Santa Monica

BURBANK HIGH - It didn't take long for the Burroughs High boys' soccer team to dig itself into a hole during its CIF Southern Section Division IV second-round playoff game against Santa Monica on Tuesday. In fact, it took just 24 seconds. The Vikings took the opening kick and quickly went downfield, tallying the only goal they would need in a 2-0 victory against the Indians at Burbank High. The loss ends the season for Burroughs (10-9-4), which placed second in the Pacific League under Coach Mike Kodama.

BURBANK - The Burbank High boys' basketball team played perhaps its finest half of the season Friday night. The effort was significant because it came in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division I-A playoffs against Santa Monica, the division's No. 2 seed and a top-30 team in the state. Not rattled by the Vikings' pedigree, the Bulldogs enjoyed a nine-point lead in the second quarter and carried that advantage into the third. But Burbank couldn't sustain its momentum, struggling in the third quarter, which allowed Santa Monica to surge ahead and escape with a 58-46 win at Burbank.

Joyce Rudolph, Weekend GLENDALE -- The owners of Lush nightclub, formerly Neon Moon, hope to fulfill the community's need for places to hear live music without a cover charge. Eric Tecosky and a group of investors took ownership Feb. 1. They also run the Lush in Santa Monica. Lush in Glendale offers no cover charge on Fridays and Saturdays with a live disco band beginning at 10 p.m. and disc jockey H2O. "We've been very successful in Santa Monica," Tecosky said.

Laura Sturza CIVIC CENTER -- Burbank firefighters will receive a retroactive pay increase that was approved unanimously by the Burbank City Council last week. Effective July 1, 2001, members of the Burbank Firefighters local number 778 will receive a 3.41% increase. In addition, the city is currently conducting a survey of area firefighters including Glendale, Pasadena, Torrance and Santa Monica. If Burbank firefighters' salaries are still not on par with nearby cities, they will be given an additional retroactive increase effective from Jan. 1, 2002.

Downtown Burbank has a new brochure that lists all its shops and restaurants, including a map and direction to Downtown. The new brochures are available at more than 300 hotels, car-rental agencies and airports in the Los Angeles area. It includes the communities of Pasadena, Beverly Hills, Downtown Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Long Beach and throughout the San Fernando Valley. The brochure will act as a fun, accessible guide to the district for customers, tourists and those interested in the area.

Linda Murphy realizes her life will be forever intertwined with volleyball. Along with being a standout player for the United States national team in the 1960s, Murphy ? a Burroughs High graduate ? was also an Olympian and has spent decades coaching and holding clinics for young players. In recent years, she has also taken up another volleyball-relayed cause. Murphy is passionate about preserving and chronicling the history of the U.S. national women's teams from throughout the years.

Jackson Bell A pair of cons reported in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica has Burbank police warning residents to be aware of fraudulent fire extinguisher inspectors. The first reported incident of the "fire extinguisher scam" occurred Oct. 7 in Santa Monica when a merchant said a suspect posing as a repairman entered the store, claimed that the fire extinguishers needed routine maintenance, collected the payment in advance and left without performing the service, Burbank Police Sgt. William Berry said.

Ted Washington of San Diego: “Jen # 3,” Purchase Award, $2,000.   Sigitas Sniras of Santa Monica: “Birth of an Ocean,” Jane Friend Appreciation Award, $1,000.   Mary Jean Mallman of Los Angeles, “2 Fletcher – 1,” Watercolor West, $200; Patron Award, $300.   Jill Van Hoogenstyn of Glendale: “Purple Wall,” Barbara Thorn-Otto Donor Award, $150; Carter Sexton Merchandise Award, $100.

The city-produced Teens in Action television show lost out last weekend for a Los Angeles Area Emmy Award. "The Truth About Drugs and Alcohol" was nominated in the Public, Municipal and Operator Produced Cable category. The winner in the category was "The Lucky Man" for CityTV, the government access cable station owned and operated by the city of Santa Monica. "It was neat for the kids to see they can produce a show of the caliber of what is recognized by the Emmys," said show producer Colleen Duffy Felix.

Gary Moskowitz WEST LOS ANGELES -- Class of 1991 Burbank High School graduate Doug Murphy is being recognized as one of Southern California's emerging contemporary artists. Murphy, also a graduate of Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, will be showing his painting "Narcissism in the Plastic Mind" in the California 2001 Open Show with 61 other artists, from Saturday until Feb. 8 in Gallery 825, 825 La Cienega Blvd. Murphy's painting was selected from more than 700 original works of art contributed by Southern California artists.

BURBANK - The Burbank High boys' basketball team played perhaps its finest half of the season Friday night. The effort was significant because it came in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division I-A playoffs against Santa Monica, the division's No. 2 seed and a top-30 team in the state. Not rattled by the Vikings' pedigree, the Bulldogs enjoyed a nine-point lead in the second quarter and carried that advantage into the third. But Burbank couldn't sustain its momentum, struggling in the third quarter, which allowed Santa Monica to surge ahead and escape with a 58-46 win at Burbank.

When Jaclyn Johnson was asked to take over the girls' basketball coaching duties at Bellarmine-Jefferson High prior to the 2010-11 season, the former Guards standout player had to live up to high expectations. In the previous eight years, former coach Bryan Camacho built the program into one of the most successful in the state. He accumulated a 183-50 record and had a .785 winning percentage. In addition, Bell-Jeff won three straight Santa Cruz League titles, a CIF Southern Section title in 2009 and captured a state championship the same year.

BURBANK HIGH - It didn't take long for the Burroughs High boys' soccer team to dig itself into a hole during its CIF Southern Section Division IV second-round playoff game against Santa Monica on Tuesday. In fact, it took just 24 seconds. The Vikings took the opening kick and quickly went downfield, tallying the only goal they would need in a 2-0 victory against the Indians at Burbank High. The loss ends the season for Burroughs (10-9-4), which placed second in the Pacific League under Coach Mike Kodama.

NORTHEAST GLENDALE — The emotions of a trying, difficult and all-around tough season were apparent on Glendale Community College Coach John Rome's face. Minutes after the Vaqueros suffered a 47-41 loss to Santa Monica College on Saturday in a Pacific Conference American Division game at Sartoris Field, Rome was in tears when he talked about the determination of his team. "These are my sons," Rome said. "I believe that. I'm proud of these guys every day. They've never quit.

PASADENA — Rep. Adam Schiff on Friday announced the start of the long-awaited study of the region's hillsides, which could lead to federal protection of the local area. The announcement was a major milestone for Schiff (D-Burbank), who began lobbying for the so-called "Rim of the Valley" study in 2001. The study was approved as part of federal legislation signed by President George W. Bush in 2008. Two years later, officials allocated $500,000 to begin the study, which will start with an exhaustive public outreach and exploration process this summer.

GIRLS? BASKETBALL Bellarmine-Jefferson 64, Santa Monica 62 : Jasmine Smith made a layup with one second left Saturday to help the Guards pull out a nonleague win on the road. Smith provided the Guards (15-4) with 21 points and 27 rebounds. Teammate Margeaux Gupilan added 15 points, as did Layana White. Leslie Lopez-Wood tied the score with two free throws with 11 seconds remaining. The Guards trailed by 10, 49-39, with six minutes remaining. Burroughs 65 Hoover 31 : Lisha Elsenbach had 16 points, eight rebounds, and four steals Friday to pace the Indians in a Pacific League win. Justice Shank added 13 points off the bench, Erika Rivera had nine points, as did Chelsea Rhamdeow and Christine Aguilar.

Musician Tom Boyd wants to provide the missing link between up-and-coming composers and film executives looking for new talent. Boyd has been blessed with much success in the entertainment industry, and it’s time for him to help others get their chance, he said. The former Burbank resident will perform at 7 tonight with composer and concert pianist Marcelo Cesena featuring well-known movie themes, original compositions and music from other major motion picture composers.

Ted Washington of San Diego: “Jen # 3,” Purchase Award, $2,000.   Sigitas Sniras of Santa Monica: “Birth of an Ocean,” Jane Friend Appreciation Award, $1,000.   Mary Jean Mallman of Los Angeles, “2 Fletcher – 1,” Watercolor West, $200; Patron Award, $300.   Jill Van Hoogenstyn of Glendale: “Purple Wall,” Barbara Thorn-Otto Donor Award, $150; Carter Sexton Merchandise Award, $100.

Burbank resident Angela Avanesyan’s interest in fashion design manifested early in the one-of-a-kind outfits she made for her Barbie dolls. “My Barbies weren’t wearing the clothes they came with,” Avanesyan said. “You’d see this cute outfit on the front, and then you turn it around and there would be pins and tape on the back. . . . My Barbies would be wearing something that no other Barbie would have. And as I got older, I realized that that translated into fashion and design — and that was really an art form.

People must not treat meat cavalierly Last Sunday’s recall of 143 million pounds of beef by the U.S. Department of Agriculture should provide a loud and clear wake-up call that federal inspection is not adequate to ensure a safe meat supply. This largest meat recall in U.S. history was actually brought on by an animal rights organization’s undercover video showing a California slaughterhouse workers using kicks, electric shock, high-pressure water hoses and a forklift to force sick or injured animals onto the kill floor.