Pedestrians

Three 18-year-old men and two juveniles could face felony assault charges after Burbank police this week arrested them on suspicion of committing a rash of paintball assaults — including shots at a girl on a bike, seniors and a 16-year-old boy. Cars and buildings were also targeted. Thirteen paintball incidents were reported late last week, but victims provided only vague descriptions of the perpetrators. Vehicle descriptions proved to be a key factor in catching the men, all of them from Los Angeles, said Burbank Police Lt. Jay Hawver.

A 77-year-old Burbank man died early Wednesday from injuries he sustained when he was struck Monday while in a West Victory Boulevard crosswalk. The man, Michel Barone, was taken to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills after suffering serious head trauma, Burbank police said. Los Angeles County coroner officials said Barone died at 1:20 a.m. Wednesday, but they were still waiting on the results of an autopsy to determine the official cause of death. The investigation remained ongoing Thursday, and authorities said no charges had been filed against the 48-year-old Burbank driver, Manny Castillo.

Three people on Nov. 17 were struck by either BBs or pellets while walking in their respective residential neighborhoods, police reported. At 3:15 p.m., a 50-year-old man was walking near Winona Avenue and North Lamer Street when he was shot in the back of the leg. He was unable to see who or where the shots came from. Half an hour later, about 21/2 miles away, two young boys were also shot in the back of their legs with a similar weapon — either a BB or pellet gun — near South Kenneth Road and East Verdugo Avenue, according to the police reports.

The flashing sign says "road construction 5/2-8/27/2010," but we just received notification of what is being constructed with this month's Burbank Water and Power bill. I was hoping to read that some extraordinarily energy-efficient modifications were being made, or perhaps another set of stacks that billow steam into the Burbank sky. New offices for utility employees? After all, a full block was literally torn up, sidewalks, gutters, half the street, all the trees, bushes, lawns, retaining walls, buildings and who knows what else buried beneath it all. The green notice in my bill advised me of what all the commotion is about: green street improvements coming to Lake Street, which is "being converted into an attractive, pedestrian-friendly environment … new trees, new shrubs, energy-efficient lighting.

BURBANK ? Plans to revitalize a 3.2-mile stretch of Olive Avenue drew mixed reaction from business owners and cyclists this week during a series of public input meetings. The Olive Avenue Streetscape Project from Lake Street to Lakeside Avenue could include landscaped medians, trees, benches, bicycle racks, public art and gathering places. In July, the City Council allocated about $265,000 to fund beginning stages of the project, which drew competing responses from more than 50 residents.

BURBANK — About 200 people Saturday helped the Burbank Community YMCA put a dent in its goal to log 10 million steps as part of a better-health initiative. The second annual Walk in the Park had people trek one mile around the perimeter of McCambridge Park for about 2,000 steps. YMCA instructors are also converting swimming, gymnastics, bicycling and other activities into “steps” to achieve the Burbank YMCA multimillion-step goal. The event Saturday was hosted with America on the Move, a nonprofit that challenges participants to add 2,000 steps and subtract 1,000 calories from their daily routines.

Construction set for rest of week As part of the $47-million Caltrans project, road crews are tearing down the former Hollywood Way-Alameda Avenue bridge abutment and support wall along the Ventura (134) Freeway. Overnight construction is planned for 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. through the end of the week. Construction on the three-year project is expected to end next summer, with a series of detours planned to assist pedestrians and drivers. The California Department of Transportation last week opened the Hollywood Way-Alameda Avenue bridge and closed the Pass Avenue bridge as part of the next phase of construction.