Child Endangerment

Citing potential "distractions" stemming from her arrest on suspicion of cocaine possession and child endangerment, City Councilwoman Stacey Murphy resigned from the City Council Tuesday, ending a more than eight-year run on the dais and setting the stage for a special election to fill her seat. In a letter addressed to City Manager Mary Alvord, Murphy said it was with a heavy heart that she was stepping down from the council. "This is not an easy decision for me personally, however, for the best interests of our city, and my children, it is the right thing to do," she wrote.

The City Council on Tuesday called for a special election to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Councilwoman Stacey Murphy, who faces cocaine possession and child endangerment charges. The election is scheduled to take place on Jan. 24, 2006. Candidates can pick up papers to run starting Monday at the City Clerk's office. Completed paperwork must be returned by Oct. 28. So far, three residents have said they will run in the election: Airport Commissioner and former Mayor Bill Wiggins; optometrist and former Planning Board member David Gordon; and attorney and vice chairman of the Burbank Water and Power Board Vahe Hovanessian.

The City Council was poised to declare Stacey Murphy's council seat vacant Tuesday night, but by deadline had not set in motion a special election to take place early next year. Murphy's resignation Aug. 30 after being charged with one felony count of cocaine possession and one misdemeanor count of child endangerment means the council will operate with only four members until the vacancy is filled by voters. The council is expected to order the special election at its Sept.

Mark R. Madler City Councilwoman Stacey Murphy apologized Tuesday for the distraction to the city caused by her arrest last week on drug and child endangerment charges. In a statement read at Tuesday's council meeting, Murphy said she would be absent from the meetings until her Aug. 25 initial court appearance but did intend to fulfill the job she was elected to do. "I plan on continuing throughout my entire term," Murphy said in the statement.

o7Here are a few of the issues the council will consider Tuesday night. f7 VACANT COUNCIL SEAT The City Council will declare the seat formerly held by Stacey Murphy to be vacant. Murphy submitted her resignation on Aug. 30 explaining that she didn't want her criminal case to be a distraction to the council while it does city business. Murphy was charged last month with possession of cocaine and child endangerment. WHAT TO EXPECT The council will declare the seat vacant and on Sept.

Ex-councilwoman pleads guilty to cocaine possession and child endangerment charges.PASADENA -- Former Burbank City Councilwoman Stacey Murphy pleaded guilty Thursday to felony cocaine possession and misdemeanor child endangerment charges, avoiding a prison term in exchange for agreeing to enter a drug counseling program. If the 47-year-old Murphy completes a drug diversion program and parenting classes, she can petition the court to have the convictions stemming from her July 13 arrest dismissed.

Mark R. Madler Burbank City Councilwoman Stacey Murphy was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of cocaine possession and child endangerment after police found drugs, handguns and several rounds of ammunition at her home as part of an investigation into a San Fernando Valley street gang, police said. Murphy, 47, was booked on suspicion of cocaine possession and child endangerment, and taken into custody at her home in the 700 block of Lima Street, where police found cocaine in her bedroom and three handguns and 900 rounds of ammunition were found in the garage, Burbank Police Sgt. Jay Jette said.

OK. We want a nice, clean fight. Nothing below the belt. Keep your hands up. As this year's political competition kicks in to high gear, let's make sure the discourse brings dignity to the city, not disgrace. In a nation where ideology seems to trump pragmatism, we want to remind the candidates running for the school board and the City Council that political infighting and cynicism only bring on more of the same. And in the end, it clouds the issues and the voter pays the price.

Congress has approved a request by Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democrat who represents Burbank, for $500,000 in federal funding to pay for safety improvements to Metrolink including median separators and locked gates to limit vehicular access to rail tracks including those in Burbank. The request comes on the heels of January's deadly Metrolink crash. The bill also included language from Schiff that requires the Federal Railroad Administration to study safety practices called into question after the derailment of a Metrolink train in Glendale.

AT ISSUE: Should Councilwoman Stacey Murphy, arrested last week on charges of drug possession and child endangerment, resign her post on the council? Hmmm. Child endangerment, cocaine possession, affiliation with someone who's allegedly running guns to a street gang involved with a Burbank police officer's murder ... that's a tough one. I can see Burbank's mayor wanting to continue to give Councilwoman Stacey Murphy his support (it's so reassuring that our city is being governed by people who have their priorities straight)

OK. We want a nice, clean fight. Nothing below the belt. Keep your hands up. As this year's political competition kicks in to high gear, let's make sure the discourse brings dignity to the city, not disgrace. In a nation where ideology seems to trump pragmatism, we want to remind the candidates running for the school board and the City Council that political infighting and cynicism only bring on more of the same. And in the end, it clouds the issues and the voter pays the price.

Ex-councilwoman pleads guilty to cocaine possession and child endangerment charges.PASADENA -- Former Burbank City Councilwoman Stacey Murphy pleaded guilty Thursday to felony cocaine possession and misdemeanor child endangerment charges, avoiding a prison term in exchange for agreeing to enter a drug counseling program. If the 47-year-old Murphy completes a drug diversion program and parenting classes, she can petition the court to have the convictions stemming from her July 13 arrest dismissed.

Congress has approved a request by Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democrat who represents Burbank, for $500,000 in federal funding to pay for safety improvements to Metrolink including median separators and locked gates to limit vehicular access to rail tracks including those in Burbank. The request comes on the heels of January's deadly Metrolink crash. The bill also included language from Schiff that requires the Federal Railroad Administration to study safety practices called into question after the derailment of a Metrolink train in Glendale.

The City Council on Tuesday called for a special election to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Councilwoman Stacey Murphy, who faces cocaine possession and child endangerment charges. The election is scheduled to take place on Jan. 24, 2006. Candidates can pick up papers to run starting Monday at the City Clerk's office. Completed paperwork must be returned by Oct. 28. So far, three residents have said they will run in the election: Airport Commissioner and former Mayor Bill Wiggins; optometrist and former Planning Board member David Gordon; and attorney and vice chairman of the Burbank Water and Power Board Vahe Hovanessian.

The City Council was poised to declare Stacey Murphy's council seat vacant Tuesday night, but by deadline had not set in motion a special election to take place early next year. Murphy's resignation Aug. 30 after being charged with one felony count of cocaine possession and one misdemeanor count of child endangerment means the council will operate with only four members until the vacancy is filled by voters. The council is expected to order the special election at its Sept.

o7Here are a few of the issues the council will consider Tuesday night. f7 VACANT COUNCIL SEAT The City Council will declare the seat formerly held by Stacey Murphy to be vacant. Murphy submitted her resignation on Aug. 30 explaining that she didn't want her criminal case to be a distraction to the council while it does city business. Murphy was charged last month with possession of cocaine and child endangerment. WHAT TO EXPECT The council will declare the seat vacant and on Sept.

Citing potential "distractions" stemming from her arrest on suspicion of cocaine possession and child endangerment, City Councilwoman Stacey Murphy resigned from the City Council Tuesday, ending a more than eight-year run on the dais and setting the stage for a special election to fill her seat. In a letter addressed to City Manager Mary Alvord, Murphy said it was with a heavy heart that she was stepping down from the council. "This is not an easy decision for me personally, however, for the best interests of our city, and my children, it is the right thing to do," she wrote.

Mark R. Madler Councilwoman Stacey Murphy visited a quiet residential neighborhood near Alameda and Olive avenues in January to meet with residents opposed to a mixed-use development proposed to be built nearby. Now that same neighborhood is abuzz with talk of Murphy's arrest last week on charges of cocaine possession and child endangerment. "They don't know what to think," resident Rolf Darbo said of his neighbors. "This all came out of the blue."

Mark R. Madler City Councilwoman Stacey Murphy apologized Tuesday for the distraction to the city caused by her arrest last week on drug and child endangerment charges. In a statement read at Tuesday's council meeting, Murphy said she would be absent from the meetings until her Aug. 25 initial court appearance but did intend to fulfill the job she was elected to do. "I plan on continuing throughout my entire term," Murphy said in the statement.

AT ISSUE: Should Councilwoman Stacey Murphy, arrested last week on charges of drug possession and child endangerment, resign her post on the council? Hmmm. Child endangerment, cocaine possession, affiliation with someone who's allegedly running guns to a street gang involved with a Burbank police officer's murder ... that's a tough one. I can see Burbank's mayor wanting to continue to give Councilwoman Stacey Murphy his support (it's so reassuring that our city is being governed by people who have their priorities straight)