GAINS
FREE AT LAST
It was a homecoming that made national headlines. Hijack victim Jeanne
Moore returned to Southern California with a mild case of pneumonia but
otherwise no worse for wear after her harrowing eight-day ordeal.
After a frightful hop scotch through Asia, Moore and about 150 other
passengers were held on the India Airlines aircraft in Afghanistan for
more than a week until Indian officials agreed to release three prisoners
tied to that country's dispute with Pakistan over the region of Kashmir.
One passenger was stabbed to death early in the hijacking and a handful
were released the first night, but Moore and the others did not gain
their freedom until New Year's Eve. The hijackers and the freed prisoners
got away.
No one was more pleased by Moore's return than her parents, Burbank
residents Harold and Marie Redding. Although somewhat overwhelmed by the
media deluge, the Redding's graciously answered reporter's questions and
shared their relief that their daughter had been released safely.
Moore, who grew up in Burbank and graduated from John Burroughs High
School in 1964, now lives in Bakersfield. She said the experience hadn't
dampened her enthusiasm for travel. In fact, she plans to visit India
again someday.
HAIL THE CHIEF
With his 11-year-old son Keith performing the pinning honors, new
Burbank Police Chief Thomas Hoefel received his badge signifying his
position as the city's top cop.
Time will tell, but Hoefel, 48, who has more academic degrees than
your average college professor, appears to be a solid choice for the
chief's job.
Hoefel, who now oversees 165 officers and 135 civilian police
personnel, said at his swearing-in ceremony that he was fortunate to
inherit an organization without significant problems or deficiencies.
Nevertheless, he pledged to work to improve the department.
"This is not a department in crisis or in need of major changes, but
we're not without our challenges," Hoefel said. "We want to find ways to
expand our services into the community while ensuring our traditional
responses to crimes in progress. As the city's demographics change we
will have to find ways to adapt our services accordingly."
Welcome to your new job chief and best of luck.
LOSSES
AWASH AT CITY HALL
Two incidents -- the first laughable, the second not so funny -- have
left their mark at City Hall since the new year in a way public works
officials wish they had not.
First, in a prank that Public Works Director Bruce Feng said is pulled
