Los Angeles County

BURBANK — Television, commercial and film production shoots have shown small gains from last quarter, but remain significantly down from last year. A writers strike at the end of 2007, screen actors’ turmoil last year and an economic collapse have dried up thousands of job opportunities in Glendale, Burbank and across the county. The latest figures from the main film production permitting group, FilmLA, represented the latest round of bad news for studio-rich Burbank and Glendale.

At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Mayor Gary Bric read a statement regarding the issues facing the Burbank Police Department. This statement was drafted by Bric and me and approved by the entire City Council. We felt that the community needed to hear from their City Council regarding the seriousness of the issues facing our police department and what the city has been and is doing to address them. Unfortunately, I believe the story that ran in the Wednesday Burbank Leader (“FBI probes Police Dept.

CITY CENTER — A sharp-tongued government critic is scheduled to appear in Burbank Superior Court on Monday after pleading not guilty Friday to felony counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition, prosecutors said. Edward Guerrero, 51, was taken Thursday to Twin Towers Correctional Facility, where he has been held in lieu of $35,000 bail. Burbank police arrested Guerrero on Sept. 16. A preliminary hearing is planned for Oct. 1, said Jane Robison, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

HANSEN DAM PARK — An ongoing homicide investigation cast a cloud over a prayer gathering at the Station fire interagency command center here early Friday for two firefighters who died battling the massive blaze, which authorities now believe was deliberately set. After firefighters met for the brief service, Incident Commander Mike Dietrich briefed reporters on the status of the 148,258-acre blaze and denounced the deadly act of arson that...

LA CAÑADA — Thousands of residents were ordered to evacuate their homes during the weekend after an approximately 35,200-acre, quick-moving brush fire came dangerously close to communities. The blaze is only 5% contained and has destroyed three homes in the Angeles National Forest and 30 cabins, fire officials said. Three residents in the Big Tujunga area and Highway 2 were burned after they reportedly refused to leave during evacuations, fire officials said. The injured residents were flown by helicopter to area hospitals . More than 10,000 residents have asked to leave their homes under mandatory evacuation orders.

CITY CENTER — A 20-year-old transient accused of trying to grab the guns off two police officers pleaded not guilty Wednesday to four felony theft-related charges in Burbank Superior Court. Jerriel Ellison Sanders is being held on $100,000 bail in Los Angeles County jail after wrestling with an officer for his gun Monday inside a McDonald’s restaurant in the 1100 block of San Fernando Boulevard, said Sandi Gibbons, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

While the folks at Morton?s restaurant are committed to catering to the discerning taste buds of their carnivorous clientele who are not in the least bit fazed by a three-figure tab, the eatery is also committed to making sure that food is being served to those who will most likely never cross their threshold. The West Olive Avenue steakhouse last week staged a cocktail reception to assist in beefing up the coffers of its charity partner, Feeding America and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.

BURBANK — A North Hollywood pain management doctor awaiting a two-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to writing illegal prescriptions was found dead last weekend in his Burbank home, police said. Dr. Bernard Bass, 62, was discovered dead at 5:28 p.m. Sunday in the 800 block of East Andover Drive, Burbank Police Sgt. Thor Merich said. The case is being investigated, but police said they do not suspect foul play. The Los Angeles County coroner’s office Thursday confirmed Bass’ body was requested from the funeral home for an examination, toxicology analysis and autopsy, the results of which are expected in four to six weeks.