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WHAT TO WATCH IN 2009
Trial set in officer shooting case
Attorneys will likely be moving forward with trial proceedings against David Garcia, who is charged with the 2003 fatal shooting of a Burbank police officer.
Garcia, a suspected gang member, is accused of fatally shooting Burbank police Officer Matthew Pavelka on Nov. 13, 2003, during a drug-related shootout in the parking lot of a Ramada Inn near Bob Hope Airport.
Officer Greg Campbell, who was also involved in the incident, suffered major injuries.
Garcia fled the United States after the shooting and was arrested Nov. 26, 2003, in Tijuana.
He faces eight criminal counts — one count of murder, one count of attempted murder, one count of possession of a controlled substance for transportation and five counts for weapons violations, according to a criminal complaint.
Since Garcia was arraigned in 2004, attorneys have continuously delayed his trial.
He is scheduled to appear for a hearing March 6 in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Golf course to celebrate opening
The long-awaited DeBell Golf Course will celebrate its grand opening Monday after undergoing massive construction that began in 2007.
The municipal golf course has been open to golfers, but the official opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony will be 2 p.m. Monday at the clubhouse, 1500 Walnut Ave.
Crews ripped up the parking lot and created a new lot for golfers.
They also demolished the golf course’s iconic clubhouse for a new one, and art installations will be displayed outside the house.
Stabbing suspect to go on trial
Attorneys will continue to hold court hearings for 41-year-old Jorge Ernesto Villalobos, who is accused of stabbing and killing Burbank resident Glen Giles at his home.
Villalobos is scheduled to appear Feb. 24 at Pasadena Superior Court for a hearing about the stabbing death.
He is accused of stabbing Giles, 47, multiple times at his home in the 3000 block of Joaquin Drive. Giles’ body was discovered Feb. 24 on a neighbor’s doorstep across the street.
Giles was stabbed several times in his home either on the night of Feb. 23 or the following morning and ran to his neighbor’s house, police said. Villalobos was arrested the next day and charged with murder.
Villalobos’ motive for stabbing Giles may have been jealousy over a mutual friend, according to police.
Budget outcome remains a mystery
By the end of December, a balanced state budget was nowhere in sight, with local groups fretting about the premonition of diminished cash flow and the possibility of further delays to state-funded projects.
State Controller John Chiang already warned that the state may run out of cash in February if lawmakers do not agree on a balanced budget — likely a mix of tax hikes and program cuts. But Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger already nixed one possibility Dec. 19, days after California’s top fiscal board voted to freeze billions of dollars in funds for state highway, school and other infrastructure projects.
Flad to step in as new city manager
Assistant City Manager Mike Flad is set to take the helm of Burbank’s executive team in January when outgoing City Manager Mary Alvord retires after decades of service to the city.
Flad will oversee 10 departments and 1,500 city employees and receive an annual compensation of nearly $217,500 when he assumes the position Jan. 6.
A joyous City Council unanimously appointed Flad as Alvord’s successor during its May 6 session, with each member praising the 42-year-old for his dedication and poise.
“In Burbank, we expect the gold standard,” Mayor Dave Golonski said at the meeting. “I have not the least lingering doubt Mr. Flad will carry on in the tradition of excellence for our community. We’re getting tremendous value.”
Looking ahead, Flad will oversee a tumultuous city deficit that is projected to be about $7 million, a council with at least one new member and an ongoing stream of projects throughout Burbank.
Candidates pack April ballots
On April 14, residents will return to the voting booth where they will be asked to decide on four races that could set a new course for the city.
Thirteen residents are vying for one open seat on the City Council, with Councilwoman Marsha Ramos opting not to run again, while Mayor Dave Golonski and Councilman David Gordon are each set to defend their positions.
The glut of new candidates includes retired firefighter and city board member Jess Talamantes, Planning Board member Gregory Jackson and 19-year-old Marine Pvt. Jeffrey W. Prutz.
Daniel D. Humfreville, chairman of Burbank Center for the Retarded; Lee Dunayer, a financial planner whose first run for the council in 2003 was upended by a potential conflict of interest; and Glendale Community College student Steven Ferguson have also been verified by the clerk’s office.
Garen Yegparian, vice chairman of the Park, Recreation and Community Services board; Kimberly Jo, Angela Nakashyan, Barbara Sharp and Elise Stearns-Nielsen round out the field.
City Treasurer Donna Anderson, first elected in 2001, will seek a third term as Burbank’s head financier, as will City Clerk Margarita Campos. Both are running unopposed.
The Burbank Board of Education features a race between three candidates: Current school board President Larry Applebaum will seek his second year on the educational body, as will Debbie Kukta, who was first elected in 2005.
They will be challenged by resident Gregory Bragg.
NBC Universal prepares to leave
Near the end of 2007, NBC Universal announced it would relocate operations from the 35-acre campus in Burbank, where it has been for 56 years, to Universal City. That transfer could begin to take shape in both cities in 2009 as Burbank looks forward to a new lease with different media companies.
Developer M. David Paul & Associates, which purchased the lot shortly after NBC announced it would leave Burbank, will add two 14-story buildings to property it already owns near Catalina Street, where two towers of the same height are already in the works.
Meanwhile, Jay Leno will step down as host of the “The Tonight Show,” with Conan O’Brien taking over the 11:35 p.m. time slot in Universal City.
But Leno, 58, announced in December that he would stay in Burbank after his reign ends in May with a new comedy/talk show starting in the fall.
Leno’s new show will be similar to his current one by including some of his most popular elements, such as his opening monologue, “Headlines,” “Jaywalking” and “Battle of the Jaywalking All-Stars.”
The show is scheduled to air from 10 to 11 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
Bronze statue to honor city founder
The final piece of a $10-million improvement project for a 2.2-mile stretch of revitalized Burbank Boulevard is due to be installed in 2009.
Artist Andrea Favilli has nearly completed what will be a bronze sculpture for the intersection of Burbank and Victory boulevards. The sculpture will feature a slightly larger-than-life bronze sculpture of David Burbank, the eponymous founder of the city. It will stand in front of a 60-foot flagpole on a large pedestal with iconic images of Burbank’s history.
The sculpture for the city’s founder will be the second art installation in Burbank to bear his name. A 21-inch bronze bust of the former dentist by artist Rick Doray has sat outside the Burbank Public Library since 1978.
In March, city officials unveiled the revamped city street, with its 11 landscaped medians, 401 trees and 54 benches — touting the project as a rebirth for businesses in an area that had long lacked street improvements.
City may target bags, Styrofoam
Sustainability is expected to once again play a major role throughout Burbank this year, especially in an election year. Most candidates for City Council have said they plan to stress the need for greener building requirements and increased vigilance from residents as water continues to grow more scarce.
Park, Recreation and Community Services board Vice President Garen Yegparian said he would continue the council’s focus on greening the city, adding in November, “We need to do it in a way that is sustainable for the next century.”
Others have stressed the need for greater water conservation, and the council could enact a ban on plastic bags and Styrofoam this year.
But focusing on sustainability could take a back seat to the city’s increasingly tumultuous fiscal state. Assuming city officials do not increase the scope of development projects in Burbank, the city is likely to face a deficit of up to $7 million in financial year 2009-10, and state-funded projects could be tied up by the Legislature’s inability to agree on a balanced budget.
Night flight ban still up in the air
Almost immediately after the Burbank-Glendale- Pasadena Airport Authority presented its Part 161 study to eliminate flights from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., the objections poured in.
Though officials in Burbank largely praised the draft study, residents and officials in Los Angeles, Van Nuys and other airports — including small business carriers at Bob Hope who would be affected — said the proposed shift in flights would be too burdensome to handle.
The study will surely make news again this year, but the direction in which it goes is anyone’s guess. The Federal Aviation Administration called on Bob Hope officials to conduct an environmental assessment based on projected noise and air quality impacts at other nearby airports.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has objected to the proposal along with numerous homeowner groups near Van Nuys Airport and LAX. The authority continues to work with the FAA and regional airports toward a full ban, saying that its dedication has not wavered.
“We’re committed to getting it in, submitting it and getting it complete,” airport Commissioner Charlie Lombardo said. “Our fate is in the fate of the FAA.”
City, district prepare projects
Joint projects between the city and the Burbank Unified School District are expected to begin development in 2009.
The projects include field and track renovations at Burbank and John Burroughs high schools, as well as new parking spaces and restrooms at Jordan Middle School. The total cost of the planned developments is estimated at $18.4 million, which includes nearly $12 million for stadium renovations at John Burroughs High, accounting for new bleachers, concession stands and better access for visitors with disabilities.
The city plans to contribute more than $14 million for the projects, with the district pledging the necessary land, as well as $4.1 million in funds. The remaining costs will be covered by private donations, $1 million of which has been raised so far.
Attorneys will likely be moving forward with trial proceedings against David Garcia, who is charged with the 2003 fatal shooting of a Burbank police officer.
Garcia, a suspected gang member, is accused of fatally shooting Burbank police Officer Matthew Pavelka on Nov. 13, 2003, during a drug-related shootout in the parking lot of a Ramada Inn near Bob Hope Airport.
Officer Greg Campbell, who was also involved in the incident, suffered major injuries.
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He faces eight criminal counts — one count of murder, one count of attempted murder, one count of possession of a controlled substance for transportation and five counts for weapons violations, according to a criminal complaint.
Since Garcia was arraigned in 2004, attorneys have continuously delayed his trial.
He is scheduled to appear for a hearing March 6 in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Golf course to celebrate opening
The long-awaited DeBell Golf Course will celebrate its grand opening Monday after undergoing massive construction that began in 2007.
The municipal golf course has been open to golfers, but the official opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony will be 2 p.m. Monday at the clubhouse, 1500 Walnut Ave.
Crews ripped up the parking lot and created a new lot for golfers.
They also demolished the golf course’s iconic clubhouse for a new one, and art installations will be displayed outside the house.
Stabbing suspect to go on trial
Attorneys will continue to hold court hearings for 41-year-old Jorge Ernesto Villalobos, who is accused of stabbing and killing Burbank resident Glen Giles at his home.
Villalobos is scheduled to appear Feb. 24 at Pasadena Superior Court for a hearing about the stabbing death.
He is accused of stabbing Giles, 47, multiple times at his home in the 3000 block of Joaquin Drive. Giles’ body was discovered Feb. 24 on a neighbor’s doorstep across the street.
Giles was stabbed several times in his home either on the night of Feb. 23 or the following morning and ran to his neighbor’s house, police said. Villalobos was arrested the next day and charged with murder.
Villalobos’ motive for stabbing Giles may have been jealousy over a mutual friend, according to police.
Budget outcome remains a mystery
By the end of December, a balanced state budget was nowhere in sight, with local groups fretting about the premonition of diminished cash flow and the possibility of further delays to state-funded projects.
State Controller John Chiang already warned that the state may run out of cash in February if lawmakers do not agree on a balanced budget — likely a mix of tax hikes and program cuts. But Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger already nixed one possibility Dec. 19, days after California’s top fiscal board voted to freeze billions of dollars in funds for state highway, school and other infrastructure projects.
Flad to step in as new city manager
Assistant City Manager Mike Flad is set to take the helm of Burbank’s executive team in January when outgoing City Manager Mary Alvord retires after decades of service to the city.
Flad will oversee 10 departments and 1,500 city employees and receive an annual compensation of nearly $217,500 when he assumes the position Jan. 6.
A joyous City Council unanimously appointed Flad as Alvord’s successor during its May 6 session, with each member praising the 42-year-old for his dedication and poise.
“In Burbank, we expect the gold standard,” Mayor Dave Golonski said at the meeting. “I have not the least lingering doubt Mr. Flad will carry on in the tradition of excellence for our community. We’re getting tremendous value.”
Looking ahead, Flad will oversee a tumultuous city deficit that is projected to be about $7 million, a council with at least one new member and an ongoing stream of projects throughout Burbank.
Candidates pack April ballots
On April 14, residents will return to the voting booth where they will be asked to decide on four races that could set a new course for the city.
Thirteen residents are vying for one open seat on the City Council, with Councilwoman Marsha Ramos opting not to run again, while Mayor Dave Golonski and Councilman David Gordon are each set to defend their positions.
The glut of new candidates includes retired firefighter and city board member Jess Talamantes, Planning Board member Gregory Jackson and 19-year-old Marine Pvt. Jeffrey W. Prutz.
Daniel D. Humfreville, chairman of Burbank Center for the Retarded; Lee Dunayer, a financial planner whose first run for the council in 2003 was upended by a potential conflict of interest; and Glendale Community College student Steven Ferguson have also been verified by the clerk’s office.
Garen Yegparian, vice chairman of the Park, Recreation and Community Services board; Kimberly Jo, Angela Nakashyan, Barbara Sharp and Elise Stearns-Nielsen round out the field.
City Treasurer Donna Anderson, first elected in 2001, will seek a third term as Burbank’s head financier, as will City Clerk Margarita Campos. Both are running unopposed.
The Burbank Board of Education features a race between three candidates: Current school board President Larry Applebaum will seek his second year on the educational body, as will Debbie Kukta, who was first elected in 2005.
They will be challenged by resident Gregory Bragg.
NBC Universal prepares to leave
Near the end of 2007, NBC Universal announced it would relocate operations from the 35-acre campus in Burbank, where it has been for 56 years, to Universal City. That transfer could begin to take shape in both cities in 2009 as Burbank looks forward to a new lease with different media companies.
Developer M. David Paul & Associates, which purchased the lot shortly after NBC announced it would leave Burbank, will add two 14-story buildings to property it already owns near Catalina Street, where two towers of the same height are already in the works.
Meanwhile, Jay Leno will step down as host of the “The Tonight Show,” with Conan O’Brien taking over the 11:35 p.m. time slot in Universal City.
But Leno, 58, announced in December that he would stay in Burbank after his reign ends in May with a new comedy/talk show starting in the fall.
Leno’s new show will be similar to his current one by including some of his most popular elements, such as his opening monologue, “Headlines,” “Jaywalking” and “Battle of the Jaywalking All-Stars.”
The show is scheduled to air from 10 to 11 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
Bronze statue to honor city founder
The final piece of a $10-million improvement project for a 2.2-mile stretch of revitalized Burbank Boulevard is due to be installed in 2009.
Artist Andrea Favilli has nearly completed what will be a bronze sculpture for the intersection of Burbank and Victory boulevards. The sculpture will feature a slightly larger-than-life bronze sculpture of David Burbank, the eponymous founder of the city. It will stand in front of a 60-foot flagpole on a large pedestal with iconic images of Burbank’s history.
The sculpture for the city’s founder will be the second art installation in Burbank to bear his name. A 21-inch bronze bust of the former dentist by artist Rick Doray has sat outside the Burbank Public Library since 1978.
In March, city officials unveiled the revamped city street, with its 11 landscaped medians, 401 trees and 54 benches — touting the project as a rebirth for businesses in an area that had long lacked street improvements.
City may target bags, Styrofoam
Sustainability is expected to once again play a major role throughout Burbank this year, especially in an election year. Most candidates for City Council have said they plan to stress the need for greener building requirements and increased vigilance from residents as water continues to grow more scarce.
Park, Recreation and Community Services board Vice President Garen Yegparian said he would continue the council’s focus on greening the city, adding in November, “We need to do it in a way that is sustainable for the next century.”
Others have stressed the need for greater water conservation, and the council could enact a ban on plastic bags and Styrofoam this year.
But focusing on sustainability could take a back seat to the city’s increasingly tumultuous fiscal state. Assuming city officials do not increase the scope of development projects in Burbank, the city is likely to face a deficit of up to $7 million in financial year 2009-10, and state-funded projects could be tied up by the Legislature’s inability to agree on a balanced budget.
Night flight ban still up in the air
Almost immediately after the Burbank-Glendale- Pasadena Airport Authority presented its Part 161 study to eliminate flights from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., the objections poured in.
Though officials in Burbank largely praised the draft study, residents and officials in Los Angeles, Van Nuys and other airports — including small business carriers at Bob Hope who would be affected — said the proposed shift in flights would be too burdensome to handle.
The study will surely make news again this year, but the direction in which it goes is anyone’s guess. The Federal Aviation Administration called on Bob Hope officials to conduct an environmental assessment based on projected noise and air quality impacts at other nearby airports.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has objected to the proposal along with numerous homeowner groups near Van Nuys Airport and LAX. The authority continues to work with the FAA and regional airports toward a full ban, saying that its dedication has not wavered.
“We’re committed to getting it in, submitting it and getting it complete,” airport Commissioner Charlie Lombardo said. “Our fate is in the fate of the FAA.”
City, district prepare projects
Joint projects between the city and the Burbank Unified School District are expected to begin development in 2009.
The projects include field and track renovations at Burbank and John Burroughs high schools, as well as new parking spaces and restrooms at Jordan Middle School. The total cost of the planned developments is estimated at $18.4 million, which includes nearly $12 million for stadium renovations at John Burroughs High, accounting for new bleachers, concession stands and better access for visitors with disabilities.
The city plans to contribute more than $14 million for the projects, with the district pledging the necessary land, as well as $4.1 million in funds. The remaining costs will be covered by private donations, $1 million of which has been raised so far.
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