Summer

BURBANK — Kyle Hart has taken advantage of a valuable learning experience this summer. But the education the Burroughs High graduate has received didn't come in a classroom or from a book. Instead, Hart has gotten tutelage on the mound as a pitcher for the Corvallis Knights of the West Coast League, a wood-bat collegiate summer league. "It's been a really great experience for me," said Hart, a 2009 Burroughs graduate who is in his first season with the Knights. "They have really taken good care of me. I have learned a ton about just mixing up my pitches and pounding the strike zone.

Long buzzed about as an Academy Award contender, Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby" won't be competing for any Oscars this season, as  Warner Bros. is moving the F. Scott Fitzgerald adaptation's release date from Christmas 2012 to summer 2013. It's the second high-profile film whose release the studio has changed in recent weeks. In wake of the movie-theater shooting in Aurora, Colo., Warner Bros.  moved its crime drama "Gangster Squad" from Sept. 7 to next January in order to reshoot a scene involving a gunfight inside a cinema.

The summer swim season begins today at McCambridge Recreation Center pool and Verdugo Park pool. The pools will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and 1 to 4 p.m. weekdays. The McCambridge pool will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. on the Fourth of July, but the Verdugo pool will be closed. McCambridge will be closed for recreational swimming on Aug. 13 when it hosts the annual Water Carnival Day. The last day of swimming is Aug. 31 at Verdugo, and Sept.

GLENDALE — For an hour, summer turned to winter. At least it seemed that way when the Crescenta Valley and Burbank high boys' basketball teams met Thursday afternoon during a pool-play game of the eighth annual Vaquero Summer Tip-Off Tournament at Glendale Community College. Crescenta Valley and Burbank are certainly no strangers to one another, as both are members of the Pacific League, but they found themselves squaring off in early July. Crescenta Valley got a game-high 17 points from guard Alan Bagatourian and 12 from forward Clayton Sierra to record a 64-57 victory against Burbank.

BURBANK HIGH — The looming dog days of summer may be a slower period for many teams, but for the Burbank High boys' basketball squad, it's hardly an offseason. The Bulldogs concluded their 2010-2011 campaign back in February with a 41-39 first-round playoff loss at Mission Viejo, a team that went on to play for a CIF Southern Section championship. Burbank finished the season with a 16-12 overall record and graduated senior starting forwards Adam Colman and Chris White. That campaign came a year after a record-breaking 2009-10 season in which the Bulldogs advanced to the CIF semifinals.

GRANADA HILLS — It's happening already. All early signs point to a Burroughs High baseball program that's back on the rise. The Indians were dealt a significant setback in March, when the team was caught in the midst of an alleged underage drinking scandal involving a number of players. The remainder of the season was canceled. On April 18, former coach J.R. Schwer and his staff were fired by the school, which determined an assistant coach allegedly provided players beer during a tournament trip to Arizona.

I am writing to you to express my utter disappointment in the city of Burbank's inability to move forward with reopening the Verdugo pool. I received a chain of emails last summer wherein they said the pool would be ready in the summer of 2012. As of this month, there is still no construction in sight. The community is left without an inexpensive summertime activity that was a draw for many residents to move into this area. Considering the state of the economy, many families are forced to forgo summer vacations and it's truly disappointing that the city of Burbank doesn't feel something as a basic as a community pool is important.

Molly Shore Friday was the official start of summer, but don't tell that to Burbank children. For them, Monday was the real beginning -- that's when the city's free eight-week summer parks program started at Lundigan Park, McKinley School, Miller Park and Pacific Park. Shannon Avalos, 12, Ghylda Espinosa, 10, and Stephanie Casas, 12, were among the first of the summer crowd to show up at Lundigan Park. Once there, they pitched in to help label games and jump ropes.

Gary Moskowitz BURBANK -- Those in need of food can get a helping hand from the city of Burbank this summer through the summer food service program. In collaboration with the Burbank Unified School District and Burbank Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, the city is providing meals to anyone 18 and younger at four locations in Burbank. Meals are provided from noon to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at Lundigan Park, 2701 Thornton Ave.; William McKinley Elementary School, 349 W. Valencia Ave.; Miller Park, 720 E. Providencia Ave.; and Pacific Park, 3715 W. Pacific Ave. For more information, call 238-5440.

Summer is here. Those of us with children still at home now have the privilege of a more relaxed schedule for them, even if we ourselves work outside the home. There may be extra time to sleep in, and additional time to travel. For many, a more comfortable agenda will be enjoyed with some time for leisure activities. Although I work, I do find summer changes our schedule and there are moments of spontaneity and flexibility. I always feel excitement build as I know I will have prime time for life lessons.

DC Comics' superheroes can finally team up on the big screen following yesterday's legal victory for Warner Bros. in its long-running fight over the rights to Superman . The studio is expected to accelerate development of a planned "Justice League" movie that would join Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and other characters, according to a knowledgeable person not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. Warner hopes to shoot the film next year and release it in the summer of 2015.

Long buzzed about as an Academy Award contender, Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby" won't be competing for any Oscars this season, as  Warner Bros. is moving the F. Scott Fitzgerald adaptation's release date from Christmas 2012 to summer 2013. It's the second high-profile film whose release the studio has changed in recent weeks. In wake of the movie-theater shooting in Aurora, Colo., Warner Bros.  moved its crime drama "Gangster Squad" from Sept. 7 to next January in order to reshoot a scene involving a gunfight inside a cinema.

With construction on a major overhaul of Verdugo Park pool keeping demand high, Burbank will divert nearly $46,000 to extend the aquatic season at McCambridge Park for an additional five weeks. The City Council unanimously agreed to extend the swim season to mid-October by using money set aside for the swim season at Verdugo Park. Burbank's aquatic season usually runs from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. Mayor Dave Golonski said last week that he wanted to look at extending the swim season because the community was upset about the Verdugo pool not being open.

BURBANK - Christian Ware-Berry and Jonathan Ly are prime examples of what Providence High boys' basketball Coach Ernest Baskerville hopes to do this season with his Pioneers. That is, pressure defense and transition offense. The juniors-to-be played both sides of the court particularly well on Saturday, forcing turnovers and getting out on fast breaks. And the duo combined to do that to the tune of 29 points and seven steals en route to a 62-28 victory against Reedley of Fresno in pool play of the Providence Summer Tournament.

BURROUGHS HIGH - For more than an hour Tuesday, Burroughs High girls' basketball Coach Vicky Oganyan put her team through the paces dealing with how to break the press in anticipation of her squad's summer league game later that afternoon against Alemany. Under Coach Bryan Camacho - a former coach at Bellarmine-Jefferson who helped Alemany get to the CIF Southern Section Division III-AA championship and advance to the third round of the state playoffs last season - Alemany runs a stifling press that can rattle even the best of teams.

While summer officially arrived on June 20, most folks don't really get into the swing of the season until today. There's just something about the Fourth of July, with its celebrations, family get-togethers and barbecues that says summer is here! The Burbank Emblem Club did their part to welcome in the summer of 2012 as they presented their summer luncheon and fashion show this past week. Staged under the theme “Summer Fashions” at the Elks Lodge on Hollywood Way, members and guests were welcomed by the event's chairwoman, Elaine Paonessa.

Local families dependent on free and reduced-price school meals could find it harder to keep their children fed this summer. The city of Burbank will not be offering its summer parks program and complementary free meals due to budget cuts, officials said. In the past, the program has operated at four sites, including McKinley and Miller elementary schools and Lundigan and Maxam parks, serving more than 8,500 meals. Roughly one third of Burbank Unified's 16,670 students qualify for free and reduced-price meals, which are subsidized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

I am writing to you to express my utter disappointment in the city of Burbank's inability to move forward with reopening the Verdugo pool. I received a chain of emails last summer wherein they said the pool would be ready in the summer of 2012. As of this month, there is still no construction in sight. The community is left without an inexpensive summertime activity that was a draw for many residents to move into this area. Considering the state of the economy, many families are forced to forgo summer vacations and it's truly disappointing that the city of Burbank doesn't feel something as a basic as a community pool is important.

BURBANK — Kyle Hart has taken advantage of a valuable learning experience this summer. But the education the Burroughs High graduate has received didn't come in a classroom or from a book. Instead, Hart has gotten tutelage on the mound as a pitcher for the Corvallis Knights of the West Coast League, a wood-bat collegiate summer league. "It's been a really great experience for me," said Hart, a 2009 Burroughs graduate who is in his first season with the Knights. "They have really taken good care of me. I have learned a ton about just mixing up my pitches and pounding the strike zone.

Church Women United of Glendale hosts the 34th annual “Meals on Wheels” program from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 134 N. Kenwood St., Glendale. The salad bar luncheon will feature meat salads, fruit salads, deviled eggs and bread. Tickets cost $8. All proceeds assist those who can't afford the meal. Call (818) 243-9573. There are still seats available for children and teens to join Summer Acting Camp at Glendale Centre Theatre. The three-week camp session is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday from Aug. 1 through Aug. 22 at the theater, 324 N. Orange St., Glendale.