Common Sense

Despite a gloomy June, officials warned of dangerous fire conditions in the hillsides created by Southern California’s fourth consecutive drought year. Scarce rain in recent years has left hillside vegetation tinder dry, prompting fire officials throughout Glendale and the foothills to renew calls for clearing brush from around homes. “Residents need to get rid of weeds [around their homes] and any flammable ornamental vegetation that is up against their home,” said Los Angeles County Fire Capt.

While the trial involving 58-year-old Nadine Kay Hays and her alleged smack on a federal airport security agent who tried to take her mother’s applesauce has yet to get underway, the fact that it’s even gotten to this point is a hair-pulling example of bureaucratic stubbornness and lack of judgment. As the video of the incident, pulled from security footage and posted on the Internet, clearly shows, this was not a typical case of battery. Hays, who was traveling with her 93-year-old mother to Nashville, Tenn.

Amber Willard BURBANK -- Getting a flu shot this year may prove to be more difficult than in 1999, following news that vaccine distribution has been delayed. "They have had difficulty manufacturing one component of the vaccine," said Katharine Durso, a physician at Glendale Memorial Hospital, of companies that make influenza vaccines. Each year, new vaccine formulas are developed after studying mutations of the three primary strains from the previous year, Durso said, citing information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Claudia Peschiutta BURBANK -- One of the nation's most well-known gun control lobbies is targeting a local congressional candidate with its "Dangerous Dozen" list. Handgun Control, a nonprofit organization headed by Jim and Sarah Brady, this week placed Rep. James Rogan (R-Burbank) on its roster of legislators with "pro-gun" records. "Jim Rogan had a truly horrible record of voting against common sense gun laws in California and he's continued that in Congress," said Luis Tolley, the group's western regional director.

The Great Pumpkin was not among the 800 golden globes Tuesday in Bret Harte Elementary School's pumpkin patch. Nevertheless, all the pumpkins, donated by the school's PTA, were eagerly snapped up by the students, and will be used for lessons all week, second-grade teacher Bonnie Shatun said. "In their journals, I will be asking them to describe their pumpkins using as many adjectives as possible," Shatun said, adding that students will also use the pumpkins in math classes.

Re Wesley Greene's letter ("There are no problems ..." Jan. 2): No, Wesley, at least in my case, I am not being harassed by the post office. In all fairness, I have to say that I have had good carriers. For 14 years, my two carriers maybe made three mistakes. Substitute carriers were a different story. They made a lot of mistakes. Now, there have been more mistakes, but nothing like what Talbert Kanigher has described. However, I am not doubting what he has written to the Leader.

Maya Kukes BURBANK -- Spaghetti straps and backless: OK. Bare midriff? That's a tricky one. Blame it on Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez. In the wake of fashion trends toward more revealing everyday clothes, officials at local high schools are compiling specific guidelines for the upcoming prom season, in hopes of preventing risque problems. Burbank High School had a fashion show last week to illustrate suitable prom attire and distributed a detailed letter to the senior class on Friday.

Regarding "Officials looking to save energy," Saturday: I am sure we all have thought of this every time we drive down a residential street and see someone watering their driveway or sidewalk for the sake of a few leaves. I think that the No. 1 way to conserve water is by utilizing objects that are just as effective in cleaning, other than the hose. Everyone should buy a broom or electric blower to start. Just like the light bulb program, perhaps Burbank may want to pursue implementing such programs.

This city is made for walking In response to Robert Phipps’ monumentally wrongheaded opinion article about the Chandler Bikeway (“We can’t undo evolution of bike lane,” Community Commentary, Wednesday): There are hundreds of miles of bike-free sidewalks in Burbank and only a few miles of bikeway. People walking on the bikeway can expect to encounter bicyclists moving at 15 to 20 mph on their left and must pay attention accordingly. It’s common sense.

Rima Shah Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's decision to delay an impending change in nursing ratios drew the ire of the state's nursing association as well as a lawsuit, but local hospital officials are siding with the governor. Hospital officials agreed with the governor's stance that they were not ready to hire more nurses in time for the smaller nurse-to-patient ratio mandated in 2005. The California Nurses Assn. lawsuit was the latest in a series of clashes with the governor over that nurse-to-patient ratio.