Home Depot

A federal judge has ruled that Home Depot's attempt to obtain all social-networking posts by a former manager of its Burbank store was overly broad. U.S. Magistrate Judge Suzanne Segal rejected the company's motion earlier this month, but did rule that Home Depot had the right to some social-networking communications as long as they're between former manager Danielle Mailhoit, who is suing the retailer for discrimination, and any current or former company employees, as long as they are related to her employment or the lawsuit.

A U.S. District Court judge has ordered an independent mental evaluation of a former manager of a Home Depot in Burbank who claims she was fired due to gender discrimination and because she suffers from vertigo. Danielle Mailhoit contends in her lawsuit that the company did not make appropriate accommodations for her condition, an allegation the Home Depot denies. The company counters that there were valid reasons for letting her go, stating “there existed legitimate, nondiscriminatory and nonretaliatory reasons” for her dismissal.

Nearby day laborer center also opens after city approves contract with Catholic Charities to operate facility.SOUTH SAN FERNANDO DISTRICT -- As the first customer at the new Home Depot store, Alberto Moreno knew just what he came to buy. Moreno made a beeline for the aisle containing the DeWalt six-tool combo kit and then checked out, pushing a cart containing the box with the tools inside. "I'm in construction so I need these tools," Moreno said. "A friend told me about the store and to come buy the tools here."

Mark R. Madler A controversial day laborer center at a new home improvement store remains in the city's future even as a legal battle ensues in neighboring Glendale over access laborers have to seeking work. The laborer center would be built in conjunction with the Home Depot store, which workers began constructing this month in the 1200 block of Flower Street, but to be effective needs an accompanying city ordinance to make sure it is used, city officials said.

Gretchen Hoffman Shoppers at a Home Depot store set to open in about a year and a half will be able to walk to Glendale and back without leaving the store. At Tuesday's Redevelopment Agency meeting, the Glendale City Council voted unanimously to go ahead with the 140,000-square-foot hardware headquarters, which will straddle the two cities at 1200 S. Flower St. in Burbank and 801 Allen Ave. in Glendale. The cities will divvy up the sales-tax revenues in proportion to how much of the store sits in each city -- 77% to Burbank and 23% to Glendale -- in the first tax-sharing venture between the neighbors, Glendale City Manager Jim Starbird said.

Will Rogers First, I want you to know that the election results were not available before the deadline on this column. I haven't forgotten that you're reading this on the day after election day. I just can't do anything about it. Next, I have to declare that I have spent thousands of dollars at Home Depot, a warehouse-like enterprise that offers a mind-boggling array of building materials, tools and other stuff...

Jackson Bell A home-improvement warehouse known for attracting day laborers will have to provide a facility for temporary workers if it wants to open in the city. The City Council unanimously approved an agreement with Home Depot at Tuesday's meeting, requiring the retailer to pay the yearly operational cost of $94,000 for a day-labor center, which will be at the store at 1200 S. Flower St. "If Home Depot comes in, there will be day laborers," Mayor Stacey Murphy said.

Well, bravo to Howard Rothenbach for his appeal of the City Council's decision to allow the Home Depot's day-labor complex. The illegal immigrant problem in this country costs the United States taxpayers billions of dollars per year nationally; now it would cost Home Depot $94,000 annually here in Burbank alone. That's $94,000 that could be going into the pockets of hard-working employees at the Home Depot, people who pay taxes and abide legally within the country.

To the Burbank City Council: You sat and listened, but did you hear? Did your "oath of office" mean anything to you? What was it that you all didn't understand? What was not conveyed by the 20-plus Burbank residents who gave credence to our position? Or was it the small-town council members playing with the Fortune 500 Home Depot that clouded -- no, not just clouded, but dazzled -- you into thinking you were now playing with the "big boys"? The big boys had to be right with whatever they were selling.

Two men were arrested Tuesday after allegedly trying to steal $800 worth of electrical wires from the Home Depot in Burbank, police said. The men -- Kostia Manoukian, 71, and Bagrat Badalyan, 33, of Glendale and North Hollywood, respectively -- allegedly filled a shopping cart with the wires around 1:15 p.m., and then walked out without paying for them, said Burbank Police Sgt. Darin Ryburn. The pair was detained by loss prevention officers, who called the police.  The men were arrested at the home improvement store at 1200 South Flower Street on suspicion of burglary, Ryburn said.

A discrimination lawsuit filed by a former manager of a Home Depot in Burbank against the company was settled earlier this month, court records show. Last month, a U.S. District judge ordered an independent mental evaluation of Danielle Mailhoit, who claimed she was fired in 2010 due to gender discrimination and because she suffers from vertigo. She claimed the company didn't make appropriate accommodations for her condition, an allegation Home Depot denies. The company countered that there were valid reasons for Mailhoit's termination, stating “there existed legitimate, nondiscriminatory and nonretaliatory reasons” for her dismissal.

A U.S. District Court judge has ordered an independent mental evaluation of a former manager of a Home Depot in Burbank who claims she was fired due to gender discrimination and because she suffers from vertigo. Danielle Mailhoit contends in her lawsuit that the company did not make appropriate accommodations for her condition, an allegation the Home Depot denies. The company counters that there were valid reasons for letting her go, stating “there existed legitimate, nondiscriminatory and nonretaliatory reasons” for her dismissal.

A federal judge has ruled that Home Depot's attempt to obtain all social-networking posts by a former manager of its Burbank store was overly broad. U.S. Magistrate Judge Suzanne Segal rejected the company's motion earlier this month, but did rule that Home Depot had the right to some social-networking communications as long as they're between former manager Danielle Mailhoit, who is suing the retailer for discrimination, and any current or former company employees, as long as they are related to her employment or the lawsuit.

DreamWorks secures new path for 18 films The Burbank-based studio saw renewed opportunity this week after it announced that it had finalized a deal providing enough capital to make about 18 films over the next three years. The move means Steven Spielberg and his business partner in the venture, India-based Reliance Big Entertainment, which owns a 50% stake, will now be fully able to realize the long-held plans for independent filmmaking decisions. ? Home Depot earnings beat expectations Home Depot beat Wall Street expectations Tuesday with the release of its second-quarter earnings report.

The following were taken from reports filed at the Burbank Police Department:    200 Block of Providencia Avenue : A Panorama City man reported that his 2006 Dodge Magnum was vandalized after someone poured a caustic chemical on the vehicle, which damaged the paint and cracked the windows of the vehicle on Thursday.  600 Block of San Jose Avenue : A 16-year-old Burbank girl was arrested Thursday on suspicion of vandalism after she allegedly threw a rock through a neighbor’s window.

BURBANK ? Protests and demonstrations at the Home Depot day labor center have racked up law enforcement costs of more than $46,000, prompting worries that the extra costs are a burden on city coffers. Between Sept. 30 and April 21, Burbank Police responded to 11 incidents involving anti-illegal immigration protests against center, which offers employment assistance to workers who are often not United States citizens, according to a Burbank Police memo. The memo has raised questions from residents about the purpose of the $94,000 annual fee that Home Depot pays to the city, intended to cover costs related to the center.

SOUTH SAN FERNANDO DISTRICT -- Flags, bullhorns, and shouting protesters flanked Burbank's new day labor center on Saturday, bringing for the first time a controversy that has raged across Southern California to the fledgling center and to the Home Depot that helped finance it. The protest, organized by Save Our State founder Joe Turner, was staged to bring attention to a phenomenon the group feels is supporting illegal immigration. A group of about 100 counter-protesters met the Save Our State members, however, hoping to drown the organization's message with one of their own. "Immigrants should have the same rights to work and feed their families as anyone else," said Burbank resident Malena Hinze.