GUSD and the Crescenta Valley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition (CVDAPC) are sponsoring a confidential support resource to all parents of Rosemont, CV and Clark students during the entire school year. Please join Pam Erdman, licensed marriage, family, and child (teens included)therapist for presentations and discussions on parenting teens. These are one-hour meetings every Tuesday evening (except during school holidays). Several sessions will be conducted at the CV Auditorium but the majority of the sessions will be conducted at the La Canada YMCA. Encourage fellow parents to attend as well. The pre-teen and teenage years are turbulent and this is an opportunity for direct support.

SEPTEMBER

9/7 @ CV Auditorium 7:15 pm Parenting Foundations: Parenting is a great privilege but also can be confusing and aggravating at our first meeting of the school year we will discuss the ONE most important aspect of parenting. When we as parents understand how to build a strong parenting foundation, we will be far less confused and aggravated.

9/14 @ YMCA 7:15 pm Communication with Teens Part 1: Come and hear the three most important aspects of communication between parents and teens. Feeling more confident about your ability to communicate with your pre-teen or teenager can transform the course of your relationship.

9/21 @ YMCA 7:15 pm Communication with Teens Part 2: Some teens talk a lot about their life and experiences, but many stop talking when they hit adolescence. We worry when they are silent, because we don’t know what is happening in their lives. We will explore ways to help our children to be more honest and communicative.

OCTOBER

10/5 @ YMCA 7:15 pm Risky Behavior: Teens are prone to experiment with risky behavior including mentally checking out of school, driving fast and use of drugs and alcohol. We will talk about the ways that this can be positive and the ways that this can be seriously concerning. We will look at the best way to respond to all types of risky behavior.

10/12 @ YMCA 7:15 pm Boundaries with Tech Devices and Social Activities: A teen’s life revolves around cellphones and friends, sometimes to the detriment of all other opportunities. What is the best way to set boundaries for our teens?

10/19 @ YMCA 7:15 pm Respectful Behavior: What is the best response to the outrageous things that teens say, request and do? Sometimes we are angry, confused and reactionary to our kid’s behavior, but we don’t need to be. Come and hear specific new ways to respond.

10/26 @ YMCA 7:15 pm Teen Sexuality: Come and hear how to talk to your teen and the important content every teen needs to hear from parents. This is a tough topic but your teen needs your guidance.

10/21 Thursday @ CVHS PTA Meeting 7:00 pm, Location TBD Surviving the Turbulent Teen Years: When our children become teens, we sometime feel as if they become a different person. We can even wonder who this new person is. While they are growing and changing, they need us to understand them and provide as much stability as possible. We will be talking about how to be stabilizing in the midst of the turbulence of change.

NOVEMBER

11/2 @ YMCA 7:15 pm When Parents Have Different Parenting Styles: Sometimes our biggest struggle as parents is not our child but the adults that are parenting alongside us: spouses, siblings, grandparents, step parents. We as adults don’t agree on how to respond and it makes the tensions of parenting more difficult. We will talk about how to smooth out these challenges.

11/9 @ YMCA 7:15 pm Peer Pressure: Your teen experiences intense peer pressure. We will talk about why it can be so intense and what you can do to support your teen in coping with peer pressure.

11/16 @ YMCA 7:15 pm Communication: Communicating with teens can be tricky, arduous, and explosive. There are communication styles that make dialogue so much more successful. We will be role-playing these techniques, so that you can hear and understand what they are.

11/30 @ CV Auditorium 7:15 pm Surviving the stressful holiday season: Come and hear how to set limits and avoid over scheduling, minimize student unsupervised time and talk to your teen about the dangers of drinking.

Hold the Date: Additional sessions during the first semester will be 12/7, 12/14, 1/11, 1/18, and 1/25. Topics TBD.

If you have suggestions and recommendations please visit the website below.

For more information on these sessions, additional resources and to

see how you can become involved please visit us at

www.cvyouthsupport.com

Back to school information

School begins on Monday Aug. 30 and ends on June 16. There will be some changes in class sizes, teachers and principals but what won’t be changing is the stress of an ever-increasing hectic life for both parents and children.  The best defense in heading toward the new school year is organization.  Here are some dates that readers may want to post on the refrigerator or type in your Blackberry:

Glendale Unified School District: www.gusd.net

223 N. Jackson St., Glendale, 91206

(818) 241-3111

Superintendent Richard Sheehan

Deputy Superintendent John Garcia

Asst. Superintendent Katherine Fundukian Thorossian

Winter Break                                                                             Dec. 23 to Jan. 7

Spring Break                                                                              April 4 – April 8

=======================================================

CLARK MAGNET HIGH SCHOOL:

4747 New York Ave., La Crescenta

(818) 248-8324

Principal Douglas Dall

Asst. Principal Kristina Provost

Secretary Barbara Melone

Students must report to the following locations to pick up their schedules and then assemble in the Amphitheater on the first day of school, Aug. 30

Freshman                                                                        Auditeria

Sophomores                                                                    Under the covered area outside the                                                                                                 Auditeria

Juniors                                                                            Top of Amphitheater

Seniors                                                                            Outside of Auditeria

IMPORTANT DATES:

Senior Portraits                                                             Aug. 13-20

Contact Life Touch for information (626) 577 7012

Back to School Night                                                    Sept. 23

Open House                                                                    Feb. 26

========================================================

CRESCENTA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL:

2900 Community Avenue, La Crescenta 91214

(818) 249-5871

Principal Michele Doll

Assoc. Principal Michael Bertram

Asst. Principal Tamar Kataroyan

Asst. Principal Sungsook Kim

Asst. Principal Lisa Reed

Secretary Laurie Hanson

By now parents should have received a letter that outlines basic information about the school year.  The first things parents will notice is the lack of paperwork via the thick manila envelope that usually arrives at resident’s homes.  In an attempt to reduce costs the students will pick up the information packet when they get their schedule (dates below).

Official program listing student’s first semester classes by teacher and period will be distributed from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. according to the following schedule:

Seniors—Aug. 17

Juniors—Aug. 19

Sophomores—Aug. 23

Freshman—Aug. 25

This will be the scheduled time to pick up identification cards, books and to find a locker.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Ninth Grade Building Success Night                                     Sept. 1

CVHS Back-to-School Night                                                   Sept. 16

District Staff Development Days-No students

in attendance                                                                             Nov. 1

Winter Break                                                                             Dec. 23 to Jan. 7

Spring Break                                                                              April 4 – April 8

CV Open House                                                                        March 30

========================================================

Daily High School/Verdugo Academy

220 N. Kenwood St., Glendale

Principal Cuauhtemoc Avila

Secretary Jenia Mehrabians

IMPORTANT DATES:

Back to School                                                                         Oct. 7

Open House                                                                             March 3

=======================================================

ROSEMONT MIDDLE SCHOOL:  www.rosemontweb.org and www.rosemontpta@pacbell.net

4725 Rosemont Ave., La Crescenta, 91214

(818) 248-4224 main number

(818) 248-6052 absence call-in line

Principal Dr. Cynthia Livingston

Asst. Principal Ann Amrhein

Asst. Principal Ron Sowers

Regular school day is from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Thursdays are Banking Days 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Howdy Day for seventh graders and new incoming                         Aug. 23

Students.  Begins at 8:30 a.m.

Returning Students, Eighth graders, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m              Aug. 24

Early dismissal at 12:30 p.m.                                                                  Sept. 2

Back to School Night beginning at 6:30 p.m.                                      Sept. 2

Banking Day.  Classes begin at 9 a.m.                                                  Sept. 3

*After this date every Thursday will be a Banking Day                                                        No School

Open House                                                                                                March 24

=======================================================

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS INFORMATION AS AVAILABLE, SECRETARIES WILL BE AT THE SCHOOLS ON AUG. 16:

Dunsmore Elementary School: www.dunsmoreelementary.com

4717 Dunsmore Ave., La Crescenta, 91214

(818) 248 1758

Principal Karen Stegman

Secretary Christine Giannamore

Back to School Night                                                                                 Sept. 7

Open House                                                                                                March 31

=======================================================

Fremont Elementary School: www.johncfremont.net

3320 Las Palmas Ave., Glendale, 91208

(818) 249-3241

Principal Christin Walley

Back to School Night                                                                                 Sept. 7

Open House                                                                                                May 19

=======================================================

La Crescenta Elementary

4343 La Crescenta Ave., La Crescenta, 91214

(818) 249-3187

Principal Kim Bishop

Secretary Connie Hobby

Back to School Night                                                                        Sept. 23

Open House                                                                                       April 28

======================================================

Lincoln Elementary School: www.golincolnlions.org

4310 New York Ave., La Crescenta, 91214

(818) 249-1863

Principal Bill Card

Secretary Lilliana Barrantes

Back to School Night                                                                        Sept. 23

Open House                                                                                       May 25

=======================================================

Monte Vista Elementary: www.montevista.com

2620 Orange Ave., La Crescenta, CA 91214

(818) 248-2617

Principal Dr. Susan Hoge

Back to School Night                                                                        Sept. 23

Open House                                                                                       May 26

=======================================================

Mountain Avenue Elementary: www.mountainavenue.org

2307 Mountain Ave., La Crescenta, 91214

(818) 248-7766

Principal Rebeca Witt

Secretary Cathy Hardyment

On Thursday students are released at 1:30 p.m.

Howdy Coffee-Auditorium             8:25 a.m. to 9 a.m.                        Sept. 2

Get Acquainted Picnic                                                                               Sept. 10

Back to School Night                                                                                 Sept. 22

Open House                                                                                                March 31

=======================================================

Valley View Elementary

4900 Maryland Ave., La Crescenta 91214

(818) 236-3771

Principal Carla Walker

Secretary Karen Wilton

Back To School Night                                                                    Sept. 7

Open House                                                                                    May 18

=======================================================

Verdugo Woodlands Elementary : www.vwpta.com

1751 N. Verdugo Rd, Glendale

(818) 241-2433

Principal Janet Buhl

Back to School Night                                                                        Sept. 16

Open House                                                                                       May 26

========================================================

College View: www.collegeviewglendale.org

1700 E. Mountain St., Glendale

(818) 246-8363

Principal Jay Schwartz

Secretary Julie Niles

Back to School                                                                                Oct. 7

Open House                                                                                    April 14

========================================================

Cloud Pre-School:

4444 Cloud Ave., La Crescenta

(818) 249-1414

Back to School                                                                                Sept. 29

Open House                                                                                    April 14

========================================================

Glendale District School Board

President Greg Krikorian

Vice President Joylene Wagner

Clerk Christine Walters

Member Nayiri Nahabedian

Member Mary Boger

By Mary O’KEEFE

DRB gives approval to addition
The Glendale Design Review Board was highly complimentary of a proposed addition to 3308 Mill Ave., and approved with some minor proposed changes at its most recent meeting.
The project was designed by South Pasadena architect Anthony George, a new member of that city’s planning commission.
The two-story addition totals 1,185 square feet, and will be added to a 1,227 square foot home built in 1951.
The project is located at the rear of the house, and will maintain a one-story look to the front. Landscaping totals 46% and existing oak trees are maintained. Neighbors support the project. About 40% of the homes are two stories.

Marijuana moratorium extended
The Glendale City Council Tuesday extended by a year the current moratorium on marijuana dispensaries anywhere in the city.
The moratorium was first adopted last September, and then extended by 45 days. The current extension, to be voted on next week, is the last permitted under state law.
City attorney Scott Howard told the council that he continues to get inquiries about the dispensaries, permitted under state law.
A major court case is pending in Orange County to determine if cites have the right to outright ban the dispensaries. The city and county of Los Angles are both working to restrict the proliferation of the establishments.
Also complicating the issue is Proposition 19 on the November ballot, which allows adults to own and transport marijuana for personal use, and allows local governments to regulate and tax production and sales.
The federal government continues to classify marijuana as a class 1 narcotic and to prohibit possession and sale.

City honored for census effort
The city of Glendale was honored Tuesday for its efforts in the 2010 Census count, still ongoing.
The count, managed locally by planning official Jeff Hamilton, totaled 75%, and may reach 80% by the end of the year. National count so far has been about 72%.
The numbers are used for redistricting, determination of grant recipients and similar uses. Economic numbers are determined in a sparred set of surveys.
Glendale was especially honored for increasing the participation by previously hard to reach communities.
Total population of the city was estimated at 210,000, though that number is subject to change. Census results will go to the president at the end of the year.

LIBRARY HOSTING CHILI COOK OFF
On Aug. 14 at 1:00 p.m. the La Crescenta Library is hosting its inaugural chili cook-off.  All are invited to bring their best recipe and compete with others in the community to be crowned the Chili King of La Crescenta Library. The winner will receive a crown and a $25 gift card.  Space is limited, so only the first 20 registrants will have a place in the competition.  Everyone is welcome to taste and judge the chili.
La Crescenta Library is located at 2809 Foothill Blvd.

MEDICAL BUILDING TO SEE TENANTS
The medical office has seen the worst of times, when it became foreclosed, and now will be seeing the best of times according to one real estate broker whose clientele owns the development on the 3600 block of Verdugo Road.
Ownership of the medical office, which stands on the fringes of the Montrose Shopping Park, was changed early this month said John Archibald, a real estate broker and senior vice president of Coldwell Banker Commercial,  a business  involved in leasing out the property.
“It was an exchange of hands from the money source of the development,” he added. “Now we’re moving forward with the leasing campaign.”
The facility has already been rented out to a general practice of 4-5 doctors who are expected to move in sometime in the near future, said Archibald.
The development, which was originally approved for renting out office and retail space, will feature a pharmacy and is designed to maintain high-tech medical equipment.

GEORGE LE MESNAGER TOPIC OF HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETING
At the next meeting of the Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley there will be an overview of one of Crescenta Valley’s most dynamic pioneers. A French patriot and vintner, whose name pronunciation remains a frustrating mystery for local residents, George Le Mesnager was a fighter, a farmer and a businessman, fighting for France in two wars, establishing vineyards over much of the Crescenta Valley, and founding a successful winery in Los Angeles in the late 1800s. Part of his empire lives on in Glendale’s Deukmejian Wilderness Park, where the Le Mesnager Barn is being restored as the centerpiece of a developing park.
Biographer and local historian Jo Anne Sadler will tell the crazy tales of this wild Frenchman and his descendants, and give a lesson in French pronunciation.
Also planned is an update on Deukmejian Park from City of Glendale. Jeff Weinstein, trail guru for the City of Glendale, will talk about the future of Deukmejian Park as it recovers from the devastating fire of last year. He’ll discuss the progress on the stone barn, the rebuilding of the trails, and an expanding slate of activities for the community.
Join the society at its next meeting on Monday, Aug. 16 at 7:00 p.m. at the Center For Spiritual Living (formerly known as the La Crescenta Church of Religious Science) located on the corner of Dunsmore and Santa Carlotta. There is no charge to attend.

Photo courtesy of www.kaloustian.eu

By Mary O’KEEFE

Several religious statues were destroyed or damaged at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church in the 500 block of South Central Ave. in Glendale.

Witnesses reportedly saw a man, later identified as Victor Petrescu, 23, of Glendale, approach the monuments with a sledgehammer.

“The witnesses were going to try to stop him but he had the sledgehammer and they were in fear [of their life],” said Sgt. Tom Lorenz, GPD.

There were two Glendale detectives driving in the area at the time and noticed the suspect hammering on a statue on the front lawn of the church. The detectives identified themselves as police officers and the suspect allegedly looked at the detectives, took his mallet and went over a fence.  The detectives gave chase and detained Petrescu.  One of the detectives who was on that initial call is now in charge of the investigation, Lorenz said.

“The case is being presented to the district attorney’s office as a hate crime,” Lorenz said.

The following charges were filed today by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office:
Felony Vandalism of Religious Property, vandalism enhancement due to the value exceeding over $50,000.00 and misdemeanor possession of a sledgehammer with the intent to commit vandalism and graffiti. They have also filed to have Petrescu’s driver’s license suspended or revoked.

Initially the suspect allegedly made statements pertaining to the Bible and the destruction of sacred pillars. He then mentioned he was Jewish but now says he is Christian, Lorenz said.

The damage to the church’s property  is estimated at $80,000. Bail has been set at $150,000.

By Mary O’KEEFE

The last 48 teachers affected by RIF [Reduction In Force] in the Glendale school district were notified on Monday morning they would be rehired for the new school year.

“Welcome home,” said Mary Boger, member of the Glendale Unified School board.

The teachers had been officially notified in March they were not going to have a job in the 2010-11 Glendale district school year due to the budget. Class sizes were to be increased to a 34-to-1 student to teacher ratio. Fewer classrooms meant fewer teachers were needed. However, financial help is expected from the federal front, which allows the district to reduce the classroom size to 24.5-to-1.

The district had to send out notices by March 15 of any layoffs. It did this with the hope of bringing back many of the teachers, said David Samuelson, the newly hired assistant superintendent, Human Resources.

Since March the district has been bringing teachers back a little at a time as attrition made possible. On Monday, the last 48 teachers were gathered at the school district and told they would be rehired.

“We don’t know what school you will be assigned to yet,” said Superintendent Richard Sheehan. “You will be getting a letter from HR rescinding the [dismissal] and a letter from the principal of the school [you have been assigned to].”

Teachers were happy and relieved when the word was given. When Boger welcomed them home, there was applause and “thank you” heard from many.

Teacher Yvonne Quinonez was awarded Teacher of the Year at Dunsmore Elementary School last year. She was also one of the teachers that was caught in the RIF net.

“We are thankful and appreciate [the district bringing] us back,” Quinonez said.

But for some like Quinonez the roller coaster ride of emotions the teachers have been on since the notifications will not end with this announcement.

“It is a relief but it has been very stressful,” Quinonez said.

She had been officially told in March but said she had known of the possibility since February. She is a mother of two and the prospect of losing the family’s second paycheck was frightening. What made it
even more difficult was that Quinonez was only a few months away from being a permanent teacher, which would mean she would not have been laid off.

“This year I will be permanent,” she added.

Sheehan told the teachers they would come back to the district with the same seniority with which they left.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the House back into session to address the bill that would extend the stimulus package enacted last year. If passed, that bill would provide the districts with needed funds. The bill had been stalled in the Senate for weeks due to a filibuster, which was broken last week.

The House voted to approve the bill and was immediately signed into law by President Barack Obama.

Both Sheehan and Boger said they were rehiring the teachers as a leap of faith that the bill would be passed.

The money is one time funds, Sheehan stressed.

“We are sorry you had to go through this whole process.  It is our hope that you won’t have to repeat this …. but unfortunately it is uncertain times right now,” he added.

Photo by Leonard COUTIN A glimpse of the quiet before the storm at CVHS when students line up for their class schedules, rush to get books and lockers and catch up with friends. School begins on Aug. 30 across Glendale Unified School District.

New principals take the reins at Crescenta Valley High, Rosemont Middle and Fremont Elementary schools, but to many of the students, they’re old friends.

By Brandon HENSLEY

Spring and summer are usually reserved for big name free agents in basketball and football to make headlines by moving from one team to another. This year, however, several local area schools played the part of franchises who lured big names to be a part of their team, causing a ripple effect on the administrative level.

Now with fall approaching, it’s almost time to start playing the games (i.e. start the school year).

Crescenta Valley High will welcome its new principal, Michele Doll, who spent the last two years as principal of Rosemont Middle School. Cynthia Livingston will take Doll’s former post, as she previously occupied that same title at Fremont Elementary. Finally, Christin Walley, who spent the last couple of years as a Fremont teacher specialist, will become the school’s new principal.

If it was hard to keep up with the “offseason” movement, at least most of the students will be comfortable with who is running things.

Doll, who replaces long-time CV stalwart Linda Evans, took the job already having overseen  this year’s freshman and sophomore classes.

“To be able to go with all of my students, I thought that was such a unique opportunity that I couldn’t pass up,” she said.

CV endured retirements from many teachers this year, and Doll said the school has been in a hiring frenzy, collecting new English and science teachers. Aside from new hires, Doll has spent her summer going over the budget and planning staff development.

“I’ve spent a lot of time this summer just talking with people and learning about what everybody does, and what drives people,” she said.

Doll, who spent seven years as an administrator at Glendale High before Rosemont, said she is excited to be a part of CV’s culture. “I know that CV has a strong foundation of academic excellence,” she said. “I also know that they have a phenomenal athletic department and wonderful clubs for all the kids.”

Doll has also helped transition Livingston into her new role this summer. Livingston bounced back from injury last winter, after suffering injuries to her back and neck in a car accident (“It was a tough winter,” she admitted.) Now she must face the daily traffic of sugar-buzzed junior highers, even if she will know a lot of them coming from Fremont.

“Middle school kids are energizing,” she said. “They are a crack-up. I love them.”

Livingston said overcrowding isn’t a huge problem anymore, that Rosemont can accommodate for every student this year. She said she hopes to be a highly visible presence on campus.

“My expectation is lots and lots of supervision,” she said. “We’ve got parents that are going to be helping at snack and lunch time to increase the amount of supervision. I really believe strongly in being very, very visible as a principal so the kids know that I’m there to support them.”

Livingston said the move from Fremont to Rosemont has been a breeze so far.

“The transition has actually been very seamless because [Michele] did such a great job providing me with lots of history of programs, how they have worked on the focus of writing, how she’s been working with her department chairs,” she said.

“They really are a family up here.”

Now that Livingston has left Fremont after 13 years, Walley will take the reins, and it would seem she has the experience to be successful.

Walley sat in as acting principal when Livingston was on leave last winter. “I was kind of thrown into the position but it was probably the best thing that could have happened at the time,” she said.

“I am super excited. It’s a wonderful school … I’m very familiar with the culture of our campus so it’s a nice transition.”

Walley noted how excited she was that all of the teachers given pink slips by the district will be back, commenting on the recent news that Glendale Unified recently rescinded layoffs given to the area’s teachers, and said she has received great support from administrators at the district level.

Walley also said she will be anxious to get out of the office more and be around the kids like she did when she was a teacher. After all, visibility will be a theme for all three women as they start their new journeys.

“I’m hoping as a principal I’ll have more time to actually able to get out in the classroom and visit, watch instruction, work with students, and be able to get back to that,” she said.

By Mary O’KEEFE

Law enforcement is reminding residents to be aware of their surroundings and lock their homes after one burglary and two attempted burglaries occurred last week.
On Friday, Aug. 6, a resident in the 2600 block of Mayfield
Avenue in La Crescenta reported that his home had been
burglarized between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. According to a Crescenta Valley Sheriff report, the point of entry was a side window of the home that had been forced open. At the time of the burglary all the windows and doors were locked. The resident reported several pieces of jewelry stolen.
On that same day in the 2500 block of Mayfield Avenue a resident had left his home briefly to run an errand. When he returned home he noticed an outside window screen had fallen off.
He assumed that the wind had caused it to fall off so he began to replace it when he noticed a strange man in the hallway, according to a Crescenta Valley Sheriff spokesman.
The resident spoke to the man who fled from the home and ran northbound on Rosemont Avenue. Deputies responded but did not find the suspect. Nothing was reported stolen.
The suspect was described as a white man about 19 years old with reddish brown hair.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the CV Sheriff’s Station at (818) 248-3464.
Earlier in the week another reported attempted burglary was reported to Glendale Police Department.
Police are reminding residents of the importance of being aware of their surroundings after a resident reported thwarting an attempted burglary at her home.
On Aug. 3 at 3 p.m. a resident confronted a woman who was trying to “break into” her garage in the 3500 block of Markridge Road, said Sgt. Dave Higgins, GPD.
When the resident confronted her, the suspect fled.

The suspect is described as a female Hispanic in her 30s to 40s, 5’5”, 130 pounds with reddish hair that at the time was pulled back into a ponytail. She fled in a light blue sedan.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Glendale Police Department at (818) 249-8173.

Chairman concerned about pre-built projects
Glendale Design Review Board #1 chair Ivan Insua expressed concern at the board’s most recent meeting over the number of projects coming to the board for design approval when previous approval had not been sought or obtained.
The latest local project presented to the board for belated action is an 836 square foot addition and a detached deck at 3916 Burritt Way.
The project was reported to the city last year and a code enforcement case is pending. The owner is Nicholas Christopher.
Insua said he was most concerned about a second floor addition not inspected by building and safety, with people living in it.
The DRB handles design issues only, while the building and safety department oversees construction concerns
Insua said the design boards much prefer to work with plans instead of previously built projects.
The board eventually approved the project with a number of conditions in place.

Quality of life report questioned
The quality of a report updating the city’s quality of life indicators took a beating Tuesday night from the Glendale City Council.
The report, prepared by a citizens committee under the direction of the Neighborhood Services Department, was criticized by council members for inadequate and confusing data.
City Manager Jim Starbird acknowledged the inadequacies of the document, but said the city didn’t have the resources to do better. Asked about possible follow up work, Starbird was blunt: “Nothing is planned,” he said.
Cut and paste numbers from various sources indicated the city has drug issues, a generally more obese population, a lower median income than surrounding cities, increasing rents and a continuing shortage of park land, especially in the south.
The quality of life report is available on line, and Starbird promised introductory material to make the shortcomings clearer.
The meeting also featured another episode of the Herb and Ara show, with mayor Ara Najarian expressing surprise over the inclusion of council gadfly Herbert Molano in the effort.
“That man cost the city $700,000 in a lawsuit which the city won,” the mayor said. “And he lives in Tujunga.”
Neighborhood Services administrator Sam Engel said Molino participated as a Glendale property owner. Najarian told the city manager to notify the council when Molano applies to join any city backed group.
The council finally decided to note and file the report, the lowest recognition it could give.

By Charles Cooper

By Jim CHASE

As I mentioned several weeks ago, my family has been waiting expectantly for our daughter and son-in-law to give birth to their first child, our fourth grandchild. The big event happened last week, and … it’s a girl! Welcome to the world and to our family, little Bailey Brooke Kuehn. It may seem impossible, but you are already loved and cherished even more than your arrival was awaited and anticipated. What a precious gift.

My wife’s and my other three grandkids have the good fortune to live in Hawaii. As non-native ‘haoles’, their family tries to incorporate both traditional and contemporary Hawaiian nomenclature into their everyday lives as possible. That means “family” is  “ohana.” Driving across the island to go to the big city of Honolulu is going “to town,” a good friend is a “braddah” or “brah.” A good thing is “ono” and something wonderful is “onolicious.” It also means that my wife is not called “Grandma” by our island grandkids, but rather, “Tutu Wahine” or “Tutu” for short. That makes me “Kupuna Kane” or simply ‘‘Puna’ for short. I can say without much doubt that I am the only “Puna” living on my block here in La Crescenta.

What’s any of this got to do with our new granddaughter? Well, for one thing, she doesn’t live 5,000 miles across the ocean where they talk funny and wear flip flops to formal events. She lives considerably closer, in Santa Clarita. Okay, so they may still talk funny out there in the land of traffic signals, Hummers and take out dining, but I’m pretty sure our new grandchild won’t be calling me “Puna” or my wife “Tutu.” In fact, our daughter has already asked us the big question. Namely, “What do you want your new grandchild to call you?”

Good question. Grandfather is much too stuffy and staid for my liking. And Grandpa or Gramps is just not unique enough for someone in a creative business like I am. So, as I often do when involved in a writing project, I consulted various search engines to see what names for “grandfather” were in use today. Unfortunately, I’m more confused than ever. According to the internet, today’s grandfather can be translated to: G-pa, O.G. (for “Original Grandpa”), Papa, G-pop, Pappy, PappaDaddy, Pampo, Papps (which sounds too much like a medical test for me), Gampy, Gramps, Grampy, Granola, Old Man, the Old Guy, Grandpappy (I hear banjos pickin’ and moonshine jugs a-blowin’ with that one) Peepaw (not with my prostate, you don’t) Papadaddy (really?), Gumma (maybe when I’ve lost my teeth), Pops, Poppa, Poppops, Pop-Pop, Poppy, Popsie, (bowl of cereal, anyone?) Grandpadaddy,  Big Paw, Paw Paw (fine for circus bears), Granddad, Big Daddy, Boom-pa (say what?), Bumpy, Boppa, Bompa, Chief, Captain, G, G-Daddy, Duke, and the ever-popular Buddy.

When you start globetrotting, the names for grandfathers begin to sound like characters in a Star Wars cantina scene. For example, the Chinese word for Grandfather is Yeh Yeh., in the Philippines it’s Lolo and in Germany, Opa. Then, there’s Bompa (Flemish), Grandpere (French), Papu (Greek), Saba (Hebrew), Nonno (Italian), Ojiisan (Japanese), Halabeoji (Korean), Dzia Dzia (Polish), Avo (Portuguese), Dedushka (Russian), Abuelo (Spanish), Zeidy (Yiddish), Ajja (India), Phar-Phar (Swedish), E-du-di (Cherokee), Gammlefar (Norwegian), and Seanathair (Irish).

When my own grandfathers were alive many years ago, we simply called them Grandpa Chase and Grandpa Irons. Looking back on those days, it seems uncomfortably formal that we used their last names. But at least we didn’t have to call them “sir” like I have heard some grandchildren call their grandfathers over the years. How sad.

To risk a cliché, when all is said and done,  I don’t much care what my current or future grandkids call me, as long as they call – and often. That would be simply “onolicious.”

I’ll see you ‘round town.

Jim Chase is an award-winning advertising copywriter and lifetime CV resident. Find him online at www.wordchaser.com.