Christmas Tree

As the holidays season nears an end, so does the need for a Christmas tree. The City of Burbank has a few options for those of you who want to recycle your tree. Residents can take old trees to the Verdugo Park Parking lot or McCambridge Park on the Andover Drive side. The city will then turn the tree mulch into compost. The city will also be picking up trees near regular curbside trash over the next couple of weeks. -- Ross A. Benson, for Times Community News Photo: Christmas tree recycling drop-off at McCambridge Park in Burbank.

Gary Casella hovered over a 17-foot bundled Christmas tree one recent morning under a large white tent on the Burbank High School soccer field. “This one's going to the city of Burbank,” Casella, 74, said of the 19-year-old tree, one of the first he would deliver this season. Casella's 75-year-old Christmas tree business - founded in 1937 by his father, Paul Casella - has been operating in Burbank for nearly five decades. “I told my dad before he passed I'd get to 75 years,” Casella said of the business.

Good morning, readers. Today is Friday, December 21. Elijah Wood, George Lopez and other celebrities came to Studio City this week to support Henry's Tacos, but it may not be enough. The famous small taco stand is slated to close at the end of the month , reports L.A. Times . A former adviser in Toluca Lake is accused of scamming investors of over $3 million and using the money on his house, childrens' tuition and family vacations , reports the SFV Business Journal . The Burbank City Council approved new cell towers in public areas this week, reports the Burbank Leader . If you have a Christmas tree in your home, be extra cautious this weekend.

Darrell Satzman MEDIA CITY CENTER -- IKEA in Burbank will hold a canned food drive to benefit Burbank Temporary Aid Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 4 The aid center provides food, clothing, temporary shelter and other services to hundreds of needy residents each month. Customers who bring in cans of food will have their names entered into a drawing to win a catered Swedish dinner for eight in their home. The drive will fall on the same day as the store's annual Christmas tree sale, said IKEA spokeswoman Chrissy Pearce.

Molly Shore When the Beach Boys sang "Be True to Your School," Gary Casella must have been listening. For the past 14 years, Casella, a 1956 graduate of Burbank High School, has donated more than $129,000 in scholarships and gifts to his alma mater. In return, school administrators allowed Casella to set up his yearly Christmas tree lot on the northern end of the school's athletic field. "We're a complete Christmas tree operation here. We flock, we flame-proof, we deliver," Casella said.

Lolita Harper BURBANK -- The holidays are upon us, and the Salvation Army Burbank Corps is asking for volunteers to help provide hundreds of gifts for needy families through its "Angel Tree Adopt-A-Child" program. The Christmas tree, covered in cardboard angels, each representing a child in need, will be on the third floor of the Media City Center Mall through Dec. 23. Two volunteers at a time are needed to work in two-hour shifts throughout the holiday season.

Gary Moskowitz BURBANK -- Dozens of residents and companies helped The Salvation Army provide holiday treats for local families. Through food boxes, the Angel Tree Program and volunteers, The Salvation Army was able to provide gifts for 2,300 Burbank children this holiday season. The Angel Tree Program has operated in Burbank for seven years. Volunteers place a 6-foot Christmas tree on the third floor of the Media City Center and hang the names of children who residents can provide holiday gifts for. About 125 residents volunteered their time to the Angel Tree Program this year, working two-hour shifts at the Media City Center.

Creating a winter wonderland in their front yard is a family project for the Fagnani family. Eight-year-old Michael Fagnani helps his dad, Troy, decide where all the elements will go. "My son gets into it quite a bit," said Troy Fagnani. "It's quite a family thing. " Michael set up the gingerbread men, candy canes and gumdrop trees. "All the nice white cottony snow I put out by myself," Michael said. "And I put out the baby Jesus. " He did such a great job, the Burbank Civic Pride Committee dubbed it the first-place winner in the Youth category of the city's Holiday Outdoor Decorating Contest.

Laura Sturza HILLSIDE DISTRICT -- John Dincher is up in arms. His business, West Coast Auto Resale, is on a lot adjacent to a vacant, city-owned parcel that he said is at times a "dust bowl" and at others, steeped in mud. "This year it was much worse," Dincher said in December. "I had to call several times and plead with the city to cut the weeds down." He went on to say that when the city cut the weeds, it immediately rented the area to a studio.

Burbank police officials on Tuesday said the department was at “maximum deployment” as shopping mania sweeps the city's major retail centers, but urged shoppers to take precautions to avoid becoming victims of crimes. Other officials, including Burbank Mayor Jess Talamantes and state Sen. Carol Liu (D-La Cañada Flintridge), also called on the public during a news conference Tuesday to heed warnings on everything from holiday scams to making sure pets don't ingest toxic chocolate or mistletoe.

Good morning, readers. Today is Friday, December 21. Elijah Wood, George Lopez and other celebrities came to Studio City this week to support Henry's Tacos, but it may not be enough. The famous small taco stand is slated to close at the end of the month , reports L.A. Times . A former adviser in Toluca Lake is accused of scamming investors of over $3 million and using the money on his house, childrens' tuition and family vacations , reports the SFV Business Journal . The Burbank City Council approved new cell towers in public areas this week, reports the Burbank Leader . If you have a Christmas tree in your home, be extra cautious this weekend.

Gary Casella hovered over a 17-foot bundled Christmas tree one recent morning under a large white tent on the Burbank High School soccer field. “This one's going to the city of Burbank,” Casella, 74, said of the 19-year-old tree, one of the first he would deliver this season. Casella's 75-year-old Christmas tree business - founded in 1937 by his father, Paul Casella - has been operating in Burbank for nearly five decades. “I told my dad before he passed I'd get to 75 years,” Casella said of the business.

As the holidays season nears an end, so does the need for a Christmas tree. The City of Burbank has a few options for those of you who want to recycle your tree. Residents can take old trees to the Verdugo Park Parking lot or McCambridge Park on the Andover Drive side. The city will then turn the tree mulch into compost. The city will also be picking up trees near regular curbside trash over the next couple of weeks. -- Ross A. Benson, for Times Community News Photo: Christmas tree recycling drop-off at McCambridge Park in Burbank.

Burbank police officials on Tuesday said the department was at “maximum deployment” as shopping mania sweeps the city's major retail centers, but urged shoppers to take precautions to avoid becoming victims of crimes. Other officials, including Burbank Mayor Jess Talamantes and state Sen. Carol Liu (D-La Cañada Flintridge), also called on the public during a news conference Tuesday to heed warnings on everything from holiday scams to making sure pets don't ingest toxic chocolate or mistletoe.

Creating a winter wonderland in their front yard is a family project for the Fagnani family. Eight-year-old Michael Fagnani helps his dad, Troy, decide where all the elements will go. "My son gets into it quite a bit," said Troy Fagnani. "It's quite a family thing. " Michael set up the gingerbread men, candy canes and gumdrop trees. "All the nice white cottony snow I put out by myself," Michael said. "And I put out the baby Jesus. " He did such a great job, the Burbank Civic Pride Committee dubbed it the first-place winner in the Youth category of the city's Holiday Outdoor Decorating Contest.

There are only three more shopping days left until Christmas, and there are many who are undoubtedly in panic mode about finding the right gift. That's where I come in. I am ready to put on my red suit, fasten my fake white beard and get my ho-ho-ho going, all in the name of helping you poor last-minute shoppers. Although I sympathize with you guys out there, my advice is strictly for the ladies. I have the perfect gift ideas that will make the man in your life happier than a TSA agent with a line of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.

Gary Casella has sold Christmas trees in Burbank since 1937. He supplies Burbank's official holiday tree in front of City Hall. For Casella, it's all about Christmas. But this year, his holiday cheer's been hard to keep up. Just days before the Christmas trees arrived at Casella's tree lot in the 400 block of North Front Street on Dec. 1, he suffered a blood clot in his leg, putting him in the hospital for 11 days. And on the evening of Nov. 27, thieves broke into the lot, ransacked the supply trailers and escaped with thousands of dollars worth of equipment and uncashed checks in Casella's truck.

"So this is Christmas, and what have you done…another year older and a new one just begun ... " I take more pride in all the little things I do than anything else. Buying presents all through the year and putting them away finally pays off at Christmas. I have more time and fun. In reality, Christmas and the holiday season are just a spectacular end and beginning to another year of our lives. Christmas is peace, and why not? Just imagine for one moment, maybe as you stare at the lights on your Christmas tree, China is booming because China spends nothing on war. She is not fighting with anyone, although she is also not yet helping with North Korea.

BURBANK — As Christmas gives way to the new year and households start packing up their decorations, city officials have announced a number of recycling programs for that withering tree in the living room. Burbank and Glendale trash collectors will pick up Christmas trees before 7 a.m. off the curb for the first two weeks of 2010, officials said. Brace Canyon and Verdugo parks in Burbank have also been designated as recycling pick-up centers. Trees taller than 8 feet must be cut in half, and officials said all drop-offs should be without ornaments and decorations.

WINTER BREAK Four volunteers are needed each week to help with activities for the Winter Break Drop-In Activities involving arts, sports and cooking for children ages 5 to 10. Prospective volunteers must have previous volunteer experience working with children or have completed the Counselor in Training program. The first week is from Dec. 21 to 23 while the second week is from Dec. 28 to 31. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a one-hour lunch break. The location is Ovrom Community Center, 601 S. San Fernando Blvd.