Culver City

BELLARMINE-JEFFERSON HIGH — Playing in a Santa Cruz League that provides the Bellarmine-Jefferson High girls’ volleyball team with minimal competition, Guards’ Coach Miguel Segura decided to beef up his team’s nonleague schedule this season. This year, Bell-Jeff took on its share of larger schools and programs that would provide qualify opposition, teams like Culver City, Arcadia, Hart and Chatsworth. Segura was hoping the experience would pay dividends come playoff time.

GLENDALE — An additional tax that could steer Glendale and Burbank school districts away from a looming funding cliff has piqued the interest of administrators, especially with the latest warning coming down from Sacramento. A parcel tax, which recently won in Culver City and failed in Long Beach, could preserve teaching jobs, class sizes, and arts and athletic programs that might otherwise face additional cuts as state financing fails to meet budget projections. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger predicted Tuesday that there would be additional cuts in education and other funding as the state continues to grapple with a budget cap between $5 billion and $7 billion.

Joyce Rudolph GLENDALE -- A rare color short starring those beloved knuckleheads the Three Stooges will soitinely entertain when The Alex Film Society presents the third holiday film series on Saturday, Nov. 25, at The Alex Theatre. This year, the society has tracked down a color print of "Nertsery Rhymes" from 1933 for two screenings, at 2 and 8 p.m. The MGM short has never been shown on television. "It may be the only one in existence," said Randy Carter, president of the society.

CULVER CITY — A 20-13 season-opening loss to West Los Angeles College was a bitter pill to swallow for a Glendale Community College football team that had hoped to hit the ground running smoothly. If anything could make the Vaqueros’ debacle of a first half — the main culprit in the loss — a bit easier to digest, a second half in which Glendale college held the host Oilers scoreless, put together its first touchdown drive of the year and ultimately gave itself a strong chance Saturday to salvage a win would likely fit the bill.

CITY HALL — The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved sending to its congressmen a prioritized catalog of local projects — including a new library, two swimming pools and dashboard-mounted video recorders for police cars — eligible to receive federal funding. City executives have in the past month met with representatives of Reps. Brad Sherman and Adam Schiff with the goal of securing earmarks to pay for 25 projects totaling $112.8 million, including 12 top-tier projects tallying $107.

It’s not uncommon to see some of the Burbank High softball players pestering ace pitcher Kristin Peraza before a game. The Bulldogs needle, instigate and even deliberately infuriate the junior right-hander — all in the name of winning. “My teammates say that I pitch better when I’m mad,” Peraza said. “So, they purposely try and get me mad before a game so that I can pitch better. It’s worked, so I tell them to keep it up.” The practice has worked wonders for Peraza this season, as she has enjoyed a wildly successful campaign.

RickBOYS' BASKETBALL: Burroughs senior nets nine three-pointers and 40 points in leading team to Bell-Jeff tourney title.BELLARMINE-JEFFERSON HIGH -- Burroughs High guard Kevin Deeb had those in attendance -- along with the Hamilton team -- shaking their heads in amazement after the championship boys' basketball game of the Bellarmine-Jefferson Holiday Classic. Through one half, the senior shooting guard scored 28 of his career-best 40 points, on a night in which he drilled nine of 11 from beyond the three-point arc. Deeb's outburst, along with point guard Ryan Vergara's 12 points and center Sean Anderson's 10, was enough for the Indians to defeat the Yankees, 83-67, Saturday to capture the tournament title.

BURBANK — For the first time in many years, the softball teams from Burbank and Burroughs highs finished among the top three squads in their league. Although Crescenta Valley captured the Pacific League championship, the Bulldogs finished runner-up and the Indians placed third. Because of their successes, seven players — four from Burbank and three from Burroughs — from the teams were honored as all-league selections. “We had a very good group of players,” Burbank Coach Nicole Drabecki said.

AS IF YOU ASKED Apparently Burbank's finances are in absurdly good shape, because at this week's meeting, a 3-2 City Council majority, acting as the Redevelopment Agency, voted to virtually throw away $25,000. That's what the city is paying to bring the "Method Fest" to Burbank, a film festival honoring work done by unknown "breakout actors in independent films." Based upon the presentation by city staff, information about this supposedly popular and well-known festival is surely old news to most of you. But in case you're among the handful who don't know as much about the film industry as the city's redevelopment offices, next year's Method Fest will be the fifth annual event.