Economy

Concerns about the future and economy have pushed some people to seek the advice of psychics and fortunetellers. While the No. 1 question people ask is still about love, psychics who work at the Psychic Eye Book Shop in Burbank have noticed that more people have begun asking whether they will lose their jobs or keep their houses, shop co-owner Mary Kara said. ?The economy has affected so many people,? she said. ?The world has changed. They want some direction and feel psychics could help guide them.

A round-table gathering of seven business and economic leaders from Los Angeles County and the region gathered Wednesday in Pasadena to address concerns about the economy, energy prices and the recent closure of 33 IndyMac banks throughout California. The forum was organized by Rep. Adam Schiff, who said its impetus was grounded in a recent telephone town hall meeting that he held in which “80[%] to 90% of the questions that were raised had to do with the economy.” “There’s a level of insecurity in this country that we haven’t seen in years, maybe in decades,” said Schiff, adding that the primary factors were the slumping housing market and soaring energy costs based on “the world’s increasing demand, instability and the finite supply.

Yes, we know. We?re in a recession. The latest unemployment figures are grim, both statewide and locally ? 12.2% for the state as a whole, 10.4% in Burbank and 11.1% in Glendale. The September numbers, released this week from the California Economic Development Department, are worse than the month prior, with the labor force shrinking by 800 in Glendale and 400 in Burbank. The impacts are increasingly obvious. Stop by the Verdugo Jobs Center sometime. On any given weekday, hard-working people caught in this maelstrom sit at computers, revising resumes that will likely be ignored, making connections for jobs that don?

Karen S. Kim While some legislative candidates on November's ballot have done little to campaign for an election just three months away, North Hollywood teacher Ingrid Geyer has been pounding the pavement. The 58-year-old Los Angeles Unified School District teacher, who is challenging Assemblyman Dario Frommer (D-Burbank) of the 43rd District, has been keeping busy in the past several weeks, canvassing neighborhoods and meeting voters. "I tell people, 'I'm just like you and everybody I encounter every day,'" Geyer said.

The suffering Burbank economy got a rare triple play this week: a new comedy club, 24 Hour Fitness and news that Conan O’Brien would film his new show here. Though the economy is fluid, the city still has the goods to capture some of the runoff. O’Brien’s new venture is projected to create dozens of new jobs and trickle down benefits to peripheral businesses — restaurants, production services and other shops. A new Flappers Comedy Club in downtown should generate more foot traffic for nearby storefronts.

Jackson Bell August brought lower unemployment rates than July throughout Los Angeles County, but area authorities said the decline in numbers aren't as straightforward as they seem. "It is dropping because the number of job seekers is decreasing," said Bill Freed, the labor market specialist for California's Employment Development Department. "It's very possible people have become discouraged and have stopped looking for work." Don Nakamoto, a labor market specialist for Glendale, said one of the main factors is the seasonal differences.

Hooray for Hollywood! Just think, new episodes of “Desperate Housewives,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Office,” “30 Rock” and “CSI” are on the horizon if the two-month-old writers strike ends this weekend as sources suggest. And with it, most importantly, an entire regional economy including those whose livelihoods depend on writing or the shows that are written, will begin coming out of economic doldrums at a time when doldrums make up much of the business and economic news.

Should Rep. Adam Schiff be defended? For that matter, should President Obama be held liable for the national deficit, the stimulus plan, the bloated budget and the health-care-cost trends? In his March 10 letter, “Representative trying to kill the economy,” Brian Stauffer expressed his fear of more deficits and demanded fiscal prudence for the sake of the future of our nation. I fully agree with his sentiments. Washington seems to have forsaken our financial future.

LA CAÑADA — Seizing momentum of anti-tax Tea Parties where Americans vent their frustrations over government spending, Republicans from throughout the Southland descended on Jeffers’ estate Saturday for an All American Rally. Dozens of fiscal conservatives gathered to oppose what they characterized as the Obama administration’s imprudent bailout of corporate America and the inclination of lawmakers to balance yawning budget gaps on the backs of taxpayers. “Even Franklin Roosevelt never came close to deficit spending of the type that has been done already within a year after the pull of the trap door on this economy,” said Wayne Jett, managing principal of Classical Capital LLC. “The kind of debt that is being gathered for our children and our grandchildren can never be paid off and can only be used as an excuse for raising taxes forever so that we will never come back to a full, open and growing economy.

Airline passenger traffic at Bob Hope Airport dropped by 6% in May compared to the same period last year, according to the latest figures - marking the third consecutive monthly drop that has pushed revenue below projections. The airport reported drops of 5% in March and 5.2% in April. Ontario Airport reported a similar passenger decrease for May at 5.8%. There were 360,339 passengers flying into and out of the Bob Hope Airport in May, down from 383,481 passengers the same period last year, according to a report to the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority.

A bus service geared toward local youth may be destined to end this summer after a transportation task force determined last week that it no longer is financially viable. The Got Wheels! bus service was intended to transport young people around the city, but money for the program has dwindled to the point that officials say it no longer makes financial sense. Jim Moore of Moore and Associates, a transit consultant for the city, said last week that other cities with programs similar to Got Wheels!

Burbank's pedestrian safety record improved in 2009 among similarly sized cities in California, according to a recent state report. The California Office of Traffic Safety last week ranked Burbank as 31 out of 56 in overall pedestrian safety among cities with a population of 100,001 to 250,000 — with the 56th position being the safest — for 2009, the most recent figures. In 2008, the city's record was worse, coming in at 11 among 55 cities. Burbank moved up one spot from third- to the fourth-worst record of collisions involving senior pedestrians in 2009.

GLENDALE — Nonprofit officials across the region have been able to meet an ever growing need for food and toys this holiday season, but they say they’re worried about keeping up with the demand into next year. Donations for the Salvation Army Glendale’s iconic red kettle campaign are down 50% compared to two years ago, officials reported Wednesday. As of Wednesday morning, the annual fundraising drive had netted roughly $35,000 — less than half the $75,000 raised during the 2008 holiday season, said Rick White, director of social services for the nonprofit.

With the economy still sagging, many youth sports organizations are feeling the pinch. The result is depleted numbers and a cutback in services for many organizations. However, despite the downturn, the Burbank Vikings Youth Tackle Football program is going strong. In fact, this season the Vikings will have more than 300 players and cheerleaders taking part in the program and will field 10 football teams — tied for the most ever. Last season, about 250 girls and boys participated in the Vikings.

The suffering Burbank economy got a rare triple play this week: a new comedy club, 24 Hour Fitness and news that Conan O’Brien would film his new show here. Though the economy is fluid, the city still has the goods to capture some of the runoff. O’Brien’s new venture is projected to create dozens of new jobs and trickle down benefits to peripheral businesses — restaurants, production services and other shops. A new Flappers Comedy Club in downtown should generate more foot traffic for nearby storefronts.

[DEVELOPING] A comprehensive review of the Burbank Fire Department identified dozens of ways to improve, although some measures will have to be put on hold until the economy recovers, officials said. The 64 recommendations range from installing smoke/heat detection and fire sprinklers in the training center classroom, to developing a plan for ongoing security at all six fire stations. The suggestions provided by Emergency Services Consulting International were prioritized by the firm and department and classified as completed, in progress or on hold due to budgetary concerns.

Should Rep. Adam Schiff be defended? For that matter, should President Obama be held liable for the national deficit, the stimulus plan, the bloated budget and the health-care-cost trends? In his March 10 letter, “Representative trying to kill the economy,” Brian Stauffer expressed his fear of more deficits and demanded fiscal prudence for the sake of the future of our nation. I fully agree with his sentiments. Washington seems to have forsaken our financial future.

For those who have been lucky enough to enjoy a long, illustrious performance career, a turn behind the scenes can offer its own kind of magic. Jamie Nichols found that several decades in the spotlight was enough. The Glendale native relished her 23 years at the helm of Fast Feet dance company, earning numerous accolades in one year, including three prestigious Lester Horton awards, which are presented annually by the Dance Resource Center of Greater Los Angeles. But then, said Nichols, at a characteristically vibrant clip, “I just didn’t feel compelled to continue.

Unemployment will remain high into 2011, but the local economy should begin to recover as entertainment industry spending grows and a surge of government jobs spurs activity, according to the latest forecast from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation. While job losses in Burbank and Glendale are expected to continue in the short term, the addition of more than 3,000 San Fernando Valley jobs as part of the U.S. Census Bureau’s decennial survey will help boost the area economy, according to the forecast.