Veterans

The St. Francis Stage Company is challenging its creative abilities in acting and set design with Alfred Hitchcock's thriller “The 39 Steps,” opening at 8 p.m. Friday and continuing for two weekends in the social hall of St. Francis Xavier Church. Co-Director Jesse J. Adams saw the award-winning production on Broadway and thought it would be a perfect fit for the sixth annual production that raises funds for the church and school, he said. What makes this play fun is the producers are encouraged to use their imagination to interpret the script any way they want.

Service Clubs Burbank Sunrise Kiwanis had its fourth annual Veteran's Salute last month at Veteran's Memorial Hall in Burbank. The salute went out to veterans that exemplified themselves in the service of their country or community. "This is just one of the many ways we honor the men and women of the armed forces," Event Chairman Paul McKenna said. "We're really proud of them." Burbank Sunrise Kiwanis meets at 7 a.m. Tuesdays at The Castaway restaurant, 1250 Harvard Road.

Claudia Peschiutta BURBANK -- Although mailers and television ads continue to draw out distinctions between the area's two congressional candidates, their efforts to bring attention to veterans memorials are drawing them a bit closer. While state Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) is working on creating an Internet-accesible registry of memorials for California, U.S. Rep. James Rogan (R-Burbank) is trying to do the same on a national level. Schiff, who introduced his bill in February, suggested Monday that Rogan was following his example, given that the congressman presented his legislation last week.

What sort of future waits for the thousands of wounded American veterans returning home from the current crusade in the Middle East? Fifteen years after the end of the Gulf War there are still tens of thousands of American veterans infected with the chronic and debilitating "Gulf War Illness." And what's even more outrageous and scandalous, is that there are reportedly about 300,000 American veterans who are homeless and living on the streets on any given night. Moreover, it is estimated that 500,000 vets will be without a roof over their head at some time this year.

MONTROSE — The Memorial Day service in front of the Vietnam War Memorial will go ahead as planned on Monday, but with some significant last-minute changes to the traditional program, organizers said.   Art Napiwocki, state budget chairman for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, will not be officiating at the ceremony as he has done for the past 12 years. Instead he will be attending a service in La Cañada Flintridge.   Members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion, including himself, may still attend the Montrose service, Napiwocki said.

When 12-year-old Taylor Menadue dressed up for Halloween as Audie Murphy, the most decorated American combat soldier in World War II, it threw people off. “They all thought I was saying ‘Eddie Murphy,’” said Taylor, a Jordan Middle School student. Taylor’s extraordinary interest in World War II history caught the attention of local veterans last month, and he was awarded an honorary membership in the Southern California Chapter of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge.

Mark R. Madler When Mike Schirm was serving with the U.S. Army in Europe in the years immediately following World War II, Memorial Day was not observed there. "Memorial Day is an American tradition," Schirm said. "It's wonderful, really and truly, for our citizens -- the old, the young and very young -- to come to the remembrance day every year." Man's history has always been filled with war, Schirm said, but he remains hopeful that there will come a day when the fighting stops.

ELMER G. BOEHM Elmer G. Boehm, 80, died July 28, 2003, in Burbank. He was born Dec. 20, 1922, in Chicago, and lived in Burbank for 40 years. Mr. Boehm owned Boehm Insurance Agency for 25 years. He also served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a member of the CBI Veteran's Assn., Elks Lodge 1497, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and many golf clubs. Mr. Boehm is survived by his wife, Jeanette; son, Gary; daughter, Sherry Keef; three grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

I'd like to thank everyone responsible for the Memorial Day program at McCambridge Park. A little bit of history came to life that day in a dignified and patriotic ceremony as Burbank honored its own. "Unsung heroes" is an understated epithet for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. I watched the eyes of strong, proud veterans tear up as a list of names of those lost in war was read aloud. I was touched as one man wearing a Veterans of Foreign Wars cap leaned over to a comrade, pointed to two names on the list and softly said, "That's my brother, and that's my son."

RALPH J. PEPE JR. Ralph J. Pepe Jr., 67, died Aug. 28, 2002, in Burbank. Born Sept. 22, 1934, in Linden, N.J., he was a Burbank resident for 37 years. He was a retired worker for the City of Burbank. He was also a veteran of the Korean War. He was involved in the Veterans of Foreign Wars 8310, Chapter 40 of the Disabled American Veterans, American Legion Post 150 and the Italian Federation of St. Finbar. Funeral services, which are pending, will be in Adel, Iowa.

Burbank on Thursday named a 25-year department veteran to the top post, replacing Ray Krakowski, who retired last month. Tom Lenahan, a former fire marshal who's been serving as the city's interim fire chief in recent months, was named to the permanent position Thursday in an announcement released by the city. In a statement, Lenahan said the city and fire department have "provided everything to me and my family and I look forward to giving back. "  In his 25 years with the department, Lenahan has served as a firefighter and paramedic, engineer, captain, battalion chief and fire marshal.

The St. Francis Stage Company is challenging its creative abilities in acting and set design with Alfred Hitchcock's thriller “The 39 Steps,” opening at 8 p.m. Friday and continuing for two weekends in the social hall of St. Francis Xavier Church. Co-Director Jesse J. Adams saw the award-winning production on Broadway and thought it would be a perfect fit for the sixth annual production that raises funds for the church and school, he said. What makes this play fun is the producers are encouraged to use their imagination to interpret the script any way they want.

Hundreds of community members clutching American flags packed McCambridge Park on Monday as elected officials honored generations of men and women who've fought wars to defend the United States. “You are our heroes,” a kindergartner at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic School chirped into the microphone, just before she and her classmates sang “God Bless the USA” for the crowd. At Burbank's annual Veterans Day Ceremony -- hosted by the Burbank Veterans Committee and the city on the day after the actual holiday -- officials commemorated service members from each branch of the military: the Army, Coast Guard, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps.

Good morning, readers. Today is Monday, November 12. Thousands lined up along a stretch of Laurel Canyon Boulevard Sunday to cheer on the annual San Fernando Valley Veterans Day Parade , reports the Daily News . Los Angeles authorities say that a man in his 70s was killed after he was struck by a hit-and-run driver as he walked on Lankershim Boulevard near Roscoe Boulevard in North Hollywood Sunday morning. Patch Officials at Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne announced that nearly 100 employees were laid off Wednesday, with the majority of the layoffs occurring at the company's Canoga Park facilities . Daily News Hudson Pacific Properties announced that it has purchased a 60 percent share of Burbank's Pinnacle office complex , a $342 million property that houses tenants such as Warner Bros.

Good morning, readers. Today is Sunday, November 11. Pierce College will continue an event today to raise money for the school's Equestrian Science program. It costs about $26,000 a year to care for the horses in the program , reports the Daily News .  The November election may be over, but the Los Angeles Board of Education race is just taking shape. The results of the March election could spark a lot of change in the system , reports the L.A. Times . What's going on today?

Burbank High wanted to hire a new boys' basketball coach with experience. It got just that in Jerry DeLaurie. DeLaurie has been hired to replace Jose Hernandez, who left last month to take a job at Corona High. DeLaurie, who has been a physical education teacher at Jordan Middle School for six years, comes to Burbank after coaching stints with the L.A. Baptist girls' program and the Pasadena Marshall Fundamental boys' and Blair boys' and girls' programs. "I'm very excited to be given the opportunity," said DeLaurie, 43. "I've worked in the district and I've been patient about hopefully landing a head coaching job and the opportunity arose, I applied and I was lucky enough to get it. " The coach said he is looking forward to working with the Bulldogs players and welcomes the opportunity to build a successful program.

A group of volunteers with the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) is compiling a resource booklet on services available to military veterans in Burbank. Judy Pike is chairwoman of the Volunteers for Veterans and their Families. The purpose of the group is to identify the services available to men and women of all ages who have returned to civilian life after serving their country. “We want to find out what is missing and be able to provide that in our community,” Pike said.

After reviewing more than 100 applications for a public information officer, Burbank hired Drew Sugars, a veteran television journalist and current PIO for the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office, according to the city. Sugars arrives with 17 years of broadcasting experience as an Emmy award-winning television news reporter, main anchor and newsroom manager, the city said in a statement. The California native spent the past four years working for the largest law enforcement agency in Santa Barbara County where he successfully merged the Public Information Office and Media Resources Unit.

Flanked by her family and colleagues, President Obama today called Burbank Unified teacher Rebecca Mieliwocki - the 2012 national Teacher of the Year - “the definition of 'above and beyond.'” Mieliwocki, a Glendale resident who teaches English at Luther Burbank Middle School in Burbank, was given the national prize Monday by the Council of Chief State School Officers. Known for an unconventional teaching style that emphasizes critical thinking, Mieliwocki beat out more than 50 other nominees.

The band's final rehearsal at McCambridge Park could be heard a block away, causing drivers to turn their heads or honk, and passersby to pause and take in the scene. More than half the seats set up for Burbank's Veterans Day Ceremony were taken well before the event's 11 a.m. start. The 90-minute event Friday was hosted by the Veterans Commemorative Committee and the city's Park, Recreation and Community Services Department. Children were running on the grass, adults searched for the best spot for their lawn chairs, while others simply watched the band or the tall flags near the war memorial.