Tag Archives: Stan Lynch

Try and Walk a Mile in Norris’ Shoes

Eric Norris, on left, with other Relay for Life participants, is shown on lap 108. He went on to complete 174 laps, walking for the entire 24-hour event. (Photo By Ross A. Benson)

At the Relay for Life held this past weekend at Johnny Carson Park, participating team member take turns walking the quarter-mile path around the park to raise awareness and money to fight cancer.  One participant went a little farther.

Eric Norris, 44, decided he was going to try and walk the entire 24 hours of the event.  Walking long distances isn’t new to Norris, who walked 40 miles on his 40th birthday just four years ago to raise money for Outward Bound.  You can check that out at http://40at40walk.blogspot.com/

Continue reading

Chandler Bikeway Sculpture Brings Back Train Memories

By Stan Lynch
BurbankNBeyond

Burbank’s newest piece of public art was unveiled in a ceremony on the Chandler Bikeway at Mariposa St.  Entitled “Trackwalker,” it is the creation of Burbank sculptor Shiela Cavalluzzi.

The larger than life-size bronze sculpture of an early 20th Century railroad worker was cast at the American Arts Foundry here in town, and features the addition of a train track made with actual pieces of rail held in place with track plates and spikes that the artist obtained.   According to Cavalluzzi, she used local freelance animator Jaime Oliff, as the model for the trackwalker.

Continue reading

Gabel-Luddy Wins Seat On Topsy-Turvy Night

Emily Gabel-Luddy sits down with Burbank Public Information Officer, Keith Sterling for an interview on Burbank's Channel 6 (Photo By Ross A. Benson)

By Stan Lynch
BurbankNBeyond

It was an incredibly close finish to an election that saw the lead change several times before Burbank City Council candidate Emily Gabel-Luddy just barely edged out Robert Frutos by a mere 84 votes.
The two candidates were never very far apart as the results of the vote counting started coming out Tuesday night.  Gabel-Luddy took the lead when results from the first of the City’s 42 precincts were posted on the government access channel (Burbank TV 6).  She was ahead of Frutos by 62 votes with 5 precincts reporting. However, when the next posting with 8 precincts reporting went up, Frutos had taken a 95 vote lead.

And so it went the entire evening.  It was a real “nail biter” as the tally seesawed back and forth between the two candidates.   It was a real “cliff hanger” as the votes came down to the wire.  Gabel-Luddy won by a razor-thin margin of 84 votes, 4,400 to Fruto’s 4,314 votes.   The other item on the ballot, Measure U, passed with 5,264 votes for it, and 2,555 against.

A total of 8,853 ballots were cast in the election.  Roughly 15% of the approximate 58,000 registered voters in Burbank cast ballots.   Of the votes cast, a total of 7,819 were over Measure U, while 8,714 were for the council candidate.  That left 139 votes unaccounted for.

City Clerk Margarita Campos explained the discrepancy in the numbers.  “There were some ballots that were blank, while some people didn’t vote for either of the council candidates.”    Campos noted that they even received some ballots from the primary election.   They were not counted.

With such a close race, the difference between the two candidates being less than 1%, some at City Hall on election night wondered if there might be a recount.  Campos noted that the machinery used to count the ballots is tested before the actual ballots are counted, and again afterwards to make sure the count is accurate.
“Of course a candidate can ask for a recount,” Campos said, adding, “But they would have to pay for the cost of it.”

Perhaps it is the “all mail ballot” which really is akin to everyone voting by absentee ballot, but the excitement of election night just wasn’t there at City Hall this election.  A “crowd” of maybe 10 people showed up.  Police Commissioner Jim Etter, his wife, and two of his adult children were among the first to show up to watch the results. Councilman David Gordon joined them for awhile.  Both candidates were noticeably absent, with Gabel-Luddy only showing up well after all the votes had been counted and she was the unofficial winner.  The election should be certified by Friday and the newest council member sworn into office on May 2 along with incumbent Gary Bric who won re-election in the primary.

Those who watch the votes live saw the following results:

Election Results as posted by the City Clerk during the vote counting

Precincts  Frutos Gabel-Luddy Measure U:  Yes  No

1          172          217                          231  110

5          552           613                         716  325

8          878           783                         955  419

11       1,349        1,267                    1,552  704

14       1,579        1,622                    1,914  859

17       1,930        2003                   2,305  1,128

20       2,102        2,160                        -         -

23       2,495        2,498                  2,935  1,469

26       2,817        2,791                  3,315  1,664

32       3,389        3,339                  3,955  2019

35       3,670        3,736                  4,429  2,176

38       3,951        4,090                  4,823  2,362

42       4,314        4,400                  5,264  2,555

42 out of 42 precincts counted.  Total Votes Cast:  8,853

The Story Behind The Story – How Ron Howard Appeared In Burbank On Parade

By Stan Lynch
BurbankNBeyond Features Editor

Ron Howard, one of Burbank’s most famous native sons, made an appearance in Burbank On Parade much to the surprise of the thousands of spectators who lined Olive Ave.   It was also a surprise to parade organizers and even to Ron himself.
Ron’s appearance came about quite by accident, and in large part due to friendships that started at Robert Louis Stevenson Elementary School back in 1959.

Continue reading

March 2011

Latest Crime Reports as Reported by the Burbank Police Dept.

Information Supplied by the Burbank Police Dept.

Warning: Some of the items listed below can be graphic in nature

Last updated 3/29/11

Chase Bank ATM Machines Compromised #: 11-2748.
March 28,  at 6:16 a.m., officers responded to the Chase Bank brach located at 1030 W. Alameda Ave. in response to a report of a burglar alarm.    When they arrived, the officers found a man in the lobby who claimed to be getting money from the ATM’s.  It was later discovered that he was in possession of mini-camera’s and card skimmers.  The suspect was arrested for burglary.

Suspect: Hagop Soukiassian, 33, resides in Glendale.

Multiple Auto Burglary Suspect Arrested
On March 28,  at about 11:45 p.m., an officer on patrol observed a suspicious vehicle that he believed to be possibly an unreported stolen car.   The suspect parked the car in a gas station, got out. and ran away.   The officer gave chase and caught the suspect.  It was later determined that the suspect is on probation.  He was also in possession of drug paraphernalia, burglary tools, and items that had been previously reported to Burbank Police Department as being stolen from a vehicle.   The subject was arrested for burglary.

Suspect: Scott Bonnell, 36, resides in Sylmar.

Auto Burglaries/Thefts from Downtown Parking Structures
On March 25,  between 9:15 and 11:50 p.m., a thieves broke into a GMC pick-up truck parked at the Elephant Bar parking structure, located at 148 E. Orange Grove Ave.  The front driver’s side door lock was punched, and the ignition was also punch.  The suspects took the GPS unit.


Residential Burglaries

2700 block Mansfield Dr.
(smashed rear sliding glass door)
Occurrence: 3/28/11  /  11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Loss: None
Suspects: None seen.

500 block N. Florence St.
(entry unknown)
Occurrence: 3/22 – 25/11  /  9 a.m. - 7:55 a.m.
Loss: Safe, keys to vehicles, laptop computer, and a camera.

Car Burglar caught in the Act

On March 22, at approximately 6:51 p.m., a motorcycle officer was in the middle of a traffic stop when he was approached by a citizen in the area of San Fernando and Burbank Blvds.  The citizen advised him that a car was being broken into at the nearby Chase Bank parking lot locatedat 840 N. San Fernando Blvd.  The citizen provided the officer with the suspect’s description.  The officer drove to the location and saw a matching suspect holding a concrete block and bleeding from his hands.  The suspect was looking into a car as the officer drove up to him. The suspect looked at the officer and ran off.  The officer followed the suspect until he was caught a short time later by other responding officers.   After an investigation, it was discovered the suspect had broken into two vehicles in the parking lot.  The suspect was placed under arrest and transported to the Burbank Jail.
Suspect – David Fratini, 43, resides in North Hollywood.

Detectives are looking into the possibility that this suspect may be responsible for similar car burglaries in the area.


Catalytic Converter Thefts

No reported thefts this week.

Auto Burglaries/Thefts from Downtown Parking Structures

On March17, between5:30 and 7:30 p.m., a 2007 Lexus RX3 was broken into while parked in the Burbank YMCA parking lot, located at 321 E. Magnolia Blvd.  The front passenger window was smashed and a briefcase and computer hard drive was taken.

On March 18, between 6 p.m. and 6:45 p.m., a 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche was broken into while parked in the “Sears” parking structure, located at 550 N. First St.   A GPS, camera, iPod, and car manual were taken.   There were no signs of forced entry.


Auto Burglaries with 3rd Row Seats Stolen

On March 19, between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m., a 2007 Cadillac Escalade was broken into while parked in the “IKEA” parking structure, located at 651 N. San Fernando Blvd.   The third row seats, a camera, and an iPod were taken.   There were no signs of forced entry.


Residential Burglaries

400 block S. Keystone St.
(Smashed rear laundry room window)
Occurrence: 3-22-11 / 10:50 a.m.
Loss: No loss
Suspect: None seen

2900 block Valley Heart Dr.
(Front door kicked in)
Occurrence: 3-21 to 3-22-11 / 6 p.m. – 11 a.m.
Loss: No loss
Suspect: None seen

Shots Fired Calls 200 Block of Florence St.
March 10, around 10:30 p.m., there was a report of shots fired in the area of the 200 block of N. Florence St.   Officer searched the area, but found no victims or evidence of gun shots.

March 12, around 7 p.m.  there was another report of shots fired in the 200 block of N. Florence St.  Officers searched the area and contacted witnesses who say the shots came from a vehicle driving down Florence St.  No one was hit or injured.  A few subjects were interviewed (They were believed to be gang members, or were gang affiliated).  They all stated they had no idea who the suspects were and could not provide a good description.  A report was taken to document the incident.  Police have stepped up area checks and will be maintaining a high visibility.
Suspect vehicle – 1990′s red Toyota Celica, two doors. No further description.

Indecent Exposure (Delayed Reporting)
Last month, on February 17, at approximately 3:40 p.m., a 13 year-old girl was walking home from school, eastbound on Victory Blvd. at Catalina St.  As she passed a car that was parked on Victory, she noticed a man sitting in the driver’s seat.  She then heard the man make a kissing sound and looked over in this direction.  Looking through the opened passenger window, the girl noticed the man’s pants were unzipped and his erect penis was exposed.  The man looked at her while he stroked his penis.  The girl screamed and ran away.  When she reached her apartment she turned to see the car driving away westbound on Victory Blvd.   The girl told her mother what had happened but they did not report it to police at the time because they felt they did not have enough information.

Suspect – Male Hispanic, 30’s, with black bushy hair and a black mustache. 
Suspect vehicle – Older, smaller four-door compact, red in color, with tinted rear windows.  The vehicle appeared “beat up” and had areas of rust.

Be On The Lookout
Burglary Suspect and Vehicle

On March 16, 2011, at 1445 hours, a Male Hispanic suspect knocked on the front door of a home located in the 3000 block of N. Buena Vista St.  Believing no one was home; the suspect walked around to the rear and smashed a rear door window.  A babysitter was in the home and scared the suspect away.  The suspect ran back toward the front and  got into a vehicle that was last seen southbound Buena Vista.

Suspect – Male Hispanic, bald head, 6-0, 180, “strong build” wearing a dark jacket, dark blue jeans and black gloves.
Suspect vehicle – Older, possible BMW 545i, maroon color, with tinted windows.

Catalytic Converter Thefts

No reported thefts this week.

Auto Burglaries with 3rd Row Seats Stolen

No reported thefts

Residential Burglaries

800 block E. Providencia Ave.
(Smashed living room window)
Occurrence: 3-15-11 / 1:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.
Loss: Jewelry
Suspect: None seen

1300 block N. Pass Ave.
(Removed door window pane)
Occurrence: 3-16-11 / 11:10 p.m.
Loss: No loss
Suspect: None seen

Auto Burglaries/Thefts from Downtown Parking Structures

On March 12, between 1 p.m. and 3:10 p.m., a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck was broken into while it was parked in the “IKEA” parking structure, located at 651 N. San Fernando Blvd.  The front passenger door lock was punched out, and the in-dash stereo was taken.

On March 12, between 5:40 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck was broken into while it was parked in the lot at the Black Angus restaurant, located at 250 S. First St.  The front driver door lock was punched out and the in-dash stereo and GPS system was taken.

On March 13, between 2 p.m. and 4:20 p.m., a 2006 Chevrolet Tahoe was broken into while it was parked in the ”Burbank Towne Center” parking structure, located at 501 E. Cypress Ave.   The front driver door lock was punched out, and the in-dash stereo and GPS was taken.

Two Separate Street Robberies Within 30 Minutes

On March 10, two separate street robberies occurred within 30 minutes of each other and police believe they were committed by the same suspect.   The first robbery occurred at 2 p.m. in the area of Florence St and Olive Ave.  A 37 year-old man was walking on Florence St when the suspect walked up from behind and pointed a handgun at him.  The suspect demanded the victim’s cell phone and cash. Fearing for his safety, the victim handed over his property.  The suspect fled northbound on Florence St., and out of sight.

The second robbery occurred at 2:25 p.m. in the area of San Fernando Blvd. and Hollywood Way.  A 20 year-old man was walking southbound on San Fernando Blvd. when he noticed a vehicle drive past him and park.  As he approached the vehicle, a man got out of the front passenger seat.  When the victim passed the vehicle the man came up from behind and pointed a handgun at him.  The suspect demanded the victim empty his pockets.  Fearing for his safety, the victim removed cash and the suspect took it.  The suspect ran back to the vehicle and it drove away southbound on Hollywood Way.
Police conducted a search of the area, but were unable to locate any matching suspects or vehicle.
Suspect #1– Male Hispanic, 20-25 yrs., with a black mustache, wearing a black hoodie, black basketball shorts, and black shoes.
Suspect – #2 (Driver) No description.
Suspect vehicle – Older black 4 door sedan.

Police Officer Assaulted by Suicidal Female

On March 10, at 2:35 p.m., a police received a call of a nudefemale who was vandalizing cars and threatening suicide in the 900 block of W. Angelino Ave.  Officers arrived and found the woman nude and screaming obscenities.  As officers approached her, she flung a purse and physically attacked one of the officers, kicking him in the groin area.  Officers repeatedly ordered her to stop but she refused and again moved toward the officers in a threatening manner.   An officer then deployed his taser and hit the woman in the upper torso area.  This incapacitated the woman, which allowed the officers to handcuff and control her.  Fire department paramedics examined and treated the suspect.  She was transported to a local hospital where she was medically examined by a doctor.
The suspect was determined to be a danger to herself and was held pending a psychiatric evaluation.  The officer was medically examined by a doctor and was cleared for full duty.
The suspect damaged numerous vehicles in the apartment complex parking lot, and had attacked an innocent bystander.  The case will be presented to the City Attorney’s office for criminal filing.

Man Points Replica Handgun at Officer

On March 10, at 3:35 p.m., a patrol officer was stopped at the corner of Winona Ave. at Glenoaks Blvd..  The officer was waiting for a pedestrian who was jogging in the crosswalk.  As the jogger got closer, he turned and began walking directly at the patrol car.  The officer then saw the man reach into his waistband and remove what he instantly recognized to be a blue steel handgun.  The suspect aggressively pointed the handgun at the officer while continuing to walk towards him.  Believing the suspect would start shooting; the officer drove forward and stopped to allow him more time to withdraw his handgun.  The officer then exited the patrol car with his handgun.  As he turned toward the suspect he ordered him to drop the gun.  The suspect immediately dropped the gun, but aggressively began walking toward the officer.  After repeated orders to lie down, the suspect finally complied and laid down on the street.  Additional officers responded Code 3 to the area to assist in taking the suspect into custody.   After the suspect was taken into custody, officers discovered the handgun was a replica blue steel semi automatic, possibly a BB gun.  The gun had an orange tip which was covered with a tan masking tape.  The suspect was placed under arrest for assault with a deadly weapon and suspicion of robbery.  Detectives are currently conducting further investigations into the case.  
Suspect – Davis Mears, 20, resides in Glendale.

Ex-Con Arrested After Street Robbery

On March 10, at 4:50 p.m., a 68 year-old man parked his vehicle on Evergreen St. at Victory Blvd.  As he exited the vehicle, another vehicle pulled alongside and stopped.   A man got out of the front passenger door and pointed a handgun at the victim.  The suspect demanded money and told the victim to show his wallet.  The victim removed his wallet but it contained no cash. The suspect search the victim’s pockets and removed $6 in cash along with a ring.  The suspect then got back inside his vehicle and drove away, last seen eastbound in the alley.   Officers responded to the area but were unable to locate any matching suspect or vehicle.
Before the vehicle left, the victim had quickly written down the vehicle’s license plate number. Officers and detectives conducted a follow up investigation on the vehicle’s license plate.  The investigation led them to an address in Pacoima where, after hours of surveillance by ground units aided by police helicopters, they found a man and a vehicle matching the suspect description.   Further investigation resulted in the discovery of a handgun that was similar to the weapon used in the robbery.  The suspect was ultimately arrested and the vehicle was impounded and towed for evidence.  The suspect was transported to the police jail where he was booked for robbery.  It was determined that the suspect was a convicted felon, which lead to an additional felony charge. Detectives will be further investigating to determine if the suspect is responsible for similar crimes within the city and surrounding agencies.     
Suspect – Juventino Fajardo, 35, resides in Pacoima.


Catalytic Converter Thefts

No reported thefts this week.

Auto Burglaries/Thefts from Downtown Parking Structures

On March 10,  between 6:30 and 8:20 p.m., a 2004 Cadillac Escalade was broken into while parked in the “IKEA” parking structure, located at 651 N. San Fernando Blvd.   The driver’s side door lock was punched out, and shopping bags with store-purchased items were taken.

Auto Burglaries with 3rd Row Seats Stolen

No reported thefts this week.


Residential Burglaries

800 block N. Florence St.
(unlocked side door)
Occurrence: 3-9-11 / 10 a.m. – 4:59 p.m.
Loss: No loss.  Vandalism was committed.
Suspect: None seen

Auto Burglaries/Thefts from Downtown Parking Structures

On March 5, between 11:45 a.m. and 1:20 p.m., a 2002 Chevrolet Suburban was broken into while it had been parked in the “IKEA” parking structure, located at 651 N. San Fernando Blvd.   The front passenger door was punched out and a GPS, a purse, and cash were taken.

On March 6, between 2:05 p.m. and 3 p.m., a 2003 Chevrolet Astro van was broken into while it had been parked in the “Orange Grove” parking structure, located at 240 E. Orange Grove Ave.   Two bicycles and an iPod were taken.  There were no signs of forced entry.

Auto Burglaries with 3rd Row Seats Stolen

On March 4-5, between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m., a 2006 Chevrolet Tahoe was broken into while it had been parked in the “Orange Grove” parking structure, located at 240 E. Orange Grove Ave.  The driver side door lock was punched out and the third row seats were taken.

Residential Burglaries

933 E. Valencia Ave.
(Front door kicked in)
Occurrence: 3-5-11 / 4:50 p.m. – 1105 p.m.
Loss: Jewelry
Suspect: None seen

Jewel Thief Chased Down at Costco

On March 2, at 5:45 p.m., a 25 year-old man entered the Costco store located at 1051 W. Burbank Blvd.  The suspect approached the jewelry section and asked an employee to see a bracelet.  The employee opened the display case and handed the suspect a $13,000 diamond bracelet.  The suspect looked at the bracelet and then looked at the employee.  The suspect then told the employee, “You know what?  I’m just going to run out with it now.”  The suspect then turned and ran out the store with the employee and security officers in chase.  The suspect tripped and fell and was immediately detained by the employees.  No one was injured and the bracelet was returned to the store.  The police department was called and officers arrived to take custody of the suspect.  The suspect was transported to the police jail where he was booked for grand theft/burglary.  Suspect – Manuel Alvarado, 25, resides in Burbank


Burglar Chased Away by Home Owner

On March 3, at 10 a.m., a couple were home when someone knocked on their door, located in the 1800 Block of Jackson St.  The man looked out through a window to see a man looking around on the porch.  The suspect then went around the side yard and into the backyard.  The suspect appeared at the rear door and opened the unlocked door.  As the suspect entered, the man yelled at him. The suspect then ran out the same rear door and toward the front.  The man grabbed a kitchen knife and ran outside to see the suspect get into the passenger seat of vehicle parked in front. The vehicle then quickly sped away and was last seen eastbound of Church St.  Police searched the area but could not find any matching suspects. There was no loss.  
Suspect – Male White, 35-38 years, 5-10 to 6-0, thin build, short dark hair, clean shaven, wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt, light blue jeans, and tennis shoes.  
Suspect – (Driver) Female, White, orange/reddish curly hair. No further description. 
Suspect vehicle – Grey older model, 4-door, possibly a VW hatchback.

‘Burbank Review’ by Stan Lynch


Master Sergeant David Bigbee Retires From Air Force

By Stan Lynch
BurbankNBeyond

Master Sergeant David Bigbee USAF Ret.


Master Sergeant David Bigbee retired from the United States Air Force after nearly 25 years of service, in ceremonies held recently at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota.

MSgt. Bigbee and his family are well-known in Burbank.  He is the son of former longtime Burbank residents Rollin and Sue Bigbee, of Morro Bay.  His father, Rollin Bigbee was a longtime physical education teacher at Luther Burbank Middle School. His mother was a teacher at the Burbank First United Methodist Church pre-school for many years.  His late grandfather, the Rev. Morris R. Bigbee, was pastor at the Little White Chapel Christian Church from 1942 to 1967.

David was born and raised in Burbank, graduating from John Burroughs High School in 1982.   He is married to the former Cynthia Tarello, also from Burbank.  The couple has two children, a daughter Rachel, and a son, Joshua, who is currently serving in the U.S. Navy.
After basic training at Lackland AFB in Texas, where he received the Basic Military Training Honor Graduate Ribbon, Bigbee was trained as an Air Launched Missile Maintenance Specialist at Chanute AFB in Illinois.   He spent the next 8 years at McConnell AFB in Wichita, Kansas, where he worked as a Weapons Support Specialist, Missile Technician, Shop Trainer, and Maintenance Bay Chief.  While at McConnell he performed maintenance on missiles and the B-1 Strategic Bomber.

In 1995 MSgt. Bigbee was assigned to Malmstrom AFB in Great Falls, Montana, where he served for 15 years.   He was promoted to the rank of Master Sergeant at Malmstrom in 2008.  In May of 2009, MSgt. Bigbee was assigned to Minot AFB in North Dakota.
During his outstanding career in the Air Force, he was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the AF Achievement Outstanding Achievement, Good Conduct, National Defense Service, Global War on Terrorism Service and other medals.  Bigbee also earned the Strategic Air Command Munitions Master Technician Award and the ICBM Master Technician Award.  At his retirement ceremony, MSgt. Bigbee received the Meritorious Service Medal, one of the highest commendations that can be earned by a member of the Air Force.

Following his retirement from the Air Force, Bigbee has accepted a position with Boeing Aircraft at their Malmstrom AFB Division in Great Falls, Montana.

Continue reading

A Look Back At The Big Quake That Shook Burbank 40 Years Ago

BurbankNBeyond’s Stan Lynch remembers February 9, 1971 when Burbankers awoke to a large earthquake.  At the time Stan was working for the Burbank Daily Review, so as a good newsman did, he was out and about to size up the damage.  Read his account of the day that changed Burbank forever in the ‘BURBANK REVIEW’ section