Burbank

BOYS' BASKETBALL Burbank 53, Muir 51 (overtime) : Peter Wongsasitom came off a screen and sank a 15-footer at the buzzer in overtime to lift the Bulldogs to a Pacific League win at home. It was Wongsasitom's only points of the game and his basket accounted for the only points of the extra period. Richard Elmoyan had 16 points to pace Burbank (14-10, 6-6). Crescenta Valley 73, Burroughs 41 : The Indians (13-11, 5-7) fell Friday in the Pacific League game at home. Muir 65, Burroughs 52 : The Indians fell behind, but cut the deficit to just four in the fourth quarter only to fall Wednesday in a Pacific League game.

I don't know about others, but I don't want a vacant and abandoned building in my neighborhood. Not only is it an eyesore, it's also been a real drain on the surrounding businesses. The new Walmart expected to go into a building that is now vacant is going to be a 100% improvement. It is important to have empty buildings quickly occupied and converted into something that would benefit other surrounding businesses. To most business owners (and observant community members), an empty storefront means lost sales, lost customers and lost jobs.

The executive boards for three local Democratic clubs will hold a fundraiser for several candidates running in the 43rd state Assembly District at 5 p.m. May 27 at Flappers Comedy Club, 102 E. Magnolia Blvd. in Burbank. Called the “43rd AD Get Out the Laugh” fundraiser, proceeds will pay for door hangers and postcards for the primary election and several candidates running for offices, including Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Silver Lake), Sen. Carol Liu (D-La Cañada-Flintridge)

BOYS' TENNIS Burbank 9, Ayala 9 (Burbank wins on games, 74-69) : The Bulldogs were able to notch a win on the road Tuesday in a wild-card match of the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs. Burbank, the No. 4 team from the Pacific League, will take on host Santa Monica — the Ocean League champion — at 3 p.m. today in a first-round match. The Bulldogs (7-7) received six points from their doubles trio. SOFTBALL Burroughs 15, Muir 2 : The Indians remained in a tie for first place in the Pacific League with a win Tuesday at Olive Park in a game was called after five innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.

Many thanks to Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Ann I. Jones for ruling against the city of Burbank in the lawsuit filed by the Leader that will force the city to release detailed salary information regarding bonus amounts paid to city employees. It was both encouraging and maddening to read newly elected Councilwoman Emily Gabel-Luddy's comment that this decision “doesn't surprise” her (“Judge sides with the Leader,” May 21). We can only wonder why the city chose to waste taxpayer dollars fighting this in court, since it was obvious from the start that the city's defense was weak, based on previous court rulings in similar matters.

After a six- to eight-week lull, catalytic converter thieves struck again over the weekend in Burbank, police said. Two catalytic converters were unscrewed from two trucks between Friday and Monday, Sgt. Darin Ryburn said, marking the first such thefts police have seen in about two months. A catalytic converter was stolen from a 2002 Nissan Frontier that was parked on the street in the 300 block of North Sparks. while another taken from a 1989 Toyota pick up that was parked in the 400 block of South Mariposa, Ryburn said.

After 30 months with an interim head, Burbank officials announced today their intent to hire a permanent police chief.  Scott LaChasse, a 32-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, took the reigns of a department in turmoil in January 2010.  The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept. and FBI had recently begun civil rights investigations, and several lawsuits by former and current officers claimed widespread discrimination and retaliation by BPD brass. [Updated 12:42 pm]

GLENDALE — The first time the Hoover High and Burbank baseball teams met this season, the contest came down to the final inning and was decided by just one run. Tuesday’s rematch at Hoover between the Pacific League foes couldn’t have played out more differently, as the surging Bulldogs held the fading Tornadoes scoreless while slugging their way to a 19-0 mercy-rule win in five innings. Burbank’s damage was concentrated in the third inning, when it broke the game open with 13 runs.

Burbank City Manager Mike Flad announced on Monday plans to leave the Media City and take the top post at the city of South Gate, stunning city officials who expected him to retire in the city where he had spent more than two decades building his career. Flad, now 46, became the second-youngest city manager in Burbank's history when he assumed the top job in 2008 and has worked for the city for nearly 23 years. “It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me on the face of it,” said Councilman David Gordon on Tuesday.

About 150 elementary school students, teachers, elected officials and community members gathered at Jefferson Elementary School in Burbank Friday to honor those who lost their lives in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Attendees joined hands around the front of the school and bowed their heads for a moment of silence. “The Jefferson Community wants to show the world that Burbank is united in doing whatever it takes to protect our children,” said Burbank Council PTA President Barbara Miller and Jefferson PTA President Michele Higginbotham in a statement.