Lawn

The letter from Carolyn Berlin concerning Burbank’s Sustainable Water Use Ordinance (“Concerns about water regulations,” Sept. 19) brings up a very important point about the lawn-watering rules. In Burbank, watering is now limited to three days per week: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Each station is limited to no more than 15 minutes. Berlin points out that a significant portion of her landscape is on a slope, and watering for 15 minutes continuously would create significant water runoff.

DOWNTOWN — Before embarking on an Alaskan cruise, Fred Baldino took the early-morning rains to mean that his lawn could go the week without water. So the 87-year-old did what city officials for years have been instructing: He shut off his water. But when he and his wife returned to their North Keystone Street home, the lawn had severely dried. “It was so brown that we tried . . . three different kinds of fertilizers,” Baldino said. “And nothing worked.

Sadly, we weren't surprised when our first Kerry/Edwards sign was taken off our lawn last week. We are American taxpayers. We believe in the Constitution, which among other things, allows us the freedom to practice our own beliefs and the freedom to speak our minds. We believe in democracy, which supports multiple parties and free elections. Democracies didn't exist in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. Democracies don't exist in Cuba or Iran or even Iraq, which after its election of Saddam Hussein in the 1960s, never held another election.

Laura Sturza TOLUCA LAKE -- Hovering over the grave site are three friendly ghosts, stand-ins for Kent and Shelley Zbornak and their 3-year-old son, Alec, at their front lawn graveyard fantasy. These ghosts lovingly watch over the Halloween headstones that honor and highlight the personalities of the Zbornak's very much alive dogs, with epitaphs such as, "Cameron the pooch, he loved chasing cars. Except not that last one." Often the handmade stones portray topical themes, like last year's, "Here lie our investments in Firestone tires."

DOWNTOWN — Before embarking on an Alaskan cruise, Fred Baldino took the early-morning rains to mean that his lawn could go the week without water. So the 87-year-old did what city officials for years have been instructing: He shut off his water. But when he and his wife returned to their North Keystone Street home, the lawn had severely dried. “It was so brown that we tried . . . three different kinds of fertilizers,” Baldino said. “And nothing worked.

Homes with ghoulish decorations for Halloween may not have the benefit of exposure on Burbank's public television station this year, but that hasn't stopped the would-be witches of the Halloween holiday from going crazy with seasonal décor. A cross-section of the city's families are still going all-out in their efforts to frighten children and pass out goodies. The path leading to the front door of Francis Hobaugh's house, for instance, is lined with pitchforks and her doorway crawls with giant spiders.

Irma Lemus MAGNOLIA PARK -- Arriving home from a weekend camping trip to find a 50-pound toilet sitting on her chimney wasn't all that shocking, said Wendy Etter. After all, she and other family members have been playing pranks on each other for the past 20 years. Etter, 42, found the toilet on her roof when she, her husband Jim, and their three children -- Steve, 15, Darlene, 11 and Danny, 9 -- returned from Carpenteria Monday night. The white porcelain toilet was perched on the chimney of their Fairview Street home.

Water laws have too many problems While you’re at it City Council, let’s control population growth too. Hold a sec — that would solve not only a water crisis but much of society’s ills. Hey, follow China’s example. If leaders in government had curbed illegal immigration (I stress “illegal”) would this discussion even be in session? Ah, hold a sec — maybe, regardless. As I read the most recent article on the draconian water laws (“Council passes water rules,” May 20)

I attended the Fourth of July festivities up at the Starlight Bowl. It was the first time I had attended an event at the Bowl, and I think it is a wonderful venue. The fireworks were great, and the music was a great plus. And the food ? a barbecued tri-tip sandwich and an ear of roasted corn for $6 That is great. Any other venue, and you would spend $12, and the food wouldn't have been as good. But I think the way the event is put on really needs some attention. First of all, the event seemed to be oversold, at least the lawn seats.

Two men were charged with petty theft Friday for allegedly stealing election lawn signs belonging to Burbank Unified school board candidate Charlene Tabet, officials said. The men - Sevada Isayan and Vahe Assarian - were reportedly seen leaving former school board member Denise Wilcox's Burbank home with Tabet's sign. “They jumped out of the car and grabbed the sign,” Wilcox said Friday. After the incident, Wilcox said her husband ran to his car and tailed the suspects while calling the police.

The 59-year-old Burbank man who was found dead in front of a house Friday night died of a heart attack, authorities said Monday. The man - identified as Artashes Sarkisian - had suffered from heart disease, said Los Angeles County Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter. Authorities found Sarkisian near the front lawn of a house in the 300 block of Via Montana around 7:30 p.m. near a dog, said Burbank Police Sgt. Gerry Misquez. Sarkisian lived in the neighborhood, police said.

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.

DOWNTOWN — Before embarking on an Alaskan cruise, Fred Baldino took the early-morning rains to mean that his lawn could go the week without water. So the 87-year-old did what city officials for years have been instructing: He shut off his water. But when he and his wife returned to their North Keystone Street home, the lawn had severely dried. “It was so brown that we tried . . . three different kinds of fertilizers,” Baldino said. “And nothing worked.

DOWNTOWN — Before embarking on an Alaskan cruise, Fred Baldino took the early-morning rains to mean that his lawn could go the week without water. So the 87-year-old did what city officials for years have been instructing: He shut off his water. But when he and his wife returned to their North Keystone Street home, the lawn had severely dried. “It was so brown that we tried . . . three different kinds of fertilizers,” Baldino said. “And nothing worked.

To the City Council and City Manager Mike Flad, I read about your actions regarding mandatory landscape watering (“Stricter water limits take another step,” Sept. 2) and wish to provide some information for your consideration prior to your second reading. In Burbank, many single-family homes are not constructed on flat lots. Ours is a good example of a home that was built in 1928 on a lot that was not graded in front, but instead sits high up off the street with a steep incline where our front lawn existed when we purchased our home and most likely since it was built.

The letter from Carolyn Berlin concerning Burbank’s Sustainable Water Use Ordinance (“Concerns about water regulations,” Sept. 19) brings up a very important point about the lawn-watering rules. In Burbank, watering is now limited to three days per week: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Each station is limited to no more than 15 minutes. Berlin points out that a significant portion of her landscape is on a slope, and watering for 15 minutes continuously would create significant water runoff.

Michael Jackson’s funeral Thursday at Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park was, for all its anticipation, a relatively subdued affair — absent of the chaos that poured into streets for his Los Angeles memorial in July. The crowd that amassed outside the cemetery’s South Glendale Avenue wrought-iron gates was largely made up of local and international media, who were confined to the perimeter. The funeral service started an hour late, with the 26-vehicle Jackson motorcade arriving about 8:30 p.m. Dozens of fans carried signs and cheered as the motorcade passed Los Feliz Road and Glendale Avenue as Jackson’s music played in the background.