocal Music Association will host a special Alumni “Pop Show” Concert on Saturday, August 24^th at 7:00pm and Sunday, August 25^th at 2:00pm, in the John Burroughs High School Auditorium.

This year’s event, which has become a biennial tradition, pays tribute to the 35^th Anniversary of the JBHS VMA and will feature over 50 VMA alumni performers, including current VMA director Brendan Jennings and artistic director Jen Oundjian.

In addition to a concert, the event will also provide guests with a chance to tour a “museum” of VMA artifacts, including photos, competition costumes, posters and much more from the past three decades.  Attendees will even have an opportunity to take home some of VMA’s coveted trophies as many are retired in order to make room to showcase more recent awards bestowed on the nationally-acclaimed choral program.

Tickets are on sale now at www.JBHSVMA.org and will also be available at the door.  Proceeds from the event will benefit the VMA’s student scholarship offerings.

In 1978, Mary Rago, who at the time was the vocal music director of John Burroughs High School, launched one of the nation’s very first competitive show choir programs. Rago was succeeded as director in 2006 by her former student, Brendan Jennings, who is assisted by artistic director, Jen Oundjian.  Every other August, for the past six years, alumni gather for rehearsals.  The VMA Alumni group supports the Burroughs’ VMA program with donations and fundraising efforts to provide scholarships for current and future student choir members.

The John Burroughs High School Vocal Music Association includes five competitive show choirs, involving over 200 student choir, tech and musical performers.  The program’s advanced mixed choir, POWERHOUSE, has long been recognized as one of the nation’s finest show choirs. An inspiration for the television series “Glee,” POWERHOUSE was invited to perform on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2010 as a representative of the modern high school show choir phenomenon. In recent years, POWERHOUSE has performed opposite the cast of “Glee,” Christina Aguilera, Nelly Furtado, The Canadian Tenors and Foreigner. Additionally, the group was featured in “Gleeful: The Real Show Choirs of America”, a British documentary as well as profiled on the “CBS Evening News.” The choir has traveled and performed in a variety of cities around the U.S., and has twice traveled to Hong Kong to perform in the internationally televised Chinese New Year Parade as other prominent events.

In addition to being named the 2013 National Champions, POWERHOUSE has accumulated countless awards and accolades on both the local and national levels, including Grand Championships at the FAME Hollywood Show Choir Regional Competition; the 2009 FAME National Show Choir Cup in New York, the 2008 FAME Chicago National Show Choir Competition and the 2007 FAME Orlando National Show Choir Competition.

For more information on the John Burroughs High School VMA Show Choirs, go to www.jbhsvma.org

The post Burroughs VMA to Celebrate 35 Years With Special Concert appeared first on myBurbank.com.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will close the following lanes and ramps of the Golden State Freeway (I-5) as part of a $121 million improvement project to construct High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV or carpool) lanes in each direction along I-5 between SR-170 to Buena Vista Street. Closures are subject to change. Detours will be signed.

Golden State Freeway (I-5) Closures

Sunday August 18 through Friday August 23, 2013

▪   Southbound I-5 Roscoe Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound On-Ramp

TIME:  7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 Roscoe Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound Off-Ramp

TIME:  7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 Sunland Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound Off-Ramp

TIME: 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 Sunland Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound On-Ramp

TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 Penrose Street Eastbound and Westbound Off-Ramp

TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Southbound I-5 Sunland Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound Off Ramp

TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 from Buena Vista Street to Sheldon Street/Laurel Canyon Boulevard

TIME: One Lane: 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Three Lanes: 12 a.m. to 4 a.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 Tuxford Street Eastbound and Westbound On-Ramp

TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 Tuxford Street Eastbound and Westbound Off-Ramp

TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 Lankershim Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound On-Ramp

TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 Sheldon Street/Laurel Canyon Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound

Off and On Ramps

TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Southbound I-5 Penrose Street Eastbound and Westbound Off-Ramp

TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Southbound I-5 Penrose Street Northbound and Southbound On-Ramp

TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Southbound I-5 Lankershim Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound On and Off Ramp

TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Southbound I-5 Sheldon Street/Laurel Canyon Boulevard Eastbound and Westbound

Off and On Ramps

TIME: 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 Hollywood Way Eastbound and Westbound On and Off Ramp

TIME:  8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

▪   Southbound I-5 Hollywood Way Eastbound and Westbound Off and On Ramps

TIME: 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.

▪   Northbound I-5 from Buena Vista Street Eastbound and Westbound On ramp

TIME: 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

▪   Southbound I-5 from Sheldon Street/Laurel Canyon Boulevard to Buena Vista Street

TIME: Up to Two lanes: 8 p.m.  To 6 a.m.

Three lanes: 12 a.m. to 4 a.m.

The post New Closures and Detours on I-5 Freeway appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Falcon Theatre Founder, Garry Marshall, is thrilled to announce the Falcon Theatre’s 2013-2014 5-Play Subscription Season. Falcon Theatre’s 12comedy, collaborating with Impro Theatre, Troubadour Theater Company and Lookingglass Theatre Companyof Chicago to create an exciting line-up.

Kicking off the 2013-14 season within the dimension of pure imagination, Falcon Theatre presents Impro Theatre’s Twilight Zone Unscripted, directed by Jo McGinley and Stephen Kearin, which pays homage to Rod Serling’s sci-fi series The Twilight Zone by creating new never-before-seen and never-to-be seen again episodes with every performance.

Next, we enter a haunted estate on a dark and stormy spoof-filled night in the side-splitting satire The Mystery of Irma Vep, written by Charles Ludlam and directed by Jenny Sullivan, complete with werewolves, vampires and damsels in distress.

For the holidays, the Ovation Awardwinning Troubadour Theater Company returns with a brand new musical: a one-hit-wonders cabaret clipshow following the life of one of the Troubies’ most beloved characters, Winter Warlock, Walkin’ in a One-Hit Winter Warlock Wonderland, directed by Matt Walker.

In the New Year, get ready to have your heart stolen during Bunny Bunny – Gilda Radner: A Sort of Romantic Comedy, written by Alan Zweibel, a hilarious and personal tribute to one of America’s most beloved comediennes.

And finally, produced with Abbie Phillips and Jan Kallish in association with Lookingglass Theatre Company, The Last Act of Lilka Kadison, written by 7icola Behrman, David Kersnar, Abbie Phillips, Heidi Stillman and Andy White and directed by Dan Bonnell closes the season with a humorous journey about grace in the face of loss as we spend an afternoon with Lilka Kadison while she wrestles with the ghosts of her past and present seventy years after she fled Poland on the eve of World War II.

For subscription purchases and ticket reservations, call the FALCO7 THEATRE BOX OFFICE at (818) 955-8101 or download an order form at FalconTheatre.com.

Individual show tickets available for purchase four weeks before the first preview.

Additional season information and individual show tickets available at: www.FalconTheatre.com.

Falcon Theatre is located at 4252 Riverside Dr., Burbank, CA 91505

The post Falcon Theatre Announces Season appeared first on myBurbank.com.

The City of Burbank Park and Recreation Department held their 2nd Annual BMX Bike-Tacular at the Burbank BMX/ Skate Park.

Burbank Park and Rec. Leader Mike Graceffo helped riders and served as the MC of the evening

According to Burbank Park and Recreation Leader Mike Graceffo, the event, which was held from 5-9:30 pm. on Saturday had over 125 in attendance, including the bikers, band members, parents, spectators.

Staff members offered free food with music provided by local youth bands from Neighborhood Rock School. Some of the bands that appeared include: LA Noize, Toxic Bobcat, Blowtorch, The Avengers, and Driven.

There were also many prize giveaways.  Prizes were donated by many of the local businesses who support the riders and the BMX facility including Hi-Chew, Vans Cyclery, City of Burbank Park and Rec, Burbank Employees Credit Union, and H&S Bike shop of Burbank.

Everyone had a great time and the event was a success.

The post BMX Bike-Tacular Has Riders Flying High appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Katie Hooper and Daniel Marbach (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

By Dick Dornan
MyBurbank Sports Editor

(This story is being re-run in recognition of all the student-athletes who will partake in sports this year for Burbank and Burroughs. Dedication, commitment, hard work, pride and a selfless attitude for the betterment of the team are values that define leaders and a championship team)

With the 2013 fall sports season beginning today, we salute Burbank’s Katie Hooper and Burroughs’ Daniel Marbach one final time for their athletic excellence from last year.

They mirror each other in academic excellence and athletic achievement. They value the importance of being a student-athlete. They understand what it takes to be successful. Because of their outstanding efforts in the classroom and superb accomplishments in sports, Burbank’s Katie Hooper and Burroughs’ Daniel Marbach have been chosen as MyBurbank “Athletes of the Year” for 2012-13.

Daniel Marbach won five league titles while at Burroughs (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Hooper was a first-team all-league honoree in girls’ volleyball and softball while being a member of two league championship teams.

Marbach concluded his senior year by being named first-team all-league in football and boys’ volleyball, the latter as a league champion.

“Burbank was awesome. It was a great experience academically and athletically. I played on some great teams with all my teammates,” Hooper said. “Over the four years I had a blast. Playing all the sports made me look forward to something one season after another.”

“I am really proud. Burroughs is a great school and a good testing school,” said Marbach. “They have good sports teams and I happened to be pretty good at them.”

Hooper, who will play softball at Cal State Northridge, and Marbach, who will attend Cal State Los Angeles in the honors college, are the quintessential examples of student-athletes who play multiple sports and are successful in their endeavors.

Katie Hooper won two league titles this year (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

While many athletes choose to hone their skills on only one sport as they become older in high school, these two student-athletes chose to excel in two sports while balancing a tough and rigorous academic curriculum at the same time.

Hooper, 17, finished her senior year with a 3.8 grade point average and a cumulative 4.0 gpa. She took AP Government and AP Calculus this past year while playing on a volleyball team that won its first league title since 1975 and a softball squad that won its first league championship since 1987.

“It starts as a student first and then as an athlete after school,” Hooper said. “You want to make sure you are getting the grades so you can move on to college and have the experience of time managing yourself.

“To win the league championships meant a lot to us. They can’t be taken away from us. We won them for ourselves, for our school and for the people who supported us.”

Daniel Marbach

Marbach, 18, completed his four years with a 3.9 gpa including a 4.3 in the first semester and a 4.0 in the second semester. He took AP Physics along with AP Statistics while devoting time to a football program that won two league titles when he was a sophomore and junior and back-to-back-to-back league titles in volleyball the last three seasons.

“To be a student-athlete means being a student first,” said Marbach, who was honored by the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame for his academic performance. “You need to do your job in the classroom first and then go excel after school on the court or on the field.

“It was a long four years that definitely seemed a lot shorter than it was because I got to play so many sports. I always had something to look forward to.”

Hooper and Marbach will be sorely missed by their respective schools and sports. But their achievements as student-athletes will always be remembered.

Katie Hooper

“Katie was an invaluable part of our team. She is such a competitor,” Burbank volleyball coach Sarah Brown said. “I knew I could count on her to push the team on the court to play their best because she always played her best. Katie is the type of athlete and teammate everyone wants on their team.”

“Katie has been the go to player who has been clutch in pressure situations,” Burbank softball coach Nicole Drabecki added. “She has always been one who believed in her talent and her confidence has been a deciding factor to her success in being a timely hitter.”

Burroughs football coach Keith Knoop and boys volleyball coach Joel Brinton shared their thoughts on Marbach’s influence on their teams.

“Daniel was the mainstay of our offensive line. He is smart and physical. Daniel played O-line, D-line and punter,” Knoop said. “He is a great young man with a bright future.”

“Daniel has been such a major part of our program for all four years; as a freshman on the junior varsity to being on varsity for the last three years,” Brinton said. “He has always been a consistent and reliable athlete and a teammate where his priority is always, ‘what can I do to help my team be successful?’”

After spending countless hours in the classroom learning and at home studying as well as an enormous amount of time spent training during the summer and practicing in-season in their sports, the two “Athletes of the Year” are enjoying a well-deserved break before moving on to the next phase of their life: college.

Burbank and Burroughs proud student-athletes (Photos by Ross A. Benson)

“I want to do the best that I can softball-wise and work on my academics and earn my degree in kinesiology,” Hooper said enthusiastically.

“I’m excited. I learned time management doing multiple sports and AP classes and being successful at it,” Marbach said with confidence. “Time management is going to be key for me for the rest of my life.”

The Burbank and Burroughs communities should be proud of these two fine persons. They represented the best during the 2012-13 athletic year.

The post MyBurbank Honors Its Athletes of the Year for 2012-13 appeared first on myBurbank.com.

By Lisa Paredes
Associate Editor

With excitement and anticipation, children and families throughout Burbank begin their first day of school today. The Burbank Unified School District’s administrators, staff and teachers are also welcoming the 2013-2014 school year with some new and continuing programs like Spanish Dual Immersion, Transitional Kindergarten and the Homework Task Force. Current enrollment is over 15,100 students, just about the same as last year’s numbers.

It’s the first day of school and Jordan Middle School is ready to welcome students (Photo by Lisa Paredes)

Burbank Unified schools, along with all other California public schools, will also be preparing throughout the year for next year’s new national educational standards program, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS.)

According to BUSD Superintendent, Dr. Jan Britz, “The start of school is an exciting time, and with the introduction of Common Core and many Measure S improvement projects being implemented at our school sites, 2013-14 promises to bring many milestones and accomplishments.”

Spanish Dual Immersion  The District’s first dual immersion Spanish language kindergarten class opens today, August 19, at Disney Elementary. The program serves 29 students and provides 80 percent of the school day in Spanish and 20 percent in English. A lottery was held to select participating students because interest in this program was so strong, with more than 50 families applying for entrance. BUSD plans to add a class per year, for the next six years, so that by the time these students from the inaugural class are in fifth grade, there will be a dual immersion class at every grade level.

Transitional Kindergarten  The highly successful Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program, the first year of two-year kindergarten for five-year-olds, is in its second year at BUSD. The voluntary program offers children who turn five between September 2 and December 1 an extra year of developmentally-appropriate learning, before entering traditional kindergarten. Currently, 113 students are registered for TK, which has one classroom each at four school sites: Roosevelt Elementary, Harte Elementary, Jefferson Elementary and McKinley Elementary.

Common Core State Standards  The school district and teachers will prepare for Common Core State Standards through professional development, instructional materials and technology. The passage of Measure S enables the District to address some of the technology needs so that more of the one-time funds allocated by the state for CCSS implementation can be dedicated to teacher training. Teachers will collaborate and develop lessons throughout the year so that by the time 2014-15 school year rolls around, they will be ready for the new standards.

Students walk to Jordan Middle School (Photo By LIsa Paredes)

Jordan Middle School  “We are very excited about the new Common Core Standards. Our staff is passionate about teaching and creating a dynamic school where students are engaged and encouraged,” comments Mrs. Stacy Cashman, Jordan Middle School Principal.

“We are also excited to wear our new Blue and Gold spirit shirts. The ASB students did a great job on the design! Our ASB, under the leadership of Mrs. Hatch, leads our school spirit. They really know how to make Jordan fun!”

Jordan Middle School is also very proud of STOP IT!, their anti-bullying program. Assistant Principal, Mr. Leonidas Tarca, has helped create an atmosphere where students are empowered to stand up for themselves and others. His STOP IT! student leaders met over the summer to set new goals for the coming year, including community service.

Last year, Cartoon Network animated a short story, “You Are Special,” by Jordan student Sherryn Sim. This coming year, Jordan plans to meet with an organization to reduce trash at lunch and find greener ways of doing things around the school.

“I am also proud of Jordan’s emphasis on the arts. Cougar Vision, our student broadcast, won an award from the Burbank Business Partners, we have award-winning choir and band programs, and our culinary arts students participated in a CPK cooking competition last year,” adds Mrs. Cashman. “I am grateful for the family feeling we have at Jordan. We have so much support from staff, students, parents and business partners.”

“These weeks before school opens have been busy as we prepare,” Mrs. Cashman concludes. “I can’t begin to describe the thrill of the first day of school, the new shoes, the new outfits and the smiles on the faces of our new students!”

Students and families begin a new school year at Roosevelt Elementary (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

Roosevelt Elementary At Roosevelt Elementary, Principal Dr. Jennifer Meglemre points to the violin program as a source of pride. Last year, all first grade students had weekly violin lessons funded by the Roosevelt PTA and Boosters.

An unnamed donor gave the school 15 violins so that students could learn using school violins. The Leadership Burbank Class of 2013 recently donated 31 additional violins and 20 music stands to Roosevelt and Providencia Elementary Schools.

“This year we are able to expand our program so that both second and first graders will take weekly violin lessons, ” explains Dr. Meglemre. “Our goal is to grow an instrumental music program for all grade levels over the next few years.”

“I am most excited this year about the transition to the Common Core State Standards. The teachers and I have been to workshops this summer, learning about the new national standards,” Dr. Meglemre continues. “The focus of the CCSS is fewer and deeper. The teachers will be spending more time teaching fewer standards, so they will be able to emphasize the real world application and critical thinking skills.”

Adds Dr. Meglemre, “I feel so fortunate to work at a school with such dedicated teachers and supportive parents.”

Parents accompany their children on the first day as students line up to meet their teachers at Roosevelt (Photo By Lisa Paredes)

Safety Committee and Homework Task Force Burbank Unified administrators also highlighted two other programs, the Safety Committee and the Homework Task Force. Comprised of parents, administrators, teachers and staff, the Safety Committee met throughout the past school year to discuss anti-bullying and to review and revise existing Board Policy. The committee drafted a policy clearly defining bullying and its signs and outlining BUSD’s commitment to providing a safe working and learning environment.

The Homework Task Force was created during the 2012-13 school year. Parents, teachers and administrators met and studied information about the purpose and amount of homework appropriate for various ages, ultimately suggesting guidelines per grade level about the amount of time children could be expected to participate in homework.

For more information on the ongoing activities in the Burbank Unified School District, please visit their website at www.burbankusd.org

The post Burbank Students Head Back to School appeared first on myBurbank.com.

A Burbank neighborhood was shut down after officers received information that a felony warrant suspect was in the area of 500 block of Stanford Road,

When officers attempted to contact the suspect, he fled from the officers and began running through residential yards. Officers began pursuing the felony suspect and giving him commands to stop running and get on the ground. The suspect refused and continued running through the residential area.

After officers lost sight of the suspect briefly and due to officer safety concerns, the officers immediately set up a perimeter to conduct a search.

House in the 400 block of Eton, Dartmouth and Cambridge were all affected during the search that took about an hour. Glendale Police assisted in the search with one of their K-9 units, a Glendale Sgt. The Burbank Airship assisted with the search.

The suspect was located in the backyard of a residence on the 400 block of Eton Street by the searching Burbank K-9 unit.  Several commands were given for the suspect to exit the cluttered and dark garage but the suspect refused, and was bitten by the dog to force the suspect to comply. The suspect, wanted for felony warrants including a weapons and explosives violation, was eventually take into custody and Paramedics were called to treat his injuries at the scene.

Suspect was identified as Nicholas Dergan, 22 years-old and a resident of Burbank.  He was booked for the outstanding eight warrants including two felony warrants and 148(A)(1) resisting arrest during by fleeing police. Total Bail is $ 208,000 and he is being held at LA County Jail.

The post Burbank Neighborhood Locked Down During Search for Felony Suspect appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Burbank Police Traffic Officer Todd Fatta cites a driver for being unlicensed, before allowing his passenger to drive away from DUI checkpoint. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Burbank Police Department’s Traffic Bureau conducted a DUI Checkpoint on Olive Avenue at Kenwood Street in front of Warner Bros. on Saturday night. A grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funded the checkpoint.

The checkpoint was operational from 9:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., and resulted in the following actions:

• 1262 vehicles passed through the checkpoint
• 1262 drivers were screened for signs of driving under the influence
• 11 drivers were detained for the administration of Standardized Field Sobriety
Tests
• 3 drivers were arrested for driving under the influence
• 1 driver was arrested for outstanding warrants
• 10 citations were issued to unlicensed drivers
• 1 citation was issued for driving with a suspended license
• 3 vehicles were impounded

(Photo by Ross A. Benson)

The Burbank Police have another DUI Checkpoint scheduled for Friday, August 23

Remember when you decide to drink to follow some of these simple guidelines:

AS A DRIVER, PLAN AHEAD WITH THESE TIPS:

Arrange rides home for your friends, family, co-workers and yourself before the drinking begins

Identify and provide free non-alcoholic drinks or other promotional items to the Designated Driver

Party hosts and servers must limit drinks to your guests or patrons. Don’t serve more than one or two over several hours.

Cut back on the amount of drinks you plan to bring to the party – and provide plenty of food.

(Photo by Ross A. Benson)

(Photo by Ross A. Benson)

The post DUI Checkpoint Nails Three Possible Drunk Drivers appeared first on myBurbank.com.

On Thursday, August 15 the Leadership Burbank Class of 2013 proudly presented Washington Elementary School’s principal, Brandi Young and the Burbank Unified School Board a check for over $11,000 to be used in support of a new K-5 music program.

This donation is in addition to the 31 violins and 40 music stands also donated by the Leadership Burbank Class of 2013 to support music programs at Providencia Elementary School and Roosevelt Elementary School.

(Photo by Ross A. Benson)

(Photo by Ross A. Benson)

The post Leadership Burbank Presents Donation to Burbank Schools appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Crimes are committed, field interviews completed, arrests made, statistics recorded. Data, data, and more data compiled and stored.  In the past the data waited until an officer or detective needed to research an event.  Today, Jessica Statland, a crime analyst with the Burbank Police Department, harvests data, crunches crime history, trends, and produces a product for police which will put them where and when a crime is most likely to occur.

Jessica Statland Crime Analyst for The Burbank Police Department compares information supplied by patrol officers to help reduce the crimes in the city.. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

“This is intelligence-led policing” advises Statland, a graduate of Cal State Fullerton and Brandeis University.  Following a 400 hour internship with LAPD, Statland joined the Burbank Police Department in May 2012.

Complementing standard police utilities such as the Computer-Aided Dispatch and Records Management Systems (CAD/RMS) and COPLINK, Statland adds her own analytics to local databases providing a holistic view of the “wheres,” “whens,” “whys,” and “hows” of crime in Burbank.

Prepared data, graphs, information, is some of the tools Jessica Statland Crime Analyst uses and is supplied to the Burbank Police Officers to help reduce crime in Burbank (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

“Everything about crime falls within a feedback loop” continues Statland. “you have to put people where they need to be.”  Using a commonly used law enforcement problem-solving method called SARA (Scanning, Analysis, Response and Assessment), Statland provide officers a projection of where crime is likely to occur within a designated time frame.  The result is a set of mission areas, with designated boundaries, where officers will spend a set amount of time patrolling during the course of each shift.

Burbank Police K9 Handler Joel Rodriguez and Kimo orders a suspect from a reported stolen SUV. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Officers keep logs of their daily shifts, and within the log time spent within a designated mission boundary area is correlated with crime detection, as well as prevention. “Just having a police presence within a boundary area may be enough to deter crime” notes Statland.  In fact, since the program started Burbank has seen a greater than 5% overall decrease in crime, with clear results in designated boundary areas.

Statland emphasizes a mission goal of her unit is to give officers additional tools to prevent or deter crimes, and enforce the law when a crime is committed.  While violent crime is relatively rare in Burbank, other crimes such as property theft are much higher.   So, in addition to using a framework such as SARA, Statland also employs additional high level tools such as the crime and disorder ”Problem  Analysis Triangle.”

The triangle makes an assumption that any crime has three common characteristics, which are a location or place, an offender, and a target or victim.  Statland uses her data bases and analytical tools to try and narrow down the place portion of the triangle.  Then through a combination of increasing police presence through patrols within designated mission boundaries, as well as embracing community or neighborhood policing (the process of the assigning police officers to a particular area so that they become familiar with the residents and the residents with them) try to “harden” potential crime targets.

As crime targets and places are “hardened,” the “offender” part of the problem will avoid those target areas.

Statland also explained that citizens are not left in the dark on police activities in the area.  In addition to crime reports published by news sources (including myBurbank.com) citizens also have access to a slightly watered down version of one of the department’s core tools provided by the Omega Group called CrimeMapping.com.

According to Statland knowing where crimes are happening, increasing knowledge and use of crime prevention techniques, and adding “predictive policing” through increased patrols within designated mission boundaries will help the community reduce crime and improve safety.

Statland is not on her own in Burbank’s efforts to implement intelligent policing.  Perhaps her greatest supporter is Burbank Police Chief Scott LaChasse.  A former commander, and veteran of LAPD’s most crime-ridden districts, LaChasse fully understands the value of using intelligence-based policing in reducing crime.

“Crime Knows No Borders”

LaChasse stresses “we have an obligation to use all tools available” in the effort to reduce crime.  He further believes adding technology to policing is a continual growth process.  Adding the Burbank Police cooperate and share crime data with many additional law enforcement agencies within the Southern California region, as well as other national agencies, there are many opportunities for adding additional value to the data available to Statland.

LaChasse notes 3 priorities for developing technology and the use of data, including:

1. A need to establish and sustain communications with other law enforcement agencies
2. A need to nurture and build partnerships
3. Develop and engage in a continual improvement process

With the 5 and 134 freeways cutting through Burbank, many of our crimes are committed by offenders coming to the city from other jurisdictions.   Therefore Burbank needs to share data with all other agencies in order to better manage and understand the characteristics of crime within the city.

Reports, Data, Mapping, and more is what Jessica Statland uses to rid the city of crime. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

While many tools are available, including law enforcement systems such as Palantir, COPLINK, and others, LaChasse also looks forward to the future availability of systems originally developed for the military, which are going through a declassification process before being transferred to civilian agencies.

“We need to strive for continuous improvement” repeats LaChasse.  “Although we are moving very fast in the use of intelligent policing tools, unless we continually improve we will fall behind.”  And that roughly translates into higher crime rates and reduced safety for resident and visitors to Burbank.

Burbank Police take a suspect into custody following a felony stop of a reported stolen SUV. Compiling stats allows more officers in potential higher crime areas (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Statland also acknowledges a need to keep on top of her technology game.  There is always a “wishlist” and desire to upgrade computers, add software modules to existing applications, provide better data collection and automation tools.

However in the age of big data, deep data analytics, and development of law enforcement information technology tools, Statland understands the need to aggressively continue studying the science of intelligent and predictive policing and value of communicating with and participating with area law enforcement organizations implementing programs.   The culture of continual improvement.

If you are interested in learning more about the Burbank Police Department, check out their website at www.burbankpd.org.  The website provides additional information on crime statistics, daily crime reporting, and many additional police department activities.

The post Burbank Police Go High Tech in Predicting Crime Trends appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Note: All suspects are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law.

Updated:  8/20/13

Woman Prisoner Attacks Cops, Bites Jailer

When Burbank Police responded to the area of Cypress Ave. and Bel Aire Dr. Friday, August 16, at 3:30 p.m. for a report of a woman screaming in the street and possibly throwing a rock at a passing car, breaking the rear window, they quickly found their suspect.

The woman, who showed obvious signs of intoxication, was sitting on the curb.  The officers contacted here and placed her under arrest.  She was placed in handcuffs and transported to the Burbank Jail for booking.  Everything was fairly routine until they got to the jail.

While booking the woman, Brittan Scott, 29, of Topanga,  she attempted to kick the officers. A civilian jailer assisted the officers by holding onto the woman’s arm as they attempted to move her to a cell.  The woman reportedly turned her head and bit into the jailer’s arm.  The bite broke the skin, causing bleeding, and leaving a 1 ½ inch circular pattern on the jailer’s arm.  The jailer had to be transported to Providence St. Joseph Medical Center’s emergency room for treatment of the bite wound.

Once inside her jail cell, the woman reportedly defecated in the center of the cell, then proceeded to smear her defecation all over the cell.  The cell had to had to be closed off and an outside company called in to decontaminate it due to the biological hazard.

In addition to the original charge of public intoxication that normally carries a bail amount of $250, Scott was charged with battery on a police officer, battery on a jailer, and damaging a jail cell.  Her bail was upped to $70,000.

Elvis Is In The Building — Hiding In The Restroom

A man being searched by Burbank Police Officer after he was stopped for smoking in a “No Smoking” area on San Fernando Blvd. and Palm Ave., Saturday evening, made a break for it and tried to hide from police.   It didn’t work.  You can run, but you can’t hide from the Burbank Police Department.

An officer contacted the suspect, Elvis Kazaryan, 28, of Burbank, at 6:30 p.m., after he observed him illegally smoking.  After he consented to being searched, the officer felt something in the pocket of his cargo pants consistent with drug paraphernalia.  Kazaryan began moving his body so the officer couldn’t retrieve the item.  When the officer attempted to put handcuffs on the suspect, he broke free and ran toward the Burbank Town Center.

Kazaryan ran to the entrance of the mall at Magnolia Blvd., and went inside. Trying to lose the pursuing officers, he ran through the food court and into the restroom.  Several citizens told the officers where the suspect was hiding.  Kazaryan was taken into custody when he came out of the restroom.  Another citizen who was in the restroom indicated which stall the suspect had been in.  Inside the stall officers found a baggy containing suspected heroin and narcotics paraphernalia.

Kazaryan was booked into the Burbank Jail for drug possession, resisting arrest possession of drug paraphernalia, and probation violation.   It is unknown if he received a ticket for the smoking violation.

Drunk Man Attacks Officers

A man believed to be under the influence of alcohol attacked Burbank Police officers after they attempted to take him into custody Friday night in the 100 block of E. Palm Ave.

Police had been called at 10 p.m. to Buffalo Wild Wings, located at 127 E. Palm Ave., regarding a disturbance.  They contacted Shahed Kalaleh, 26, of Glendale, outside the business.  According to police, Kalaleh was belligerent and appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.  He was placed under arrest for public intoxication.  While attempting to search the suspect, he refused to cooperate with the officers, and swung his elbows and kicked at them.  He struck one officer in the chest with his elbow, and spat on another officer.

Once the suspect was controlled, officers found suspected Xanax and Hydrocodone.  He did not have a prescription of the drugs.  Kalaleh was arrested for drug possession, assaulting a police officers, felony resisting arrest, and disturbing the peace.  He was booked into the Burbank Jail.

Man Arrested For Molesting Daughter

A Burbank man was behind bars, accused of sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14,
after his teenaged daughter told police that he had molested her over a three-year period.

Due to concerns for the privacy of the victim, Burbank Police could not release much information about the case.  However, they did confirm that the unidentified girl, who is now older than 14, but still a minor, had come to the front counter of the police station on Sunday, August 4, to report the crime.  Detectives then began investigating her allegations, and ended up arresting the girl’s biological father.

Daniel Lee Gibson, 52, was arrested early Monday afternoon in Valencia.   He was booked into the Burbank Jail for violating section 288.5(a) of the California Penal Code.  The section covers continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, over a period of three months or more. Gibson’s bail was set at $250,000.

Stolen Loot Is Fools Gold

A suspected thief got the unwanted attention of police, after he tried to test jewelry taken from relatives was really gold.

The incident began around 7:30 p.m. Saturday, when Burbank Police Officers working crime suppression in the Island’s parking structure located at 133 E. Orange Grove Ave. noticed three men in a 2004 Pontiac hunched over the center console.  When the officers approached the car, they found the men looking at several pieces of gold jewelry.  It was eventually determined that the jewelry had been stolen from a family member.  The suspect had asked the two other men to help him test to see if the jewelry was really gold.

During a search of the men turned up suspected heroin, drug paraphernalis, and several prescription pills.  Angel P. Lesigues, 19, of Glendale was placed under arrest for possession of stolen property as well as a drug related charges, and booked into the Burbank Jail.  His bail was set at $10,000.  The other two men was not held.

Police Make Bust Outside Library

An officer conducting a routine check of the Central Library at 110 N. Glenoaks Blvd., around 5 p.m. August 2, found a group of men in the patio area next the library when people hang out smoking and drinking.  Recognizing one of the men from previous contacts who was on probation, the officer stopped and got permission to search the man.

As a result, the officer recovered credit cards belonging to other people, and written identification information in the man’s possession.  The suspect, Vartan Samani, 37,of Burbank, was placed under arrest for identity theft, and transported to the Burbank Jail.  His bail was set at $50,000.

Apparently he wasn’t at the library to read a book.

The post Crime Report for August 2013 appeared first on myBurbank.com.

A North Hollywood man is now behind bars after going on a short one man crime spree.

According to police, Nestor Reyes confronted a woman around 7 pm as she was leaving her business in the 3700 block of Burbank Blvd.. The victim had her cell phone in her hand and the suspect grabbed the cell phone and there was a struggle for the victim’s cell phone. The suspect demanded the victim give him her phone and the victim ultimately lets go of her phone.

After the man fled the area, the victim did not report the crime immediately.  Instead, she drove home to her residence. Two hours later, she decided to go to the police station to report the crime.

About the same time as the first robbery on Burbank Blvd., and just a couple of blocks away, a 53 year-old woman arrived at her home in the 1200 block of N. Maple St., and pulled her car into the garage. As she exited her vehicle and began retrieving items from the trunk, she was confronted by the suspect standing next to her. The victim, startled, ran into her residence to call the police.

The suspect then stole a bicycle from the victim’s garage. As he tries to make his escape, he is  confronted on the sidewalk by a neighbor who heard the victim’s screams. The witness and suspect struggle for control of the stolen bicycle with the suspect threatening the witness with bodily harm before fleeing the area.

Police arrived quickly at the scene and detained Reyes a block away. A search of the suspect resulted in the recovery of a dangerous weapon-brass knuckles.

The suspect, Nestor Reyes, 19 years-old, was arrested for 459 PC Burglary (V’s garage), 664/211-Attempt Robbery and 136.1-Witness Intimidation against the witness, 148-Resisting arrest during police contact, and 21810-Possession of a weapon-brass knuckles.

There were no injuries to the victim or witness during the altercation.

When the officer who took the report at the police station at 9 p.m., units in the field were alerted to the first robbery of the cell phone that had happened two hours earlier.  One of the officers from the initial residential bicycle burglary incident realized the description is similar to their suspect in custody.

The officer confirmed that the phone number from the stolen cell phone was in fact the same phone that the suspect in the Maple St. incident was in possession of during his booking.  The result was an additional charge of 211 PC-Street Robbery was added to his charges and the cell phone was recovered.

Bail is set at $150,000 for Reyes.  He is due back in court on August 21, 2013

The post One Man Crime Spree Goes Nowhere Fast appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Burbank Police responded to a call on the 900 block of Irving Drive early Tuesday morning from a woman indicating at least two persons had entered her home.  Shortly after 8:50 a.m. police arrived at the residence, detaining one African-American male in a car parked on the street outside of the house.

Burbank’s Bearcat Vehicle was dispatched to the scene. (Photo By Ross A. Benson)

According to Burbank Police Sgt.  Darin Ryburn, the woman called the Burbank Police and stated “there’s someone inside my house, they broke in.”  Burbank Police quickly responded, detaining a single suspect, and learned two additional suspects, an African-American male, and a second person, either female or male had already fled the scene and both are outstanding.

Ryburn noted a firearm from the residence is unaccounted for, and the two individuals must be considered armed.

A K-9 from San Fernando was on hand to assist with the door to door search for suspects (Photo By Ross A. Benson)

Burbank Police, with additional K-9 support from San Fernando and air support from Pasadena, quickly established a perimeter and search area hoping to locate the two fleeing suspects.  Unfortunately the suspects escaped the area, which is surrounded by rugged hills, vegetation, and residential areas.

I came outside and the police had just stopped in front of the (victim’s) house, and the police officer pulled a gun at someone sitting in the car” said nearby resident Michael Ghafouri.  “Before I knew it police were coming from everywhere, I was absolutely shocked, and amazed how fast the police came.”

Burbank Police Officer Todd Burke stands by during the search for suspects. (Photo By Ross A. Benson)

Another neighbor, Dennis Garlick, added “I backed out of my driveway at around 8:40 a.m., and the car (the car where the first suspect was detained) was already parked in front of the house.  I guess the crime was already in progress.”

Ghafouri concluded “I was afraid we were going to see a shootout here, but I am so impressed by the (police) response, and the organized way they handled things.”

While residents are free to come and go within the neighborhood, Burbank Police will continue to search for the outstanding suspects.  Ryburn emphasized that if anybody sees anything suspicious to call the police immediately.

The vehicle driven by the suspects was impounded by the Burbank Police as they search for evidence (Photo By Ross A. Benson)

A K-9 on loan from the San Fernando Police searches house to house for suspects (Photo By Ross A. Benson)

The post Burbank Police Nab One Suspect in Morning Home Burglary appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Giving tomorrow’s leaders an appropriate send-off, Woodbury University and the Boys & Girls Club of Burbank and Greater East Valley Leadership Excellence and Development (L.E.A.D.) Certification Program today graduated its first class.  The five-month certification program covered a range of organizational leadership topics.

The program is the brainchild of Woodbury University’s Paul Decker, Coordinator of Organizational Leadership Programs; Woodbury Professor Armond Aghakhanian; and Shanna Warren, Boys & Girls Club’s Chief Executive Officer.  The program was designed and taught by Prof. Aghakhanian, Boys & Girls Club Director of Operations Brittany Vaughan and three Woodbury University Masters in Organizational Leadership program students: Garett Monroe, Kandece Bennett and Sigfredo “Sig” Villegas. This project was operated by volunteers from both organizations.

In addition to parents and friends, attendees included Warren; Eric Schockman, PhD, new chair of Woodbury University’s Organizational Leadership Program & Center for Leadership; and Mary Manoukian, representative for state Assemblymember Mike Gatto, who presented each with a certificate of recognition.  Graduates also received certificates of recognition from the offices of U.S. Rep. Adam B. Schiff, State Sen. Carol Liu, Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich and Los Angeles City Councilmember Felipe Fuentes.

“As the new Chair of the Center for Leadership, it gives me great pleasure to inherit the professionally run, top-notch leadership program of Woodbury University and the Boys & Girls Club of Burbank and Greater East Valley Leadership Excellence and Development,” said Schockman.  “I applaud Prof. Aghakhanian, Paul Decker and Shanna Warren, for making this program happen. It truly marries the stellar academic work of Woodbury’s Masters of Organizational Leadership graduate students with mentoring and guiding a new crop of younger and dedicated leaders.  I am delighted that this has inspired a new effort, in the form of the L.E.A.D. Teen Academy, which will work with teenagers on leadership development.  I hopeful that this will become a model for other collaborations in the future.”

“I am very proud of our dedicated staff members who completed Woodbury University’s L.E.A.D. program,” said Warren.  “I look forward to seeing their leadership skills put in action every day within their roles at the Boys & Girls Club.  I am grateful for Woodbury and their belief in our organization and for wanting to engage our staff members in this program.”

The post Woodbury University Leadership Program Graduates First Class appeared first on myBurbank.com.

Burbank resident Christopher T. Saffi, was arrested yesterday afternoon by Burbank Police for assault with a deadly weapon at Robert R. Ovrom Park, 601 S. San Fernando Blvd.. Saffi, a 33 year-old male, and the female victim, aged 27, had been drinking alcohol together at the park and got into an argument about hanging out at the park.

The victim stated that Saffi “choked her and tried to kill her,” according to the arrest report. Saffi was across the street from the park when he was arrested by police. There were no injuries to the victim.  Saffi’s bail is set at $30,000 and he is due in court on August 22.

The post Assault with Deadly Weapon Arrest at Ovrom Park appeared first on myBurbank.com.

A Burbank Police officer was in the right place, at the right time, last night.

Around 10:30 p.m. on August 20, the officer was driving by the Ralphs/CVS stores at Buena Vista and Victory, on the way to another call, when she heard a crash. The officer witnessed a vehicle exit the CVS parking lot, with a flat tire and the front of the vehicle dragging on the ground.

The driver of the vehicle, Christina Kahra, 37, of Burbank, was arrested for drunk driving after the officer turned around and made a traffic stop. While the officer was talking with the suspect, a Ralph’s employee appeared and made a statement that he saw the vehicle hit the front of the CVS.

The post Officer Arrests Drunk Driver After Crash appeared first on myBurbank.com.

The court cases of police officers took another turn today as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the lawsuit the Angeleo Dahlia filed against the City of Burbank and other individuals after his firing from the police department.

Judge Harry Pregerson stated,”that plaintiff’s speech that reported unlawful acts by his fellow officers was protected under the First Amendment from retaliation by his fellow superior officers at the Burbank Police Department regardless of whether he reported the police abuse up the chain of command or outside the chain or command.”

Here is the complete text of the decision that was handed down on August 21.  City of Burbank officials have yet to comment on the decision

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL OPINION

The post Angelo Dahlia’s Lawsuit Against Burbank Overturned by Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals appeared first on myBurbank.com.