The 818 Now

The La Cañada Valley Sun will be tweeting live, for the first time, from the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena.

Log on anytime after 5:30 a.m. for the live feed of the events going on as they happen on the parade route.

Log on to the Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/valleysun to follow us.

A volunteer works on the La Canada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association float on Tuesday. The float, titled "Scizzored Wizard," is the city's 32nd entry in the Rose Parade. (photo/Megan O'Neil)

While young volunteers applied the finishing touches to the La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Assn. Float, more than 100 people gathered Tuesday for the Under the Bridge Major Donor Party.

The event honors donors who contributed $125 or more to the association, and serves as an annual reunion for all La Cañada float participants.

Don Ziehl, the first association president and a former La Cañada Unified School District superintendent, said assembling the inaugural float in 1978 was a whirlwind. 

“It was a real scramble to get that float down the parade route that first year,” he said. “It turns out it is a bit of a scramble every year.”

The best part about being involved with the association is the joy of seeing people work together on a project that at some points seems impossible, he added.

“I don’t know anything else that was going on during the 25 years I was here that brought three generations together like building this float does,” Ziehl said. “That alone [makes] it very worthwhile.”

Organizers of the third annual Glendale Downtown Dash today said the event would be recognized as an official warm-up race for the L.A. Marathon in March.

The 5K run/walk benefit for the Glendale Adventist Medical Center, organized by the Downtown Glendale Merchants Assn., is scheduled for March 14, with the starting line set in front of the Alex Theatre on North Brand Boulevard.

The L.A. Marathon is scheduled for March 21.

As part fo the warm-up race program, L.A. Marathon Roadrunners will receive a $5 discount on the $25-entry fee for the Downtown Dash, organizers said.

Last year, pre-registration for the Glendale run, which snakes throughout the central/downtown area, nearly doubled to 920 compared to the inaugural year. More than 1,250 people eventually participated in the race.

Members of the La Cañada Presbyterian Church have the Christmas spirit and are sharing it with the community for the 10th year in a row.

They will be offering free Christmas gift wrapping for everyone — weather permitting and while supplies last — from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday Dec. 19 in front of the Rite-Aid Pharmacy, 627 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada Flintridge. No donations will be accepted.

Event Organizer Linda Pearson said they do it “because Christmas reminds us to celebrate what has been given to us relationally, physically and spiritually. Christmas also encourages us to model that graciousness to others unconditionally. Because it’s free, we hope that all will see and feel more of God’s presence this season and always.”

Husband and wife artistic directors Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott have announced they are extending the run of the British farce “Noises Off” by Michael Frayn at A Noise Within in Glendale.

The reasons are two-fold — sold-out performances and rave reviews. There will be eight additional performances Feb. 5 to 14.  For those who can’t wait, you might be able to purchase a ticket for the final shows in the run at 8 p.m. Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. 

For reservations, call (818) 240-0910, Ext. 1 or visit www.ANoiseWithin.org.

Glendale High School's symphonic orchestra will be one of several acts in a special concert Thursday at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. (Photo via Amy Rangel)

That’s right. The Glendale High School Instrumental Music Department is organizing a special winter concert Thursday at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. 

The 90-minute performance will feature the school marching band, jazz bands, concert band and orchestra. 

Eat your heart out, Gustavo Dudamel. 

General admission is $8 and children 5 and under get in free.  For more information visit: www.ghsmusiconline.com or www.ruslanbiryukov.com.

Credit: Creative Commons

Metrolink’s Holiday Toy Express will make stops at the Glendale and Burbank train stations tonight.

At the event, local firefighters will gather donations as part the ”Spark of Love” toy drive for low-income children.

Santa Claus and other acts will perform on a 450-ton train decorated with more than 50,000 blinking lights.

The stops will be at  the Glendale Metrolink station, 400 W. Cerritos Ave., at 6 p.m., and the Downtown Burbank Metrolink station, 201 N. Front St., at 7 p.m.

Those looking for artistic, one-of-a-kind gifts for friends and family should stop by the Burbank Creative Arts Center, 1100 W. Clark Ave. More than 60 students, teachers and members of the Fine Arts Federation are selling their work in the Holiday Boutique.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

They each add their own personalized touch too, said Frances Santistevan, gallery director.

Pottery instructor Jack Paul Miller experiments a lot with the glazes he adds to his pottery. While some artists dip the whole piece into a glaze, he takes a brush and paints intricate designs on his pieces. Sometimes he makes just hand-built items and other times, he combines both techniques. He’ll throw a pot and accent it with hand-built handles.

Barbara Rog, another pottery teacher at the center, is showing casserole pieces and wall hangings you can add dried flowers to, Santistevan said.

When it comes to jewelry, Teri Suarez, a student at the center, makes sterling-silver earrings and necklaces embellished with crystals. What makes her items even more special, however, is the packaging, Santistevan said. She decorates them with intricate designs as beautiful as jewelry inside, Santistevan said.

There are also paintings, photographs, Christmas ornaments and decorations, clothing, mosaics and hand-knitted items likes scarves.

(Image by Flickr user Torley)

Burbank Salvation Army volunteers today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., are preparing holiday gift boxes for needy children and families. 

Starbucks is providing coffee, and 30 employees from Kaiser Permanente are helping. You can too. 

Volunteers are gathering at the office at Angeleno Avenue and Third Street.

Credit: Creative Commons

The fragrance costs $45.

I’m proud to say that my niece Tiffani Rudolph was one of five students from Canyon High School in Santa Clarita to make High School Honor Choir, and Saturday night the more than 200 students displayed their heavenly voices at an event sponsored by the Southern California Vocal Assn. at the Santa Monica High School auditorium.

The students from some 90 schools were showcased in either the Men’s Honor Choir, Women’s Honor Choir (where Tiffani was placed), and Mixed Honor Choir.

The association had auditioned about 600 students to pull the creme de la creme into these three choirs. And they kept their audience spellbound in all their performances.  You couldn’t hear a sound until the last note melted away. It was astounding: they were so finely tuned, and only after two rehearsals.

We had several students from the Glendale/La Crescenta/La Canada schools participating. In the Men’s Honor Choir were Jonathan Malmrose, Aiman Ibrahim, Skyler Smith, Adam Proctor, Rusty Blakey and David Kim, all from Crescenta Valley High School; and Joshua Briggs from Hoover High School.

In the Women’s Honor Choir, where my niece sang, local students included Katie Azevedo, Danielle Espinosa, Hallie Isquith, Jane White, Cecily Bell, all from Crescenta Valley High School; and Nathaly Varela, Claire Benoist and Katie Theobald, all of Glendale High School; and SuMin Kim from Hoover High School.

In the Mixed Honor Choir were Allison Malmrose, Camille Johnson, Grace Kim, Annie Lawler, Julia Veeh, Erin Wilson and Jae Yong Park, all from Crescenta Valley High School; Megan Sanborn, Woody Buck, Rishikesh Menon, Mitchell Steele and Tyler Steele, Jameson Evans, Frank Hill, Christopher Lazo, Alex Rosen and Quanah Sugiyama, all of La Cañada High School; and Joe Galvez of Glendale High School.

Now they are waiting to hear which students will go the next level — the state honor choir. We’ve got our fingers crossed.

Credit: Creative Commons

Along with good cheer comes decorations on house tops and on lawns of Burbank homes this time of year.

Burbank’s Civic Pride Committee is again looking for contestants to compete in the 27th annual Holiday Outdoor Decorating Contest. And, oh, what fun it is to check the list twice and see all the nice people on it this year. This may sound corny, but what do you expect from a gal named Rudolph?

Deadline for applications is 5 p.m. Dec. 8, so residents need to make like Santa’s elves and get those ladders and lights out of the garage. Nothing says the holidays like Santa pulling eight tiny reindeer!

Credit: Creative Commons

This season, downtown Burbank will host a series of holiday events.

Celebrations will kick off at 6 p.m. Dec.1 with the Mayor’s Tree Lighting Ceremony  in front of Burbank City Hall, with City Council, Santa and Mrs. Claus, the Burbank Chorale,  and Radio Disney’s Ernie D as emcee.

Santa’s Downtown Wonderland on San Fernando Boulevard between Orange Grove and Magnolia at 6:30 p.m. will host the Radio Disney Los Angeles Road Crew with music and games; concerts by Cymphonique, N.B.T. and J*Smith; and the voice of Gretchen on Disney Channel’s animated series “Phineas and Ferb.” 

The Wonderland will also offer free photos with Santa on the AMC Walkway (bring a camera), children’s characters, face painting, free gifts and more.

Attendees can bring a new unwrapped gift for the Burbank Fire Department’s Spark of Love Toy Drive.

Other holiday events include:

Dec. 3, and 10: the Holly Trolley Tour of decorated Burbank homes as seen from an open-top, double-decker bus, with complimentary hot chocolate and caroling.

Friday, Dec. 4: Barnes & Noble hosts the Polar Express Pajama Party, where kids can listen to a reading of “The Polar Express” and other holiday stories.

Saturday, Dec. 5: Snow Day, where kids can romp in 15 tons of real snow and enjoy refreshments, music, an ice sculptor and more.

Sunday, Dec. 6: The 5th annual Reindeer Run on San Fernando Boulevard, a holiday race for kids 4 to 12 years. Reindeer antlers, jingle bells and red noses will be provided for all entrants.

Monday, Dec. 7: Pet Night with Santa at Burbank Town Center.

Friday, Dec. 11: The Holiday Toy Express, a 450-ton train covered with giant glittering ornaments, offers a free live musical stage show with Santa and his friends.

Saturday, Dec. 12: Breakfast with Santa at Burbank Town Center.

For further information on these events, call (818) 238-5180

Students from Flintridge Preparatory School in La Cañada were busy preparing meals for the school’s annual Turkey Drive on Thursday morning. The drive, done in collaboration with Harvest Time Church in Pasadena, seeks to provide Thanksgiving dinners to those less fortunate. Enough food was made to feed 50 families, said Flintridge Prep senior Janice Park. 

Flintridge Prep senior Elizabeth Kim mashes potatoes during the school's annual Turkey Drive. According to the senior, it took about 10 sticks of butter and seven boxes of potatoes to make the amount she's churning. She has been at work since 7:30 a.m. (Michael J. Arvizu/Valley Sun)

Credit: Creative Commons

OneRepublic will hold a free performance at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Americana at Brand, 889 Americana Way.

Space to the signing is limited.

Students from McKinley Elementary School in Burbank visited UCLA Friday Nov. 6 for the university’s “College Month.”

Danny Morales, Carlos Juan, Michael Woods, Oscar Bautista and Laura Dealba-Yount hang out at UCLA (Photo courtesy of Suzanne Weerts)

Danny Morales, Carlos Juan, Michael Woods and Laura Dealba-Yount said they enjoyed their tour.

Throughout this month, McKinley students will collect spare change in a scholarship jar, which is available to graduating Burroughs High seniors who are McKinley alums.

Applications are available in counselor offices throughout January.

Area residents, like Bill Friday of Tujunga, took a tour of Deukmejian Wilderness Park, the first time since the recent Station Fire, in Glendale on Saturday October 10, 2009. Friday has visited and hiked the park with his wife more than 300 times. Residents learned what the city is doing to curtail mud flows in the coming rainy season. (Raul Roa/News-Press)

Glendale city officials are currently accepting sign-ups for a guided tour of Deukmejian Wilderness Park, which remains closed to the public after the Station fire scorched much of the land.

During the tours, scheduled for Nov. 21 and 22, hikers can learn about the surviving native plants and animals, and get updates on park recovery efforts. The city sponsored a similar tour last month.

For more information, or to sign up using a digital form, click here.

Chesley B. Sullenberger (Courtsey Tournament of Roses)

Captain Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger III, the pilot who landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Husdon River, will serve as the grand marshal for the 2010 Tournament of Roses festivities.

“Captain Sully saved the lives of 155 people and is an excellent example of the everyday American hero,” said Jeffrey Throop, acting president of the Tournament of Roses.  “With his theme, ‘A Cut Above the Rest,’ President Gary DiSano wanted to honor those who strive to make every effort better than the last. Sullenberger has certainly shown how we can do that and we are honored to have him host the 2010 festivities.”

Sullenberger became an international hero on Jan. 15 when he and his crew safely guided US Airways Flight 1549 to an emergency water landing in New York City’s frigid Hudson River. The Airbus A320′s two engines had lost thrust following a bird strike. He and his crew have won international acclaim for their actions that day, including the passage of a Congressional resolution recognizing their bravery.

Women who once wore the floral crown as Descanso Gardens’ Camellia Queen, or who served on the queen’s court as a princess, are being sought to participate in the Feb. 20-27 Golden Age of the Camellia celebration.

The gardens’ spokesperson, Brenda Rees, put out the call Nov. 4, and sent the photo at left of 1956 Camellia Queen Carol Paulowsky presenting the crown to the 1957 winner of the title, Sharon Bryant.

According to Rees, the success Descanso founder E. Manchester Boddy enjoyed with his commercial camellia plantation, first planted in 1937, ”helped make camellias the blossoms of choice for corsages worn by fashionable ladies of the era.”

Former camellia court members are asked to call Rees at (818) 949-7984 or e-mail her at pr@descansogardens.org.

Credit: Creative Commons

The Day of the Dead,  held on Nov. 1-2 each year, focuses on gatherings of family and friends to remember loved ones who have died.

As part of the celebration, hundreds visited graves at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills on Sunday, where flowers were scattered on the cemetery grounds.