Featured Articles from the Burbank Leader

It was a struggle for the Burroughs High and Burbank boys' golf teams Monday in the first round of CIF Southern Section play. Neither team was able to qualify out of the CIF Southern Section Northern Team Divisional at Soule Park Golf Club in Ojai. While the Indians finished 15th out of the 19 teams that took part with a team total of 424, the Bulldogs placed 19th with a 453. The team competition was won my Westlake, which carded a 360. It was followed by Oaks Christian with a 375 and Arcadia out of the Pacific League, which had a 376. Burroughs was paced by Patrick Colvert and Sivakorn Losakul, who both fired nine-over-par 81s. They were followed by Daniel Kesicbasian with an 83, Sean White with an 89 and Dylan McNeely with a 90. The top scorers for Burbank were Brady Dunayer and Andy Chung, who both had 85s. Teammate Jason Apinchapong had an 89, Jason Tatka also had an 89 and Grant Le had a 105. Crescenta Valley's Paul Park finished second overall with a two-under-par 70. The Falcons placed 17th with a 445.

For families with autistic children, the stress and anxiety of air travel is a unique challenge - which is why JetBlue is partnering with Bob Hope Airport in Burbank to give those families a chance for an air-travel dress rehearsal. JetBlue's Wings For Autism program is coming to the West Coast for the first time and it hold a trial run from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday at the airport. PHOTOS: Wings for Autism comes to California for first time at Bob Hope Airport The program, which was started in Boston three years ago, allows families with autistic children to practice air travel, from checking in and security screenings to boarding a plane and meeting pilots and the flight crew.

The son of a Burbank woman who was electrocuted Wednesday when she tried to save a crash victim in Valley Village called his mother a hero. David Aguilar, 21, said when he got a call about 8:45 p.m. Wednesday that his mother, Irma Zamora, had been electrocuted, he went to Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, where his stepfather “was a mess.” He also saw his mother lying in a hospital bed, where she looked “just peaceful.” ...

SOUTH PASADENA - The South Pasadena High boys' volleyball team had to play Saturday evening's CIF Southern Section Division III quarterfinal playoff match against Heritage Christian not at home as scheduled, but a few blocks away at South Pasadena Middle School. A bingo game has been slated for the Tigers' home gym. Yep, South Pasadena got bumped for bingo. No matter. The way the Tigers played for much of Saturday, they would have been successful regardless of the venue, as South Pasadena defeated Heritage Christian in four games, 25-15, 20-25, 25-15, 25-19.

As I begin my term as mayor, I want to take this opportunity to thank my colleagues on the council for giving me the honor to serve our community in this role. While I feel a sense of both pride and humility, my strongest feeling is a sense of urgency. Twelve months is not a long time and there is much to be done as we tackle the important issues ahead. Burbank's reputation as "Media Capital of the World" was built by creativity, skill and innovation on a solid foundation of good management and sound fiscal policy.

A 53-year-old Lancaster man who claimed there was a bomb on a Metrolink train Tuesday was arrested after officials discovered he had an outstanding warrant, police said. The man, who was not immediately identified, reportedly told a female passenger there was a bomb on the train which was coming from the Antelope Valley, said Burbank Police Sgt. Darin Ryburn. However, what he said exactly was not immediately available, Ryburn added. The woman reported the comment to the train conductor, who called police at 12:36 p.m. The conductor stopped the train at the Burbank station, located at 201 N. Front St. The Metrolink station, Front Street and the Olive Street overpass were evacuated as the Los Angeles County Sheriff's bomb squad investigated the incident, police said.

I came across an article in the Burbank Leader that both concerns and infuriates me. (“ Split council OKs transitional living homes ,” April 27). I was under the impression the Burbank City Council worked for the betterment of our community and our residents. Imagine my surprise when the council voted to change the zoning code in Burbank, thereby allowing transitional and sober-living facilities in residential areas of our city. Isn't this something the residents of Burbank should have voted on, or at the very least had a say in?

Just two of the city's four high school baseball teams qualified for the CIF Southern Section playoffs, and both of them open the playoffs with wild-card games. Burroughs and Burbank highs will be in action with Division II wild-card games Tuesday. The Bulldogs (17-8, 12-2 in league) were relegated to the wild-card round despite tying for first place in the Pacific League with Crescenta Valley. Burbank is the No. 2 seed from the league as it lost the season series to Crescenta Valley.

Melik Anderson, a 6-foot-7 sophomore boys' basketball player who transferred to Providence High after playing as a freshman last season at Alemany, has been ruled ineligible by the CIF Southern Section, Pioneers Athletic Director Andrew Bencze said Wednesday. Bencze said Anderson's transfer paperwork was submitted to the Southern Section on Oct. 10 and the decision on his eligibility was finalized Oct. 30. Anderson was looked on as a welcomed addition to a Providence squad that already included All-State and All-American sophomore standout Marcus LoVett Jr. "We accepted Melik as a student at Providence, not a basketball player," Bencze said.

Look no further than John Burroughs High School to find the national grand champions of all high school choirs in the United States. After months - and for some students, years - of work, two choir teams at John Burroughs High School secured the greatest prizes in the high school show choir world when they performed before 4,800 people and several judges at the Arie Crown Theater in Chicago on April 27. When the Powerhouse team of 52 students took...

A man who was killed after he apparently jumped off the Olive Avenue overpass onto the southbound Golden State (5) Freeway in Burbank Friday morning was from Texas visiting local family members, police said. The man, identified by authorities as Raffi Roobenbakhamian, was seen climbing over the overpass railing about 9:22 a.m., where he hung from for a few seconds and then let go, according to the Burbank Police Department. He was then struck by an oncoming big rig. A Sigalert was issued at 9:43 a.m. after the three right lanes of the southbound I-5 were closed for five hours during the investigation, with traffic stopped from Hollywood Way. Police directed and stopped westbound access to Front Street, police said.

[ June 29, 2012: This post has been updated. ] Three men, including a Burbank resident, who were arrested Sunday after a partygoer was allegedly attacked with a bottle will not face criminal charges, police said. Sam Asker, 32, of Burbank; Frank Mushmel, 23, of Encino; and Peter Jarjour, 24, of Woodland Hills; were arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, but police say they will not be charged due to a lack of evidence, Sgt. Darin Ryburn said this week. Police responded to reports of a street fight on the 3100 block of Highland View Drive Sunday at about 9:30 p.m, police Lt. Eduardo Ruiz said.

On the threshold of its 40th year of service to the community, the Burbank Temporary Aid Center staged its 10th annual Burbank Top Award for Citizenship gala at the Castaway this past Friday. Honoring recently retired Burbank Fire Chief Ray Krakowski and Logix Federal Credit Union, more than 250 supporters, including Mayor Dave Golonski, Vice Mayor Emily Gabel-Luddy, Councilmembers David Gordon, Gary Bric and Jess Talamantes, Councilman-Elect Bob Frutos, City Clerk Zizette Mullins, City Treasurer Debbie Kukta and School Board member Larry Applebaum enjoyed the evening hosted by BTAC Chairman of the Board Susan Borders and Executive Director Barbara Howell, and emceed by Chamber of Commerce President Gary Olson.