myBurbank Talks
myBurbank Talks
The Week That Was and That Will Be - July 22
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Ever wondered what keeps Burbank buzzing? Join Craig Sherwood, Ross Benson, and Craig Durling in this week's episode of My Burbank Talks as we navigate through the latest happenings and quirks of our vibrant city. From celebrating our Word of the Week winner, Pat Brown, to sharing the inside scoop on the highly coveted Hill Street Cafe gift card giveaways, we cover it all. Plus, get a sneak peek into our upcoming investigations, including a tantalizing Freedom of Information Act request related to an intriguing North Hollywood incident.
Ever questioned the sanity of attending a 10-hour city council meeting? We did, and we’re spilling all the details. Dive into the intense debates over no-fault evictions and the somewhat perplexing discussion on international conflicts—it’s a wild ride of local governance at its finest. We also break down the successful trial of LAZ Parking Control and the critical role they play in managing double parking around schools, ensuring smoother traffic for all.
What happens when bandit tow trucks invade your city? Tune in to hear how these rogue operators are causing chaos and what you can do to protect yourself. And don’t miss our nostalgic trip through Burbank’s beloved businesses, like Martino's Tea Cakes, along with updates on new local hotspots and parking management plans. Whether it's celebrating new police officers, critiquing cell tower placements, or enjoying equestrian events and Drag Queen Bingo, we’ve got your weekly dose of Burbank’s finest moments.
My Burbank Talks presents another edition of the Week that Was and the Week that Will Be a weekly podcast featuring highlights and commentary on local events and issues taking place right here in Burbank. Now let's see what's on today's agenda as we join our program.
Speaker 2Hello Burbank. Greg Schubert here with you once again, along with, of course, ross Benson.
Speaker 3Well, you know, I wrote it down today. How do you like that, boys and girls, gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, yeah, but ever do. How do you do? This is this week's show. Thank you, let's go. Oh, did I forget that? Let's go after the show baby.
Speaker 2Ah, yeah, it's still. I love it Well.
Speaker 3I kind of threw Ed Ed. Uh, no, ed Sullivan. Does anybody remember him? Okay?
Speaker 1It was a really good shoe.
Speaker 2Really big shoe, big, big shoe, shoe.
Speaker 3Well, let's introduce Craig.
Speaker 2Here's Craig drilling along with us. Hey, everybody.
Speaker 1Another week of fun. You should see how he's got his little opening ditty scrawled all the way down the page of his notes here.
Speaker 3You guys give me no room. I would be in trouble, I'd have to flip over my.
Speaker 1If you wrote any bigger, you'd need another sheet of paper. It's good to be here.
Speaker 3I tried to think of one last night and write it down, but oh well, oh well.
Speaker 2I'll have to get you a teleprompter.
Speaker 1But we still have to license the yabba-dabba-doo part from.
Speaker 3Hanna-Babera.
Speaker 2Well, let's talk about last week's winner, pat Brown. Yes, the Word of the Week winner. Word of the Week winner. Was he wanted the word was? I think it's a she. Oh yeah, I just think I have that feeling it's a she.
Speaker 3It would be a name that could be he or she. Yeah, it's very true, absolutely, but I think it's a she Well congratulations, that's the proper way to say it, the word for she, or what's the other new one that you have to put in there.
Speaker 1I don't worry, I wouldn't. I don't, I'm not dipping my toe in that pond of boiling water. Thank you, but, pat, regardless, thank you for listening and listening that far into the show and emailing the word of the week last week, which was wanted, wanted and you lucked out, you won the drawing for the $25 gift card to Hill Street Cafe and you won. Congratulations.
Speaker 2And I understand that. Ross, you talked to Hill Street Cafe and they're going to be sending a whole slew of more gift cards for us to give out to our listeners, correct?
Speaker 3I got a text message. Apparently one of our winners went in there and talked to Juan, the owner, and showed that he had won and I guess that was from our newsletter that she was the winner and Juan said I'll get you guys more cards because that's a great promotion, Right on, so our listeners will eat.
Speaker 1Yeah, they won't starve to death, and that's something else.
Speaker 2We also have a. We pick a reader every week on our newsletter and put their name on there, and if they just submit their name in after they've seen it, they win that gift card.
Speaker 1So there are multiple ways to win a gift card here?
Speaker 2Yes, there are.
Speaker 3See, and I would think most of the people that listen to our podcast know that we put out a weekly newsletter. If you're a very busy business person can't look at my Burbank every 10 minutes, like most people do at least half the residents of Burbank every 10 minutes, like most people do at least half the residents of Burbank. We send out a weekly and it usually comes out on Monday and it's a flashback of stories and podcasts that we've done during the week. Our great editor, ashley Erickson, throws that together. She usually sends it out by midday in the evening, maybe on Monday. So if you don't have the chance to look at my Burbank fully every day on Monday, you can get it in your email. So when you get to work on Tuesday.
Speaker 1And that's MyBurbankcom, the website where they can also sign up, for the newsletter, I'm sure, and a call of action pops up right at the beginning when you first turn on the website.
Speaker 2It's the first thing you're going to see. My Burbank. We started doing that about a year year and a half ago, and we got over 7,000 signups already. And these are all people who've asked to get the newsletter. We're just not.
Speaker 3Yeah, we do not sell that information. We have been asked number-wise, but we do not sell your information. We do not sell your email addresses. It goes into our machine and actually none of us see it except for us.
Speaker 1Well, you certainly don't have access, and actually none of us see it except for you. Well, you certainly don't have access, but we also don't share your address that you send for the Word of the Week. So if you want to be cool like Pat Brown, just listen to usually later the second half of the show, which means we're talking about next week. For this week's Word of the Week, I should get paid every time I say week and we'll give you instructions then, but you have to listen all the way through because it's usually later in the show.
Speaker 3Craig, that gets a rim shot. That was a good one, Well thank you.
Speaker 2What happened? You said week and he said that that was pretty weak.
Speaker 1I feel attacked, sorry I made that suggestion.
Speaker 3Alrighty, waka waka, I feel attacked. Sorry, I made that suggestion.
Speaker 2All righty, waka waka Fozzie Bear. So something that did happen. Last week I sent a request into the. You know, I did a Freedom of Information Act to the city and I asked for the body-worn footage or vehicle footage from the homeless man incident in North Hollywood because I figured, you know, it takes 45 days that they have to put it out for a shooting. So it's been 45 days and we haven't heard a word yet about the investigation, which I'm finding a little bit troubling because, you know, my sense is they did the right thing and they have a way of explaining it, or, if they didn't, you know they're going to make a good policy to make sure it doesn't happen again. But 45 days now and not only have they not said a word about it, but they denied our request. So you know, ross, you were saying something about LA City voted to put it in the court or something, and while they haven't taken it up in the court system, it's a possibility.
Speaker 3Well, when you and I were discussing this, the longer it goes, the stinkier it gets. That's a word, I think.
Speaker 2I want to use.
Speaker 3As our good friend Mike Nolan would say, this smells like shit.
Speaker 2As our good friend Mike Nolan would say this smells like shit. Our request. So you know, ross, you were saying something about. You know LA City voted to put it in a court or something and while they haven't taken it up in the court system, it's a possibility.
Speaker 3Well, when you and I were discussing this, the longer it goes, the stinkier it gets.
Speaker 2That's a word, I think.
Speaker 3I want to use. As our good friend Mike Nolan would say this smells like shit. You, you, you, and I'll say it, and Mike is waving to me there he goes again we're six minutes into the show and we have to put the explicit mark next to the title, but. I've got to find the, and I'll say it. And Mike is waving to me. There he goes again.
Speaker 1We're six minutes into the show and we have to put the explicit mark next to the title, but I've got to find the.
Speaker 3There we are. Oh, I'm sorry I didn't warn you, but it does that 10 seconds ago, yeah.
Speaker 2We need a 10 second delay on our liveness.
Speaker 3Well, you know it. Just the longer this goes, people are curious. But now I kind of thought about it, listened to police commission and somebody brought it up there. This is going to be a full investigation. I mean, if it's going to go to court, which I think it's going to, the PD's not going to share, but what court?
Speaker 1Well, they're trying to say Burbank violated some law and they'll probably come up with it and they being the city of Los Angeles, right, los Angeles is going to sue Burbank over a.
Speaker 2Well, they're not suing, they want the LA City Attorney to take it up, and the Attorney General. So I have a funny feeling.
Speaker 1So they're doubling down on this thing.
Speaker 2And so far neither entity has said we're going to look into this, but still there's that threat. But you know, it's just sad that Must be an election year, that you know, 45 days after that incident, and we're not, nobody was injured, nobody was 45 days and we have no, yeah, I see where you're going is.
Speaker 1Is you think if? If there was no wrongdoing and you have evidence that could clear everything up, why? Why hold on to it?
Speaker 3well, you know, craig, you're a good poker player. I know that you've learned a long time ago and with that you're not. You're not gonna do that for a living I can see what he had for lunch and you're not gonna disclose your your hand and I have a funny feeling that is what burbank city attorney and burbank police. They don't want to expose their hand there, you know, until it goes to court, once it, once it gets done. Here's the pictures. You can see what, because it's public information.
Speaker 2So far, no court case has been filed. Right, but I have a funny feeling we're 45 days in and they have seven years to do that.
Speaker 3So I've got to wait seven years to get that response. But honestly, you and I know how slow the city works. That's true Anyhow.
Speaker 2I just want people to know that we put a request in and we were denied, and they are not talking about it in any way.
Speaker 1So my Burbank has done their due diligence thus far.
Speaker 2I just thought it's something we should follow up on and continue to, and we will, and we will. Yeah, if we ever hear anything, and I will read If it does go to court and they have to use that camera footage in court, then that means it becomes public record now, and now I can get it with no problem?
Speaker 1Well, it would be open to discovery.
Speaker 3yeah, Well, and we were when the incident happened. They sent us the city. Pio put out a paragraph about it that day, I mean. And then after that, a week later, it was brought up that LA City is going to– we thought it would get dropped, we thought they would see, well, corian would take care of it.
Speaker 2Well now, Corian just doubled down on it, so he did, I sure hope he doesn't run for an office that Burbank people have to vote for. No, he did that before he gets turned down in LA, he might be running for a.
Speaker 3Head bottle washer in sanitation.
Speaker 2Not plastic bottle washer, didn't you? We don't want to talk about the plastic water bottle incident, do we?
Speaker 3No no.
Speaker 1Oh no, that's a.
Speaker 2We're not going to talk about that.
Speaker 1Our crack team of journalists is digging into that one.
Speaker 2We found something in there. We're going to look into that a little bit and then we'll talk about it later.
Speaker 3Well, I will say I did go to a new restaurant this week and a whole case of plastic straws were sitting on the counter here in Burbank.
Speaker 1It's an art piece, though you can't use them. You can't use them.
Speaker 3It's now art because you can't have flowers.
Speaker 1Before the show what did you say? You don't like, uh, paper straws that are made out of oh use toilet paper. They're gross. Paper straws are gross anyway.
Speaker 2They're good for like two sips, and then they turn into mush and try with a shake drinking through a spitball I will say is I have now been to a burger king, a mcdonald's and a kfc and all three gave me a plastic straw. In fact, kfc gave me a coleslaw container that was plastic and black.
Speaker 1You know why? Because they have warehouses full of them that they have to use and they just don't care about Burbank's little laws.
Speaker 2Who does? By the way, if people are, if you're inside a restaurant and they use plastic silverware instead of real silverware, you can call the recycling center and report them.
Speaker 3That and styrofoam.
Speaker 2There's a lot of stuff 9 to 5, monday through Friday, and if it happens on the weekend, call them next week.
Speaker 1And you thought Karen's had nothing to complain about anymore. Yeah, not true, okay.
Speaker 2Airport commission. They met last Monday.
Rapid Development of Local Infrastructure
Speaker 3And Ross give us a little rundown on what you saw on that. Well, you know I don't normally watch the airport, but apparently it came up on my TV after a city meeting that I was watching and I thought I'd pay attention. We have three commissioners Bud Overem, emily Gabaletti and Jess Telemontes. That are our three airport commissioners and I guess you know we had talked in the past about the art in public places. The building is moving so rapidly. They are going to put art inside and apparently they're going to be like in shadow boxes and built into the walls and the construction people go. We're laying out our plans. We're moving so quick. We need to know what your idea is.
Speaker 1You want stuff going into walls, we have to frame that Exactly.
Speaker 2But the question is this in the ticketed area or is this in the public area?
Speaker 3This is going to be all over the terminal. There's going to be promotional stuff. There's going to be art.
Speaker 1Right, because the argument is that if it's in a ticketed area, it's no longer a public display.
Speaker 2It's not a public display, correct?
Speaker 3But you know listening to them and I totally get it. I looked at the video today. They got concrete. They're showing how they're pouring concrete and putting walls up already for and they're moving along. And the guy said they're ahead of schedule.
Speaker 2The race is on.
Speaker 1Are we going to have a new terminal or 16 new sound stages first? Well, the sound stages had a head start, didn't they?
Speaker 2They put up a new wall every day.
Speaker 1I mean if you live on Verdugo. Your view has been gone for a long time now with those walls up.
Speaker 3Yeah you'll never see the wisdom tree again, but I got to thinking about it. You know, between the two pieces of property we must have building inspector and fire inspectors out there daily because they're moving that quick. I mean, prefab is prefab. But yeah, like you say, you go by the ranch or the new, what's it called, studio, something? There's a name to it.
Speaker 2The Ranch Studios. Ranch Studios.
Speaker 3Ranch Studios or Elevate Burbank and you can go. You know if you go to drive back there when you go to Randy's Donuts and look and you go, we're going to have, you mean, when you're back there looking for Randy's.
Speaker 2Donuts, yeah, I've yet to be at Randy's. I've not gone there. In fact, it's not only you have to park somewhere, then you have to walk to it.
Speaker 1Surprisingly hard to find.
Speaker 2Yes, it's not a.
Speaker 1You don't look for the big giant donut on the roof.
Speaker 3No, Well, I was blown away. You know, you live in Burbank 60-some-odd years. I drove out of Burbank yesterday I was allowed to, and I came back Lancashire, to Camarillo. H-salt Fish and Chips is now a Randy's Donuts. I told you that about six months ago. I can't believe there's no big donut, but they're just putting them everywhere.
Speaker 2I remember we talked about that. I was surprised when they did that. I missed that H-Salt Fish and Chips was good.
Speaker 3We had a good friend, Terry Trammell, used to work there. I remember Terry's first job.
Speaker 2It's just too bad they didn't have it as a drive-thru. Oh, that would have been good. Yeah, that's why I stopped going. Yeah, that little street over there I live in.
Speaker 3California, I'm lazy. The world's worst intersection probably Lancashire. Camarillo comes in there. Tahunga no.
Speaker 1It's just. It's the other five points.
Speaker 2Right yeah, I think Tahunga is one of those three.
Speaker 3Isn't it one of those? No, Vineland.
Speaker 2Vineland, yeah, Vineland, Lancashire and Camarillo.
Speaker 3You know, when I leave Burbank it's pretty seldom Another reason not to leave Burbank Ross.
Speaker 2See what happens.
Speaker 1See when you can plan the beep.
Speaker 2Yeah, well, when I have my finger on the beep, it works 100% of the time. Well, you know, that intersection there.
Speaker 3Yeah, we've been. I used to cover Toluca Lake, north Hollywood, a lot. I'd be out there for accidents.
Speaker 2Well, you know what that intersection's famous for. If we get over a quarter inch of rain anywhere, every television station goes out there and shoots cars going through puddles there.
Speaker 3Well, what's funny about it? I went out there for a sheared hydrant once and it was like two feet deep and the firemen out there trying to turn it off.
Speaker 2Anyhow, let's get back to Burbank here.
Speaker 3Yeah.
Speaker 1We've meandered outside the city, we've left the bubble.
Speaker 3We did make a check yesterday. There was a dispatch of a vehicle crash at Highborne and Riverside and it said into a restaurant. There's only two restaurants on that corner. There's one now.
Speaker 2And both restaurants are not in Burbank.
Speaker 3And you know what? Only an hour and a half later, the officers determined this is an LA accident. You're kidding LA City.
Speaker 1Took them that long Boy, but I was in the business. We knew before we got there.
Speaker 2I was going to say why don't you just look down Clyburn and see that the street is paved two different ways all the way down the street.
Speaker 3I remember when they paved that I got called out who was the councilman for LA, tom Labonge and Emily Gabaletti, and they both had colored helmets on standing on their side of the street and you could tell what was the purpose. So which restaurant did they Into? Patty's? Oh, okay, supposedly.
Speaker 1But there was no visible damage when we went by earlier.
Speaker 3We went and checked it out.
Speaker 2If people were sitting out there, that would be a.
Speaker 3That's when you want to jump real high if you see a car coming toward you.
Speaker 1Well, we couldn't tell. We went by earlier, we couldn't tell where a car oh, you could tell you, just didn't want to. I can't tell you. Okay, you could tell me, I'm a doctor.
City Council Meeting Length and Topics
Speaker 2I just play one on TV. Well, let's go on to our city council meeting, our city council marathon, I mean.
Speaker 1Right, Technically it should be Tuesday and Wednesday.
Speaker 2Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1It went well into Wednesday, right.
Speaker 2The meeting went 10 hours and 21 minutes.
Speaker 1It ended at 2.51 am on Wednesday morning For all the city employees that had to work like four hours later, five hours later yeah, 9 am and all department heads. They tell them to come in late after something like that, or do they? I 5 am they got all department heads. They tell them to come in late after something like that, or do they?
Speaker 3I don't think so, no they have a staff meeting 10 o'clock on Wednesday morning. It's staff.
Speaker 2I got to tell you. I understand it. The Briming Municipal Code says you must have two meetings a month. The Briming Municipal Code does not say you cannot have three meetings a month or four meetings a month Instead of an 11-hour meeting. Yeah, if we know we have two huge issues on the agenda, why not have an extra meeting or meetings just to talk about that one thing? Because is that really fair to all the employees and all the families and everybody else of these people? Yes, they get paid well. Well, most of them get paid well. There's some salary people there and the members of the public who had to stay until after midnight to talk on comments.
Speaker 1I mean, I just well, like we talked about in the production meeting before the we got in the studio here, you said you know it doesn't help that they spent three and a half hours talking about what?
Speaker 2well, let's, let's, yeah, let's get into this a little bit, okay. So, first of all, the first big thing is unfair evictions, right, not unfair, it's no-fault evictions, no-fault. And I guess a lot of talk, a few hours, went into that and lots of speakers Heated, and then they realized that in other cities they do different things that city staff did not bring up to the council as conditions that they might be able to use. So what happened was they decided okay, city staff, go back and research some more and put these caveats into the ordinance and let's see if we can come up with. I mean, I get it, this is complicated, it's going to have legal challenges and it's going to have a lot of teeth behind it. But boy, you know I mean. But that alone, though, should have ended the meeting after that was done, because it was just that long. But here's the thing that I'm really, you know, I was very disappointed.
Speaker 2After that, we had the talk on peace in the Middle East, basically on the Gaza, I mean Israel versus Hamas, and after I went to sleep on Wednesday night, I got up Thursday, or actually later that day, wednesday, and I looked and that war is still going on. I thought they were waiting for Burbank to say let's have a ceasefire. And I looked and that was still going on. I thought they were waiting for Burbank to say let's have a cease, and then they were going to have a ceasefire. Nothing seemed to have changed. We spent over three and a half hours talking about that and the wording we're going to use and how we're going to say it. For what? Why did we use those city resources for that long for something that nobody gives a damn about outside of Burbank? It's not a local issue.
Speaker 3It's not a local issue. They made it very clear. It came out of the city manager's mouth. It came out of Courtney Padgett who was working on this their skills on foreign policy. They haven't opened that book lately. They don't have to deal with it too much.
Speaker 2They have no experts on foreign policy and we're not going to hire a consultant for $200,000.
Speaker 1They are responsible for governing and managing 17 square miles of the world. Stick to that Get good at that.
Speaker 2And all those people who came in and they started crying during comments. Oh my God, if you don't do something, it's the kids, it's the children I get. People are you know. But are we going to take up Ukraine and Russia at the next meeting? And what about famine in Africa? Maybe that should be down.
Speaker 3We need to keep it to Burbank business.
Speaker 1Yeah, and don't get me wrong when I say it's not a city issue. It's an issue that's important to many people in the city many residents, the family, religious interests, all of that. It's a terrible thing going on over there, no matter what side you're supporting. But when it comes to city business and city employees and elected officials taking up city time to discuss it, that's when we start questioning if the times could be better.
Speaker 3And the five council members. It got heated between them. They had written this statement, you know, and between council members there was some disputes. And between council members there was some disputes and you could tell to me watching it, the fuzz on my TV lit up because you could tell they weren't getting along and you could see how they weren't getting along on the dais and that kind of bugs me. But what really, like I say, these people are getting up and I'm sorry, like Craig said, they did it, they typed it. It's exactly how the city wanted it worded. Five council members passed it, it got printed the next day, shipped and it was put on the city of Burbank. Pio put it out. You know it's been published everywhere. They have done what the citizens want. We can't do any more.
Speaker 2That's it, but I really think we need to, like Craig says, we need to stay with business that we can actually do something about in Burbank, that we can make a decision on, and it becomes something.
Speaker 3I think I finally just figured out. I put two and two together. I know why the meeting was 10 hours and 21 minutes and it ended at 2.51. Why is that? Because in the parking structure where they all park, you can't park there between three and six.
Speaker 1You can't Best timing yet, by the way. Well, I knew there was something coming up there.
Speaker 2You had your finger poised over the button, I knew there was something coming up.
Speaker 3I didn't mean to bring that one up, but I just thought about it.
Speaker 1Could you imagine? I thought you were going to say 251 because the car was on fire. Somebody set a car on fire in the parking garage because 251 is arson.
Speaker 2Yeah, but who's going to give them the ticket, because last parking doesn't work at? 3 in the morning.
Speaker 1Oh shh, Don't tell them that Now everybody knows.
Speaker 2No, now they're going to have longer council meetings, oh boy and I'll say you know, we have the mayor here on Tuesday night for his Ask the Mayor podcast, and I'm going to bring up something. Six or seven years ago we had a bunch of old council people on the dais. We had that thing. Well, it's 11 o'clock there. You know, gertrude, you're going home right now.
Speaker 3I need to take my pill, so they had to agree to go past 11 o'clock.
Speaker 2I mean, it's the same thing you put in 6 or 7. At every meeting now we have to stop whatever we're talking about. Oh, we need to agree to go on past. You know what, If they can just put it in that easy, then take it out that easy.
Speaker 1We don't need that you guys are not the what don't they need? I'm confused. At 11 o'clock at night during a meeting, they have to vote to continue the meeting.
Speaker 2So to make the meeting longer by having to vote on making it longer. And not once have they ever said oh, the vote is. We stopped the meeting right now.
Speaker 3Well, did you notice if you watch the meeting? It's kind of funny because if you watch the meeting they have supply of drinks, cold drinks, and I noticed most of them getting up, you know, and going over and they dig out a can of decaf or whatever. I think my Burbank should supply them a good year supply of Ensure. You know, I mean the Diet Cokes aren't healthy for them, but Ensure at least we know they'll be healthy.
Speaker 1No room for that, nothing, no crickets, no, nothing.
Speaker 2No, I do have that for you.
Speaker 3yes, they used to have peanuts and other food chocolate there, but then crinkling the packages.
Speaker 2Like in the movie theater just open it, just open the bag of chips. Yeah, commercially have how?
Speaker 3But they have gotten away from. By the way, there's no more water bottles on the dais. It's a pitcher with a nice glass.
Speaker 1Well, that's more formal.
Speaker 3Also meets the Burbank's. More formal it's not.
Speaker 1Tyler Graff. Right, but everybody's talking like water is only available in plastic containers. It's not. It's not. It's available in all kinds of vessels. It's not the end of the world people.
Speaker 2When you go to the store, though, try to find it in other vessels besides plastic bottles.
Speaker 3I did the other day a huge display of Dodger bottles and I picked one up and it was aluminum. And how much did it cost? I couldn't find a price on it. You know they want you to scan it, but I know there was a big display of yeah, you can buy a case of water for $3.99.
Speaker 2You can buy that one bottle for $5.99. Right.
Speaker 1But you have to pay a licensing fee on top of it. Yes, that's true.
Speaker 2Anyhow, so well we have. Hopefully we'll have peace in the Middle East someday, and it'll be because of Burbank, so we'll move on. But I think that it's absolutely ridiculous that we had to go 10 hours, much like the city council meeting last week.
Speaker 1We aren't even to Wednesday yet.
Council Member Hangovers and Parking Control
Speaker 3Well let's get into Wednesday. Well, you know, but real quickly. The funny thing is, I've talked to council members years and years. They literally have council member hangovers. They can't operate. You know, they don't have to go to staff on Wednesday morning, but after you deal with some of this stuff, they're up all night.
Speaker 1you know which they're not normally up all night, exactly.
Speaker 2It's like having a red-eye fly Well a couple of them have jobs, though they just call in sick the next day.
Speaker 3No, they go and they have this hangover going you know what I had to deal with last night. These are big issues and it's taken their brains to figure it out, but I've talked to them. I remember one of our council members said she used to have to sleep most of the day to get over what she lost the night before.
Speaker 1I don't blame them. It can be stressful, but Wednesday the 17th was Mr Sherwood's favorite commission.
Speaker 2Yeah, in fact it was the commission. That I won't say it, I'm just going to pass it right on to Ross and say what was that commission on Wednesday and what did they talk about, what did they decide and what did they advise?
Speaker 3Well, you're talking about the police commission and one of our commissioners was there.
Speaker 1Oh, I got it right, I guess.
Speaker 3One of the commissioners was not there, so they had a smaller group. I did learn a couple of things at monitoring the meeting and you know one of the ones that one of the reports was traffic safety around schools. Well, if people remember, we have talked about LAS. We had a story about LAS parking control. About laz we had a story about laz parking control. Well, the trial and uh what do you want?
Speaker 1to trial and error or?
Speaker 3the, the, the trial of the trial period. Yeah, it is expired with flying colors and they are doubling the force. Good, so some of the things that people are complaining about. You're working 3 am now, maybe.
Speaker 1Well, I'm a fan. You're going to laugh Only in city parking structures.
Speaker 3You're going to laugh, because they used to do alley parkers up on the hill starting at 4 am because the street cleaners come out and work the hill and when it was Burbank PCOs parking control officers, I remember hearing them wake up and sighting people in alleys. Well, I bet you now LAZ will be able to do that. But one of the things they brought up these people that double park at schools, more the middle school and the high school. Instead of sending a motor officer out there who could be doing writing citations in other parts of the city, they're going to send Laz out there because it's really a parking issue and maybe not site, but at least get the cars moving along. So it'll be a nice reason for them. Another purpose for Laz to be put in the service.
Speaker 2Let me ask our resident expert here, I don't, if a car is double parked and the engine is basically running, does Laz have the capabilities of having them pull over to the curb to issue them a ticket? I mean, is that you think in their scope, not sworn officers?
Speaker 1No, in the perfect world, if there was a parking violation, they'd create the ticket and they'd just hand them the ticket and they'd go on their way. They're not going to direct. They might tell them to move on or leave, but they typically parking enforcement will typically direct a car to go, pull over here and do this safely.
Police Community Engagement and Updates
Speaker 1But like it was, they certainly have the authority to, but as a safety thing they usually don't have that much interaction well, like the traffic, even said he thinks having them around the schools, their lights going, he says just oh yeah, obvious ability. You get somebody walking around with us with a ticket book, yeah, and people will usually get moving. It only takes one. Usually it takes one person to get a ticket and then the other things that they brought up is Burbank.
Speaker 3Schools have changed principals at almost all the schools and these motor officers get to know the principal so they can work problems out Well with new principals you have well we got to do go through training and all. So we'll see if that, if that, helps around the schools. They also let's see. Looking at my notes kind of quickly.
Speaker 1Just to add something about them dealing with an occupied vehicle. Usually you know if they're behind the car, I don't know if it's too much occupied.
Speaker 2I'm talking about if that's in traffic that they need to move to give the ticket to.
Speaker 1Oh well, they wouldn't move it, they'd issue it with a citation and they could tow it at that point if it's obstructing traffic or something. But you also got to remember If you do have an occupied vehicle and they're issuing a parking ticket and the person in that car just decides to drive away, so they don't get the ticket, well, now they get on the radio.
Speaker 2They can mail them the ticket oh, that's true or they get on the radio and you would never hear.
Speaker 1You know what Driver fled, driver left and you just mail it to the RO of the car.
Speaker 3Well, but also I don't think their purpose is. You taught me many years ago. The purpose of a patrol officer or motor officer is traffic enforcement. That doesn't mean always writing a ticket.
Speaker 1Absolutely not.
Speaker 3No, you know, and that's, I think, their purpose around the schools. Let's change the habit of people doing it. Let's put labs out there. Let's see if that helps. If not, then we can bring motors.
Speaker 1It starts with the visibility and interaction. Right, you can, but I mean I always, always said that in when I in my my detail, what I did day in and day out was 80% education and 20% enforcement.
Speaker 3Yeah, you shared with me once when you got into traffic enforcement that you know everybody thinks cops are mean people and they do it. No, they're got to fill their quota. No, most people take their driver's test when they're 16. They're 40 and 50 now and they violate some new law.
Speaker 1Or they're just complacent yeah, because they're so comfortable driving. But you know what I would? Uh, I don't want to go to traffic collisions. I don't want people to get into traffic collisions. So I'm going to do whatever I can to try to prevent people from getting into traffic collisions, and that's through education and enforcement yeah, when you taught me, when you said that to me, I always looked at it differently, and and so forth.
Speaker 3Um, bur, uh, some new police officers. The day of their meeting, the night before, we had a graduation from Rio Hondo. We had six new officers, five from Rio Hondo and, um, one female lateral transfer, I'm told, from Long Beach PD, and she seems to be working out real well. An experienced officer, um, so that's nice. And then we had christian mendez, um, on the 26th, I think I have in our notes. Uh, he graduated from laso, class four, I want to say four or something. It's uh, it was nice to see. He was the, what do you call it? Craig, the, the guy that holds the flag, carries the flag, guidon. He was nominated between the class to do that Position of honor and it was, that is you know, for a Burbank officer out of a ton of LA. And there were other agencies there. San Fernando, glendale had a slew of new officers.
Speaker 2Sounds like LeBron. Yes, lebron's going to carry the American flag.
Speaker 3Well at the graduation. It's a different flag. But the chief also reported that their new record system $4.5 million of how they do things. First it was inside the record bureau, now it's how the officers take reports and do everything else. That is all online and apparently all the bugs have been worked out. And then what else was there? Apparently there's a show out right now on Fox A lot of people have seen it where Burbank police officers went in and rescued some kids in a burning apartment and this TV show is Body Worn Cameras and it was the first show that these two officers who got Medal of Valors for that how long ago was the incident A couple of years ago.
Speaker 3Oh okay, this is a new show.
Speaker 1I was going to say if it's on a TV show, how long ago did it actually happen?
Speaker 3Well, that's what kind of got me is, because I'm going, I watch the show and I know these two officers and I'm going. That happened years ago, literally a couple of years ago, but it's a new TV show to show.
Speaker 1If you see on this show footage of Burbank officers dropping a homeless guy off in North Hollywood.
Speaker 3let me know, yeah, different production company, National Light Out's coming up and that's.
Speaker 1August 6th.
Speaker 3Tuesday Next.
Speaker 1Tuesday Next Tuesday Next Tuesday yeah.
Speaker 3Yeah, and then I guess the Burbank Police Foundation, and it kind of gets me. They didn't send this to us, but I think the chief reporter, I saw two things. People made donations to the police foundation and they bought the Burbank Police K-9 unit two ballistic vests for their dog, custom fitted and they had showed those off and I think that's kind of cool and I wanted to remind people, if you want to donate, let's say, to the K-9 program, you can do that through the Burbank Police Foundation and earmark market. You know, when we had a equestrian unit I know Terry or Carrie, the sergeant that was in charge of that, got a lot of donations from people. So if you want to donate stuff to Burbank Canine, they now have ballistic vests which are very important these days as it's getting rougher and rougher when they send a dog in.
Speaker 1Well, what's great about these foundations? My former department had a foundation for the police department. It's an independent foundation and they accept donations and things like that, but what they're able to do is provide necessary equipment that maybe the department can't otherwise get approved in a budget or can't afford in the budget, like these vests for the canines. They may not have been approved by a budget committee or something, or they didn't have money set aside for it for this year, but they thought it important. The foundation can go ahead and review that and if they have the funds available, then they can actually provide the funds for that equipment versus it coming out of the department budget.
Speaker 3It can be done through donations and I know, you hear LA Police Protection League has a foundation, the fire department, a lot of these rescue tools. You can probably see those ballistic vests at National Night Out, johnny Carson, park 5 to 8. They're going to have a big demo going on there. Park 5 to 8. They're going to have a big demo going on there. And the last thing I wanted to that the chief brought up was the Police Foundation is offering August 10th take a scoop out of crime. Ooh.
Speaker 1Doesn't that sound yummy already? Sounds like they're screaming to me.
Speaker 3It's Foster, freeze up on Glen Oaks and Angelino From 5 on they're going to be. The Police Foundation covers the cost for everybody Adults, kids and it's probably going to be real hot. So if you get a double scoop you're going to want to eat it real quick and get another one. But that's August 10th and you want to go talk to some of the police officers and the command staff. I know there'll be there and have an ice cream.
Speaker 3That was the the the other. You know other stuff. During the commission meeting there is a conference that they go to in Arizona. They elected two off two commissioners to go to that.
Speaker 2There was a couple other reports, but don't forget they're going to play a little golf there.
Speaker 3Well that there was a couple other reports, but Don't forget, they're going to play a little golf there. Well, yeah, it's apparently on a Aren't conferences, all Craig like that, I don't know, but that's.
Speaker 1They're usually at facilities that have like resort facilities and stuff like that. But that's on their own, whatever they want to do.
Speaker 3So that was the other item they brought up. Then they brought up which we'll talk about, which the public is this driving campaign. That's taken a lot of work to get it to where it is. They got tons of car dealers to get into the hands of young drivers pamphlets about safety of driving these new cars with all the distractions. And I know there's going to be a big press conference, I believe next week or in in august does that mean the parents aren't doing it anymore?
Speaker 1no, it's now the dealer's responsibility to teach the kids well what they're going to do.
Speaker 3Apparently, um Coast Customs. They went over there and I'm trying to think the owner's name, whatever it is. He said kids don't want to hear from cops talking about safety. You know, I remember when I was growing up they'd show you a bloody movie.
Speaker 1Blood flows red on the highway, yeah exactly.
Speaker 3So the owner and you'd click the slide the west coast customs guy said let's show, we'd like to put on some of these, these classes and help you out, and we'll supply the instructors and we'll be a part of this. I know they have dealers involved. They have, uh, west coast customs involved. They have dealers involved. They have West Coast Customs involved. They have several organizations.
Speaker 1So it's a collaborative effort Very much, which is good.
Speaker 3Yep, and again it was done by the police commission, kind of commissioned the whole thing, and they're behind it. So we'll have more information right down the road on that.
Speaker 1A lot of good info at that meeting.
Speaker 3I think it was.
Speaker 2Yeah, and thank.
Speaker 3God, we talked about it because you wouldn't have heard it anywhere else. Well, unless they go back, and listen to the rewind. Yep, that's true Moving.
Speaker 2On Thursday, providence St Joseph's was named one of the best regional hospitals by US News and World Reports and um I made a little run-on sentence there we have a run-on sentence that somebody put on there, which I'm not sure why.
Speaker 1Unrelated to that Burbank has a new police officer or a new recruit apparently.
Speaker 2I guess we're going to talk about that again.
Speaker 1Or is this a new new one?
Speaker 2No, it's the same one we just talked about.
Speaker 1Well, let's not confuse, well, I can just go back to Providence.
Speaker 2Providence, st Joseph's County, was honored by US News and World Reports and we always say it's the Cadillac of hospitals in the area. Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 3I know what happened. That was on a separate line and I think to eliminate 32 pages, we condensed and that got pushed up there. So we're still talking Officer Mendez, and on the video we'll show his picture if you watch us on YouTube.
Speaker 1But kudos to Providence St Joseph. We're all fans of that hospital.
Speaker 2Absolutely.
Speaker 3A premier medical facility in the area. They've put me back together a couple of times now.
Speaker 2Well, I think that is it for the week that was Coming up. It'll be the week that will be, so we'll be right back after this word from ourselves.
Cell Tower Concerns in Burbank
Speaker 1Enjoying the show right now, think you may want to do your own podcast. Well, my Burbank Talks is renting out our podcast studio on an hourly rate. You and your guests can record audio podcasts, or both audio and video. We'll help you get set up on podcast platforms and even your own YouTube channel. We can also edit your productions to make you look and sound your very best. If interested, please drop us an email at studiorentalsatmyburbankcom. That's studiorentalsatmyburbankcom. That's studiorentalsatmyburbankcom. Now back to our show.
Speaker 3All right, everybody. Are we still in the media? I'm sorry, go ahead, sir.
Speaker 2No, go ahead, Go ahead.
Speaker 3I was just curious, are we still in the media district?
Speaker 1Adjacent.
Speaker 3Never have been Okay, thank you.
Speaker 2Okay, planning Commission. Welcome to today. Planning Commission met today and there was an appeal of the cell phone tower situation on 800 South Main and the commission only had three members present. Chris Rosati accused himself, recused himself, didn't accuse him, he recused himself and we're missing a fifth person. So they only had three members present. Did he say why he recused himself? I didn't watch that part.
Speaker 3Okay, I'll play it back. I'm just curious, because that's all commercial property in there and I don't think he owns anything, unless he's doing it because he might have a real estate listing in that area. I mean— that he's also running for council.
Speaker 2so Anyhow, they voted 3-0 to deny the appeal. I was all—I kind of thought this was a ridiculous appeal to start with, and then I listened to the person who made the appeal and the reasoning they gave, and the city you know says well, this conforms with the 1994 telecommunications law. And I'm going 1994? Isn't that when you pushed up on your computer and went just to get online or something?
Speaker 3That's when you had to get up and change the TV.
Speaker 2There were no remote controls, I mean so there were parts of that that you know not real relevant today. But on the other hand I look at it like, well, I get it there's. You know people, but you put a cell phone up to your ear so it's not like you don't get. You know, those waves are around. You turn on a radio and it plays. You know why? Because the waves are all around us. When the police department shows up and they talk on the radio, they can talk because the sound waves are everywhere. You look on the mountain and Mount Lee. There's a lot of big antennas out there putting a lot of wattage out with a lot of different things. So I understand there's a preschool in the area. People were worried oh, my child is going to catch cancer. You know what. These are all fears. I think these people have legitimate fears. I get that.
Speaker 3Well, you know we talked about this a little and I'm just going to chime in here. You know I've been around this town for a while and back in the day, every time they were going to put up a cell site, the neighborhood would send out petitions and everybody would say what NIMBY.
Speaker 2Not in my backyard. Well, this started 12 years ago with the little white chapel over on exactly jeffries and maple, which we did a full story on oh yeah, and that was just they were going to hide it in the steeple and um, what was it?
Speaker 3uh t, whatever, the uh cell phone company? Uh, they had gone and you know the church was going to make money to keep it going. But I remember the day when people along Whitnall complained that they're losing their hair because the power lines that are overhead, or you know, the people that live across from the school, from schools, don't like the bells ringing and the kids yelling, but you bought a house there.
Speaker 2Well, the people who bought a house by the airport 20 years ago.
Speaker 1Yeah, I have a beef with that. I don't know why they who the heck put an airport right in the middle of that neighborhood.
Speaker 2Yeah, amazing.
Speaker 3So this one kind of I get it.
Speaker 2You can have an airport actually. You just can't have planes taking off and landing.
Speaker 3Right Now. Did you listen to the meeting? Did you get to listen? I listened, I did listen. How many, how many horse owners caught up and spoke?
Speaker 2the only, well, the only question person was really emily givaletti, and, um, she didn't represent herself as a question person, but, um, there were not a lot of speakers, actually, it was just more. You know, once again NIMBY stuff. And I will say this I was looking into this because I got emails from this nursery school or preschool, or whatever they call it nowadays. So I asked the city. I said can you give me a list of all the cell phone towers in Burbank? You know where they're located? And the answer I got back is we don't keep those records. I'm going you don't keep those records. I gave them back in 2012. I did a story on this 12 years ago. So I sent them a link to the story and I said well, here's the list you gave me 12 years ago and there's like 75 or 80 on here. So what happened to that list and why aren't you keeping track anymore? And they're saying uh, well, we'll, we'll look into a little more and see what gets.
Speaker 3I'm still waiting well, and that's what kind of gets me, because you drive around now and on top of all these big buildings you're seeing all these cell towers. They now decorate them like palm trees in the middle of Arkansas.
Speaker 2They're also on light poles now Exactly.
Speaker 3So it kind of boy again.
Speaker 2You know I want my cell phone to work, but just don't.
Speaker 1I don't want to have it work near me or have a, well, I don't understand, but we have so many radio waves and stuff shooting through our bodies from every direction anyway, how do they think this stuff travels from one place to another? It's going around us. They're not going around us.
Speaker 2Look at the top of Mount Lee.
Speaker 3How many tenors are up there, but living down here in the media district adjacent, I remember when my sister lived over here we could be four blocks apart and have Verizon and we couldn't talk to one another and they said, well, the studio doesn't want this and that you know what, if you live in this area, you still can't talk in Verizon. Yeah, it just gets me. That's because they want to put a tower in and people won't have it.
Speaker 2I offer it. Say, hey, you can put one in my house, I'll take the rent. They wouldn't do it.
Speaker 3Yeah, that just kind of hmm.
Speaker 2So I mean, I understand their points, but on the other hand, you know, if you don't want that kind of stuff, then move out to Montana. You know, I mean.
Speaker 3Well, the facility. Well, 801 South Main. I know rather well, I worked in that building for many years and it's it's changed. It was bixel. It was quite a few production companies. Back when I worked, there was an aircraft parts supply company and it burned down to the ground and, um, right along there, there's no, they never did find the guy who did that you're right, it was arson and they never 51, 451.
Speaker 3They, it was. Uh, they did they know how it was done and it was apparently the guy had a roof done the day before and the roofing company.
Speaker 1Well, we won't go there many years, I'm guessing the fire triangle was completed and that's how it's that house? Allegedly, allegedly okay, please I we need to put that into the show, open Everything we say is alleged. Or pure nonsense.
Speaker 2Yes, we've only heard about it. We don't know it for a fact. Heard a guy.
Speaker 1Who told my uncle?
Businesses and Parking Changes in Burbank
Speaker 3Okay, for just so people know where 800 block of Maine is Between 7 and 9. No, I was going to say when did Martino's Tea Cakes come from? Where were they?
Speaker 2On the corner of Alameda and Maine.
Speaker 1How many locations has Martino's had?
Speaker 2Well, that was the main one, that was the main one.
Speaker 1That's where they were huge.
Speaker 2We're talking, I mean huge.
Speaker 1Huge.
Speaker 2They supplied everybody with a tea cake back then. Huge. Now it's just people in Burbank getting a tea cake.
Speaker 3Well, they moved, they split up, the company split. Some of them went to work on Flower Street you could get the tea cakes. And then they reopened on Verdugo, on Verdugo Then. Now they're on Victory, next to Magnolia.
Speaker 2Just south of Magnolia and you know what?
Speaker 1But not to confuse Martino's Tea Cakes with Yum Yum Cupcakes.
Speaker 3That's right. See, totally different, and they taste different.
Speaker 2So what's happening with Yum Yum Cupcakes on Tuesday?
Speaker 1Say that quickly, three times what it's like we needed a segue or something.
Speaker 3Yes, we did Yum Yum Cupcakes. People probably have heard of Yum gum cupcakes because they've been around they have been.
Speaker 3There were one of the first custom cupcake company. She was located um, a couple blocks east of where she has moved to um. She had two businesses. She used to put on classes and she said rent went up in the building she was renting. I'm not putting on class anymore, I want to downsize. This is where her new location is, next to Bagel Boss and Voodoo Pizza. She's right in the brand. I have no idea where either of those places are 3100 block of West Magnolia 3100 block yep, and tomorrow 10 o'clock she is reopening her shop.
Speaker 2That'd be Wednesday or Tuesday.
Speaker 3Tuesday, the 23rd.
Speaker 2Tuesday Okay.
Speaker 3Yep Tuesday, the 23rd, on the day so reopening in the new location and I will. Parking's a little tough. I've been by there a couple of times. I'm a I will say I'm a frequent user of Bagel Boss. I met a Magnolia Park merchant in there the other day and Yum, yum Cupcakes will do very well. She now has places all over California, it's not just a Burbank location.
Speaker 2Well, on Tuesday night we're also going to do a new Ask the Mayor podcast. So if you have any questions and you have until 7 I would say seven o'clock actually on tuesday night to send your questions into questions at myberbinkcom and I think I saw in our notes tomorrow already we
Speaker 3have what we do have.
Speaker 1We've gotten one or two questions already that we're that's good, but this is we're talking about tomorrow night, tuesday the 23rd. We're recording. Recording this on Monday the 22nd. Not a lot of time.
Speaker 2Not a lot of time. Wednesday, the Senior Citizens Board. It's dark. There will be a transportation meeting at 5 o'clock at the Community Services Building. We're going to talk about the immediate district-specific plan. They're also going to talk about a parking management plan for downtown Burbank and they have two different plans that they're looking at, one being a little larger than the other, and the larger one basically, is putting in meters on San Fernando Road between Angelino and Magnolia, and on Olive and Palm and Orange Grove and Magnolia, between 3rd Street and 1st Street.
Speaker 1I have one word to say what's?
Speaker 2that.
Speaker 1Boo.
Speaker 2Well, they're going to keep the parking structures free and they're trying to get people to come in and out of those, Because people will park there all day long.
Speaker 1It's prime parking.
Speaker 2Yeah, and the employees park there. True.
Speaker 3They've done many studies.
Speaker 2We're all we heard over the years. They're going to first try metered parking at the Metrolink station, right? Well, I guess that no.
Speaker 3I think that's still moving forward.
Speaker 2Well, this may sound like this is going to be the first one they're going to do. No, because I also heard that they're going to do it in Magnolia Park, which is another place that desperately needs short-term parking in front of businesses.
Speaker 3Well, magnolia Park I can speak for it because I sit on the Magnolia Park board. There is a survey currently being done. The city has contracted a company we went through a couple of companies that were going to do the survey to talk about P-Bid and parking, because people don't understand in Magnolia Park. It's the best way to turn over business.
Speaker 1Well, and these meters are going to be on during business hours, I assume.
Speaker 3Well, that's the other thing. Otherwise, they're smart meters Defeat the purpose. They're smart meters, they can program them remotely. They can do different functions in certain things.
Speaker 2So basically, if it's in the afternoon, it's not very busy, the rate will go down.
Speaker 1Oh, so the rates will change.
Speaker 2Yeah, if it senses less people parked, but if it senses all the spots are taken, then it goes to a premium setting, and so it's a lot more expensive to park then but people don't understand.
Speaker 3Yes, I get it, folks. People come to shop here because we don't charge for parking. But now, with everything, everybody's in a car.
Speaker 1Well, come shop and then leave.
Speaker 3You're welcome to come shop, but you have to leave.
Speaker 2Go to a restaurant and eat there. That's part of the deal.
Speaker 3In the past, you know you had to jingle through your pocket.
Speaker 1You had to look in that little. I used to have a 35-millimeter film container in the door pocket full of quarters.
Speaker 3I happen to have a medical with my metformin because it holds.
Speaker 1You use prescription quarters.
Speaker 3Yeah, I'm using bigger, but you know you used to have to look for change to feed the meters. Now everybody has a credit card or debit card or a smartphone or a smartphone and pay for it that way. Burbank needs to recoup because people have complained. The parking structures need work, even the elevators.
Speaker 1Well, the elevators need work.
Speaker 3Yes, well, you know what I will say to your benefit. Coming here tonight, there is a brand new sign as you're going westbound on the Olive Overpass. The elevator is out of service for repair and maintenance. There is now a construction fence in front of the elevator doors with a very big sign saying under construction blah blah, blah.
Speaker 2I drove by there about two weeks ago and nothing I'm telling you, I drove by two hours ago Only the signs were there, but they promised it by next, by April.
Speaker 1So are they fixing them, or they just decide to turn them off?
Speaker 3Replacing them.
Speaker 1Oh, wow.
Speaker 2But again 1.5 million.
Speaker 3You know that's what gets me. People don't understand the money when the city does something like put in an elevator, not realizing that maintenance I mean they wear out, you know, and that one gets used a lot, you know. So you got to get some money coming in somewhere. So they're going to do it with via parking meter. So now.
Speaker 2the other thing they're going to talk about, which I found a little interesting, was um using having the Burbank buses transport students in Burbank for free. Right now it's a dollar to ride the bus, but you know what?
Speaker 1One way to fill the buses or get people in the buses.
Speaker 2A dollar for a kid is still a dollar. I found it interesting, though, that first they said that the Burbank Unified School District board did not want to go with the city and go past to give those students transportation. So the city is now looking at doing it themselves themselves. But the problem with what they said here was that they said that three junior high schools and the three high schools and Providence High School kids could ride the bus, but they didn't talk about the other private schools, which I was a little surprised about. But you know what, if we can have something where we can just get on, I would think that what was it called before?
Speaker 3Go Wheels, Go Wheels. Yeah, Because that worked out. Didn't they use the senior, the same size bus?
Speaker 2Yeah that's okay, and they were either full or empty.
Speaker 3But now, with these huge 45 seat or 90, you know, wouldn't that be a great idea that our kids can ride? We would see people in them.
Speaker 2But here's the problem. You got a school at one of these schools. Where's the nearest bus, where's the nearest bus stop? Well, and the wheels used to go right by all the schools Right, so it was convenient for the kids. If you get out at Muir, there's no bus stop, I know where they're going to put them.
Speaker 3They'll put a bus stop where the newspaper racks are or were.
Speaker 2So on Thursday we have the Infrastructure Oversight Board meeting canceled. The advisory council on disabilities will meet via Zoom from 1.30 to 3 o'clock. Looks like Polo is making its return to the Equestrian Center. The what To the?
Speaker 1Oh, where Did we say the Equestrian?
Speaker 2Center Holy cow, you mean the Equestrian.
Speaker 1Well, that horn can mean only one thing, Mr.
Speaker 2Sherwood. What does that mean?
Speaker 1I believe that Equestrian is the word of the week this week.
Speaker 3That's it, the word of the week. You know it's pretty funny. That sound is the same sound. That's how they start a chucker and if you go to polo, a chucker is a quarter and they take an air horn, and where do they do polo? At the equestrian Alright. I think it's located at 480 Riverside.
Speaker 1Drive Now. You've waited this long For the word of the week.
Speaker 1And what happens when people hear the word of the week, assuming you're still awake. The horn is designed to wake you up. This is not long as a council meeting. Right, it's getting there. But go ahead and send an email, craft an email To contest at myburbankcom. In the subject line, or what have you put the word equestrian, the word of the week. In the content or the text of the message, your mailing address? We won't share that with anybody, it's just so, in case you win, we can mail you your $25 gift card to the wonderful, our favorite, the Hill Street Cafe on Glen Oaks. You'll go into the mix and the system will randomly pick a winner out of all the submissions. So you never know, you might be the only one to send in a submission, or it could be one of 25. Your odds go up real high, that's true, or it could be one of the 50. But either way, every week we have a winner, so you have a chance.
Speaker 2I'll be honest with you. Last week I don't know why, but we only had four submissions last week.
Burbank Equestrian Events and Nightlife
Speaker 1Well then, you get a 25% chance of winning, but it's worth it for a $25 gift card. Hill Street Cafe.
Speaker 3Okay. And all they got to do is put Equestrian.
Speaker 1What.
Speaker 2So I know, Ross, you're going to be going there and shooting the. It's not really technically in Burbank, but it's a Burbank kneeling address.
Speaker 1Well, the horsey neighborhood over there? Certainly, yeah, the horses, we certainly hear a lot from them, so yeah, well, most of those horses are.
Speaker 2They should call it the Burbank Equestrian Center not the. Los Angeles Equestrian Center.
Speaker 1Anything on this side of the wash?
Speaker 3Yes, Well, it's so weird how the city lines are. Where the Burbank line ends in their driveway, the gate, the entryway is 480 Riverside Drive. You go in 50 feet and Burbank can't do anything in there. It's all of LA City.
Speaker 1But anybody can go watch polo this Thursday and Friday for free admission.
Speaker 3I saw that Very exciting. And if you haven't ever seen polo, I will tell you my dad used to play it professionally many, many years ago he owned his own group of polo horses.
Speaker 1Oh, and you photographed it for years, oh, for years.
Speaker 3I was the official photographer at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. Through several owners, I shot tons of celebrities playing polo. It's a fast-moving sport.
Speaker 1Now. Is this a sign that it's coming back full force?
Speaker 3They're trying. This is a group out of I'm told um santa barbara that there was a lady that came down here and got hooked, played polo, and she said this is so much fun, we got to do this again and they did it for many, many years. Like I said, elizabeth taylor had uh, one of her colognes introduced christmas center was very well known for the polo.
Speaker 1It was Huge facility over there.
Speaker 3Yeah, and, like I said, you don't have to wear your cowboy boots, you can wear tennis shoes.
Speaker 1You don't have to dress up like it's the Kentucky Derby or anything like that with big floppy hats.
Speaker 3Nope, uh-uh, they used to.
Speaker 1I will say you could run into Michael Jackson and Sylvester Stallone and you know, Johnny Grant owned a slew of horses.
Speaker 3If you run into those, three people this Thursday or Friday. I want to hear about it, but there were quite a few celebrities that are into polo and if they're not playing here, it's way too hot now in the desert to go watch polo down in Indio Coachella. Valley, yeah, yeah, indio polo down in Coachella Valley. Yeah, Indio. Gentleman that built the Burbank Mall, Alexander Hagen, owns all the polo fields down in Indio where they do the concerts.
Speaker 1Right, they do Coachella and Stagecoach down there.
Speaker 3He had a slew of polo horses. It's fun. You probably see me there. Like I said, if you don't have anything to do, come on over. I guess they're serving. There will be food available, food trucks and you know what? You get a little experience at the Equestrian Center watching professional polo.
Speaker 1And that's this Thursday and Friday, the 25th and 26th, that's if you're not going to the next event.
Speaker 3Well, this one is until 8 pm, oh okay. Next event well, this one is until uh 8 pm, oh okay, then you can after polo polo's uh, I forget uh four chuckers and you'll catch on to the game real quick. I mean, there's, there's rules and guidelines. It's kind of like soccer and nothing like water polo. I know water polo is kind of fun to watch underground. But I'll tell you, I have photographed polo arena polo. You know, you're going after a ball the size of a grapefruit. You have two horses challenging with sticks to try to knock it. You know, hit the ball.
Speaker 1Well, the people are holding the sticks right. Right the horses aren't holding the sticks.
Speaker 3No, but the horses are pushing the people, that's a very physical, it's a very physical sport oh it is, it is, and you'll hear a lot of that and you'll probably smell some while you're over there.
Speaker 1But after you catch the polo you can go over to the roguelike tavern on pass for drag queen bingo.
Speaker 2And who knows which council member you may see there? Yeah, hopefully not. I don't know. Is that a drag queen joke. He got in trouble once.
Speaker 3Oh yeah, I don't think you'll see any.
Speaker 2I don't think you'll see him there, but yeah, the drag queen.
Speaker 1But drag queen bingo Starts at 8 o'clock, I think. It goes from 8 to 10.30pm. But it's not just the bingo. They have food and drinks and games and all kinds of there's a drag. I guess that goes on before it.
Speaker 2Rogue Lake Tavern. It's over on a past. It's in the Vons parking lot. It used to be known as.
Speaker 3Sardo's. That's right Next to the B of A and that parking lot is huge Next to Maz. Well, I've gone over there. I used to shop at that Vons all the time and you go 10 o'clock, you know, and what are all these cars for? And people would say they're all over watching.
Speaker 1Back then it was Pornstar. You may know the location as Sardo's from back when, but it's the. Roguelike Tavern now so that's Thursday night. If you want to take in a good time, some drag queen bingo.
Speaker 3And I hear that you still can get peanuts. Crack them, Queen Bingo. And I hear that you still can get peanuts.
Speaker 1Put them on the floor at that place. Yeah, they have a good looking pub menu there. I checked that out today.
Speaker 2Friday lots going on. We have a food truck Friday in Magnolia Park, and so we will. I'm not sure if trucks will be there, but there will be a lot of trucks there, I think he has the gentleman putting on?
Speaker 3He's also doing the next event. I think he told me he has 20 trucks, 20 different food trucks, lined up for this Friday night.
Speaker 1That's a lot.
Speaker 3It really is. You will have any type of food you can find, but also bring your credit card. Have any type of food you can find, but also bring your credit card.
Speaker 2Well Runout. Groove Records also has their grand reopening from 6 to 9 pm, and they're located at 3208 Magnolia.
Speaker 3And that is my good buddy, jeff Ferguson, who was on Cordova back there in one of those little shops and he ran out of room, found over there at 3208. He has a larger room Now. He has a sound. You can go in and listen to records and spin and things. He has tons of giveaways. I hear he's got some celebrity that's going to be turning tunes during the night on Friday night.
Speaker 1No hints.
Speaker 3I forget who he said it was.
Speaker 1Oh well, you have to go to find out. I guess we're not going to give it away here.
Speaker 3Well, he had somebody not too long ago you know a record, a music group, Green Day. Green Day, yeah, stop at his shop. He's a promoter, so he gets these people in there.
Speaker 1If it's Green. Day there, then it could be anybody showing up.
Speaker 2Yeah, Green Day is huge.
Speaker 1Yeah, and about a small band. They don't take up a lot of space, there's only three people. Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 3So, but he's in a new place. Go check it out. You know there's some parking available behind the B of A. If you bring a car that needs to be charged, there's charging spots back there. Park in the B of A parking lot because they close at 5. Food truck. Friday night, Great night to take your family out. If you have a kid in a stroller and that's what I have found the young families kind of go out a little early so they can push the strollers and I guarantee up the block we'll have some other business. Uh going on.
Speaker 1And also friday night you've got the uh cultural market over by amc on what used to be orange grove palm, but they call it the seo now or something okay, but that's going on, uh, actually, uh, all weekend in the evenings throughout the summer Friday, saturday and Sunday.
Speaker 3if you're looking for something else to do, and I saw we had some local I don't want to say politicians, but stopped by there. There was tons going on.
Speaker 1Not only the people that are— we meant to go. You and I meant to go. We had a pencil in the go this last weekend, Well there's an elephant we took over and we didn't. And there's an elephant over there there's an elephant there. There's Batman over there. One of the part of the elephant parade is over there.
Speaker 2So there's a lot. There's three over there. There's what? Three?
Speaker 1Three of them over there Three of them.
Speaker 3I just read. I just got a text from a lady who does some custom jewelry. She promoted that she was going to be there I think maybe Friday or Saturday. So busy stuff going on.
Speaker 1Well, if you're looking for stuff to do in Burbank, you can't say nothing's going on on the weekends Because we have these recurring things throughout the summer. Saturday morning is the weekly farmer's market at Olive and Glen Oaks. Get your fresh vegetables and fruits.
Speaker 3And, I'm told, the biggest thing that they sell there Eggplant Eggs.
Speaker 1Fresh eggs? Oh, you mean like volume, yeah, Multiple the fire department goes over there at 730.
Speaker 2They probably don't charge $75 a dozen either.
Speaker 3Well, that's very, very true, but the fruit and everything is fresh, Organic and some of it's organic. They got quite a bit Flowers. It's funny because you remember Fire Service Day all the people go there and buy fresh flowers.
Speaker 1That's right, and they came walking over to Fire Service Day with bags of apples and stuff. But that is from 8 am to noon on the Saturdays.
Speaker 3Yep Very popular place.
Speaker 2And after the farmer's market, once again we're having our kitten fair.
Speaker 1I want that one. I was told not to get a yellow one, though. Oh yes, don't get the yellow ones, they're crazy. Don't get a yellow cat.
Speaker 2Yeah, it's funny, my cat picture here is actually a yellow cat Is it.
Speaker 1I have friends who have yellow cats and they're like if you're going to get a cat, don't get a yellow cat.
Speaker 3Is that like red-headed women?
Speaker 1Or like a black lab, aren't black labs, known to be a oh brown labs, even kookier?
Speaker 2I've been told that pure white cats have a tendency to be blind also.
Speaker 1Really they have like blue eyes. I don't know White dogs I'm going to give a call.
Speaker 3I got some people over at the animal shelter. Well, it's from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday. And you can pick them out.
Speaker 1It's a kitten fair, great time to pick up a kitten.
Speaker 3Saturday, again busy day.
Speaker 2The Burbank Hysterical Society is hosting when.
Speaker 3What's your favorite line of that Burbank Hysterical Society?
Speaker 1Okay, they're hysterical.
Speaker 2Oh, the Burbank Hysterical Society. Okay, they are hysterical, you forgot your own joke. Well, they're hosting a talk with Lansing White, the grandson of Earl White, who developed most of the Magnolia Park area, so that could be a very interesting conversation to hear how it began you know.
Speaker 3I bet you could ask that guy how the hell did they develop a pumpkin store?
Speaker 1And did they know they were going to have 20 food trucks in their neighborhood? Is there is your, you, are you in the magnolia park board going to be uh, present at this?
Speaker 3oh yeah, I might stop by. I uh, this one sounds very interesting because a lot of people well, craig and I know where the pumpkin store was, once Barstv. Now it's that cookie place. It's been a ton of pizza places. There's a sound studio in there.
Speaker 2We don't have a time on here, though, so I'm a little bit.
Speaker 3You know, most of the stuff at the Historical Society starts at 2 o'clock. Oh, okay, usually that's.
Speaker 2I would check their website to make sure about that. You can do your own due diligence. If you're interested, I'll show you how. We show up at 2 o'clock and it started at 1 o'clock.
Speaker 1Well, everybody, if anybody out there that's interested in going, they can look it up.
Speaker 2And you know, if it does start at 1 o'clock, either at 2 o'clock, it has then become history and two o'clock.
Speaker 1It has then become history and you go to historical society and then and if it's over by the time you get there you can become hysterical.
Speaker 3Yes, or if you want to be safe, just show up at like 7 am but I we will say that we are members, some of us are members, I think all of us are members. And and uh, they had their appreciation lunch that I missed last week. I was busy, but I hear they had a great old time and people don't understand. You know, you go back before the Lockheed days. You know how Burbank became Burbank. It's kind of interesting.
Speaker 2Well, now you have the LA Fix-It Clinic and that's going to be at the Jocelyn Center and basically they say do you have any household items that need repair? Don't trash it, fix it, don't fix it for free at one of our at the Fix-It Clinic at the Jocelyn Center. They'll provide the space, the tools and the expert coaches.
Speaker 1It sounds like you can go there and learn how to fix your own thing rather than just throw it out right? I'll help you troubleshoot and repair your object. Your object.
Speaker 2Yeah, your thing, your thing. That's from 12 to 3 at the Johnson Adult Center over on Olive.
Speaker 1That's pretty cool.
Speaker 3Yeah Well, they're trying to keep stuff from recycling and throwing it away.
Speaker 1It's a horrible trend that everybody's kind of bought into that everything's disposable now.
Speaker 2Well, it doesn't have to be, and the older people are on a budget. They can't afford to always buy new things, so maybe we'll fix them.
Speaker 3I remember when I was in high school, Mr Lewis was the electronics teacher. Every teacher would bring stuff.
Speaker 1See the one that always had the hair sticking straight up.
Speaker 3Oh yeah.
Speaker 1Working with electricity. Yeah, just like the shop teacher was always missing a finger.
Speaker 3That was Mr Foos, chester Foos, without the finger, but Mr Lewis would. Every day we would go into class and he said this teacher brought us this lamp that needs to be rewired. Or this teacher brought us this Right, so you rewired.
Speaker 1Or this teacher brought us this Right, so you're fixing all the teacher's stuff.
Speaker 3I was I learned the reason I got an A in his class. When you redid the electrical cord you have to do it eight times and then put the cord through it and tighten it up. He said everybody loved it. It looked like it was a brand new cord.
Speaker 1Because it was.
Speaker 3I got an A out of that class. He wrote in my yearbook and I'll never forget and we also now know why your mustache? Is curled Exactly Reverse polarity. You go around my house. I have cords that are perfectly wrapped everywhere. But you know to repair stuff, you're right, it's so easy.
Speaker 1So this is a perfect excuse. Before you toss it in the trash or the recycler, see if it can be fixed.
Speaker 2Well, I guess that brings us to the last part of the show, if you're still listening. We always appreciate it. Yes, we do appreciate it. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1This is my favorite. This is why I stick around.
Speaker 2Because this is the time now.
Speaker 1Not just because you lock the door.
Speaker 2And if you dozed off?
Speaker 1a little. We're going to wake you up when we play Ross's rant.
Speaker 2Ross's rant Ross's rant I take a flamethrower to this place.
Speaker 3What's up Doc? What is up Doc? And cue yeah right, what. What is up, doc? Well, and q? Yeah right, well, I was, I know I I put some stuff down in my uh good old electronic device here now I can't find them, but I do know there were a couple of things that, uh, I wanted to bring up and I think I might have tapped on one earlier. Currently there's some stuff going around social media, not just Facebook, but there is now a slew, you know ex-TikTok Facebook.
Illegal Towing and Consumer Awareness
Speaker 3I can probably spend the next 20 minutes listing off about stories going on in Burbank and one of them mentions my Burbank and the Burbank PD. We've done our research on this one. We're not doing any more stories on it. If people are curious, if they see that you know what, it's an old subject, you know and move on. That's what we're doing. One of the other things that I saw today while coming here and Craig, you can just hone in on this banded tows, tows without markings, tows that are illegal. I talked to our Burbank's official. You're talking about tow trucks, tow trucks, but these guys that own gas stations put a light bar on top and a tow bar in the back and go pick up cars. People have hooked to their insurance. Now you get tow service. Well, I talked to Dave Gerard, the owner of Gerard and Peterson, and he was telling me around Burbank alone how many of these trucks are showing up. You're involved in an accident. A bandit tow will show up and say we're working for your insurance company and I want to warn people.
Speaker 1That's a misdemeanor. It is an actual crime for a tow truck to stop at a collision unsolicited, if they're not flagged down, not called to be there, not dispatched there. It's a misdemeanor for them to just stop and render aid. Because what used to be is these bandit tows the police or somebody would call for a tow truck legally or AAA or something like that. These bandit tows would be listening to the scanner, hear the call go out and they'd go police or somebody would call for a tow truck legally or AAA or something like that. These bandit tows would be listening to the scanner, hear the call go out and they'd go jump the call and basically make the money off of the tow, and once they're hooked up, it's like I'm not unhooking.
Speaker 1And then the price would often go up. To drop the car.
Speaker 3Well, here in Burbank the official police garage is Gerard and Peterson over on Providence. They've been in business for many years. They have a contract with the city of Burbank.
Speaker 1And by police garage you mean, if your car gets impounded, that's where it goes.
Speaker 3Well or in an accident and you're incapacitated, you're taken to the hospital. They need to tow your car. They usually will put a note or tow you somewhere. But Gerard and Peterson has been in business for many, many years. They have gone through oh I don't know how many tests through the city. They have hit their impound yard. Their trucks are all brand new. But if you're getting towed by a Burbank police tow, I can guarantee it's going to be Gerard and Peterson, these other banded tows. Be careful.
Speaker 1And it's not like that in every city. Some departments, especially larger cities, have tow companies on a rotation. Right Highway Patrol has tow companies on a rotation. Whoever is next up on the list will get the call for the tow. So Burbank is unique where it has one tow company is contracted. Because they can handle the volume that Burbank needs right is unique where it has one contract. What company? One tow company is contracted and because they can handle the volume that burbank needs right. Other, maybe busier cities, larger cities, the higher volume, especially the highway patrol well, I know gerard and peterson they have.
Speaker 3when they started they used to be at a gas station at magnolia, glen oaks chevron station, him and his partner. They started buying tow. They moved a couple of times. There were two tows in Burbank Larry's Arco, larry's Tow and G&P. And then he got into doing freeway patrol Right and he's one of those rotate.
Speaker 1Metro Freeway Service Patrol.
Speaker 3Yep. He picked up a lot of this. Then he started doing heavy duty tow, which means those semis, there's the money, those are the big yep Yep and he has all that equipment. He's also been president of the California Tow Operators.
Speaker 1A great reputation. They've been around a long time, very reputable and a highly respected company. But your issue is obviously with the banded tows.
Speaker 3Yep, and at night you see a lot of banded tows, cars that are getting repoed, a lot of banded tows.
Speaker 1Well, also what I ran into years ago up along First Street. Years ago I parked in some parking lot and came back later that evening and my car was gone.
Speaker 3I recall that.
Speaker 1I remember that phone call. I discovered that it had been towed by a local tow company, not GMP, and I made my way over there. I'm sure somebody drove me over there, but I went to the counter and quickly explained to them that the operation they were running was 100% illegal and you could consider me a subject matter expert on it. And I explained to them why I was a subject matter expert and they quickly brought out my car. I'm surprised they didn't polish and wax it before they brought it out to me. But I called them to the carpet because 99.999 percent of people, that whose cars they tow out of these lots don't know that it's in an illegal operation they're supposed to be.
Speaker 3You're right, there's signs you gotta have hosting.
Speaker 1They have to have written authorization from the property responsible Phone numbers. Phone numbers. They have to have written authority from the property owner or management giving them authority to just go in there and tow a car if they see it. Yeah, but there's a whole set of laws and regulations in place for these to operate legally. But they take advantage because the majority of people out there aren't familiar with those laws and regulations, so they get away with it.
Speaker 3And I was told that Sister City Glendale not our Sister City, but the city neighbor has apparently over a dozen of these illegal tow companies working in Glendale. And so if you're going over there or I, like Craig just explained, when you pull in, just don't take for granted, oh I can park here, because I'm going to the store right here. Look, because they'll hold you to the carpet.
Speaker 1It's not as easy as it has to be properly posted, the signage. There's a lot more that goes on there for them to be, for them to legally tow you from the, uh, that lot without a property owner or management representative actually present to fill out the paperwork. But but uh, first step for everybody out there is is look for signs.
Speaker 3Yep, and that, and I, like I said, driving here tonight I saw this tow truck had more lights on top than any one of my cars ever had, and then I drove next to it and I didn't see any decals. I saw just a tow bar out the back and him snagging a car and I'm going. I sure hope the owner of that car wonders where he's going.
Speaker 1And, if you're wondering, I spent 16 years of my career dealing with tow trucks and tow companies, almost on a full-time basis, so that's why I have a little more familiarity with this than maybe some others.
Speaker 3So, like I said, Gerard and Peterson over on Providence, they are licensed through the Burbank Police Department. They have a very close relationship as a business but also as a city tow. They are out there. I see them at accidents, nickety split.
Speaker 1There's also a case where, if you think your car was towed from somewhere in Burbank, you can call Gerard and Peterson and say do you have my car? And they'll tell you if they have your car or not. And if they don't, well then the adventure begins.
Speaker 3And the other nice thing about a local tow company. I got locked out of my car once. I went and put the key in and the doors auto-locked on me and I had to call and Dave Gerard, the owner himself, came out and he got into my car in two seconds flat. Another time I've called for gasoline. I mean, know that local number. You know if you need service here they're service. Vehicles.
Speaker 1You know, just like AAA, they do gas, they do batteries and all that stuff. You just have to pay for it.
Speaker 3Yeah, exactly Most of them. Now I don't know if they take Venmo or anything.
Speaker 1No, bitcoin they might take Bitcoin now, mr Sherwood. Is that it? I think we're there. Okay, now mr sherwood is that it?
Speaker 3I think we're there. Okay, we're there. Look at that. Oh, you know. There was one last thing I gotta say. I got some mail today. We're in political season, aren't we? I got one from this renters uh la renters association going to everybody you know about. They want everybody to write the burbank city Council about the renter's laws and so forth.
Speaker 2Yeah, I don't think it's so much for a ballot measure. This is just something that comes with the city. This isn't part of the election season.
Speaker 3Well, but it didn't come from the city, it's an outside organization. My suggestion is… the landlord's paid for Exactly. If you're getting mail like that we are now into the heat of politics, not only national but locally You're going to get pieces of mail that know where it's from. If you have questions, most of those people campaigning will take your phone call. I know we are going to do some podcasts with some politicians.
Speaker 1What he's not saying is scams are up, it's scam season for political donations, stuff like that, so be careful.
Speaker 2I was going to wait until our August show to say it, but we will start doing political podcasts in August. So if you are a candidate and appear on the Burbank ballot and would like a podcast done, contact us at news at myburbankcom in August and we will set up a podcast for you.
Speaker 3You can call now and if you want to get on that calendar, you know, because I guarantee there are a slew of people running for city council Might fill up Exactly and the schedule for that for that. So and I hear and I'm just seeing a ton of events every day of you know ramping up for elections.
Speaker 1So right oh okay.
Speaker 2Well, that's it for another week that will be all in favor of adjourning this meeting.
Speaker 3Well, as they say, yabba-dabba-doo, oh, I forgot it, forget it, you gotta go. Well, there you go. Thanks, yabba-dabba-doo, we gotta go.
Speaker 2Okay, from Craig Durling and Ross Benson. This is Craig Sherwood saying. We will talk to you again next week. Thanks again for listening.
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