myBurbank Talks
myBurbank Talks
Reviving Burbank's Spirit: Holiday in the Park and Community Stories
Join us as we celebrate Burbank's vibrant community spirit at the Holiday in the Park event. Ever wondered what it's like to see your hometown evolve while maintaining its unique charm? Lifelong Burbank residents reminisce about their sports-filled youth, painting a picture of community engagement and local pride.
The festivities continue with a heartwarming reunion of former players from 1995, who share the joys of parenthood and plans for future travels to places like Park City, Utah, Rome, and Paris. City Council Member Tamela Takahashi and her husband Yoshi discuss their enthusiasm for the park event, with insights on streamlining event permitting for nonprofits. Yoshi reflects on Burbank's transformation, adding a nostalgic touch. Roller hockey fans and sports enthusiasts revel in the thrill of community sports, contrasting the excitement of live events with the less engaging experience of watching from home.
As we wrap up, Burbank's Vice Mayor Nikki Perez, soon to be Mayor, shares her excitement for the upcoming Holiday in the Park and the Mayor's Tree Lighting Ceremony. She emphasizes the importance of these events in fostering togetherness and supporting local businesses. Discussions also touch on the broader challenges faced by the community, such as housing and homelessness, highlighting the collective effort needed to ensure Burbank's continued growth and prosperity. This episode captures the essence of a small town with a big heart, inviting listeners to engage with and support their local community.
From deep in the Burbank Media District. It's time for another edition of my Burbank Talks. This podcast is presented by the staff of my Burbank. Now let's see what's on today's agenda as we join our program. Hello Burbank. Craig Short here with you once again, along with Rick Assad, our esteemed sports and feature writer. So we're at Holiday in the Park. We're actually in the middle of Magnolia and it's just starting right now. Rick, what do you think?
Speaker 2:I've been here for about 15 to 20 minutes. It's fun. It's a Friday night Hopefully it doesn't rain, so it should be a good night.
Speaker 1:I think so. Well, we're going to have some people stop by and talk to some guests and see what's going on. So stay with us and we will see what we will see. Okay, we have our first guest already and we have Romick here with us. Romick last name, harkopian Harkopian. There we go. Ramek's involved in a lot of things in Burbank. He's a police commissioner, president of the Armenian Association and involved in a lot of Burbank things. So what do you think about the event tonight.
Speaker 2:It's incredible. I mean the fact that you have over what 30,000 people here and all of them sharing the holiday joy. It's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, absolutely, I think. Every year we look forward to this. So what is it about Burbank that you really like?
Speaker 2:The community. It's really rare to find a city where the community comes together, and that's what's really beautiful about Burbank. It's a big city, but it's it's it still operates like a beautiful small community. Everyone knows each other, everyone supports each other, and you can just look around you just see so many wonderful people absolutely so what do you uh want to see tonight?
Speaker 2:uh, my wife actually has a booth. She's at lucidnet collective right down that way. But plug, plug our business. Lucidnet Collective. They do artists and jewelry. They have artists from all around the country that supply their jewelry and their vendors. What they do for them is they help them advertise, they teach them how to run a business. It's really wonderful. Lucidnet Collective is located in Olive. Yeah, it's located in Olive, right across the USPS post office, I think at 124 east olive.
Speaker 1:Okay, stop by there and say hi to her. You know and support the business. But but you know, I say ron, I know you're involved in a lot of things in burbank. You got your. You're involved in the chamber also absolutely, absolutely.
Speaker 2:You know I was part of the chamber journey when it first started, well, actually, when the first j, the first, when Jamie Keezer Thomas took over about three years ago, and just you know, we worked together with you know, rebranding the chamber and bringing it to the community in a beautiful, elegant, professional way, and it's been wonderful.
Speaker 1:Well, without a doubt, since she's taken over the chamber has a huge now presence in the city and is now a player in the city.
Speaker 2:A big, big player in the city, and I remember I got involved in the chamber eight years ago, so it's been an incredible journey.
Speaker 1:Okay, well, romy, thank you for stopping by. We appreciate it and enjoy your evening. Thank you, Craig. Okay, we're back with a couple of young listeners. Who do we have here?
Speaker 3:Khaleesi Hingston.
Speaker 1:I heard you talking loud a second on our test. Talk loud. What's your name? Khaleesi Hingston Okay, khaleesi. And what's your name? Harris Lee Okay. What are you guys doing here tonight?
Speaker 4:We were performing in the Holiday in the Park show. Yes, how'd it go? Good, great.
Speaker 1:You guys do a good job. Yeah, a lot of people clap yeah, very happy, right, yeah, okay. So do you guys go to school here in burbank? Yes, what school you go to? Red heart, red heart. What's your favorite subject? Art, art. Ah, okay, artisans. So do you guys like being here in Burbank? Yeah, yeah, yeah, a lot of fun. Yes, what else do you guys like to do?
Speaker 6:Um, Front Front.
Speaker 4:Pearson. Well, I do tennis and gymnastics here, wow.
Speaker 3:And I do softball here.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's great, Fantastic. Well, thank you guys for stopping by. We guys hope you have a great night. Okay, okay, alright, goodbye, bye. Okay, we have two more guests with us here at Magnolia Park and Holiday in the Park this year. Who do you have? First of all, we have Good evening.
Speaker 7:My name is Joyce Ferris.
Speaker 4:And my name is Jenna Marina, okay, and.
Speaker 7:I hear you guys are lifelong Burbank people. We are, we're Burbankians. We went to Roosevelt right down the street and then we went on to Luther and Burroughs and played sports growing up.
Speaker 1:What sports did you play together, all of them, all of them, pretty much Back in the day, that's what you did. You played on sport, to sport, to sport. Nowadays it's still specialized.
Speaker 4:I know it's so sad, so what brings you guys here tonight? My daughter had a performance with the Boys and Girls Club and that's who we just talked to, right? Yes, you just spoke to her.
Speaker 7:Hallie, and you are here because I'm here to support, all support, absolutely.
Speaker 1:I heard you're a Burbank business person. I am. What business do you have here?
Speaker 7:Well, I'm a notary public. I'm a mobile notary, so if you have any notary needs, just give me a call. You can find me at thenotaryjoyorg. Oh, okay, yeah, super easy.
Speaker 1:And you're here in Burbank. All you need is Burbank, correct? I'm very local, very local, okay, so what do you guys think about?
Speaker 4:Holiday in the Park tonight. It's beautiful. I've never seen them close the whole street down like this before.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they've been doing it for the last few years now. Really, it's ew. It's bigger and bigger. We expect 35,000 people tonight.
Speaker 7:Wow, we have a lot of beautiful families out here and everyone's walking their dog. It's just. It's nice to see Burbank like this Agreed.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. We need to have more events like this, actually in the city.
Speaker 4:Absolutely Get us out Instead of once a year. I agree, definitely we're having a good time.
Speaker 7:All right.
Speaker 1:So you guys have been friends your whole lives, huh.
Speaker 7:Since the fourth grade I've met her in the sandbox.
Speaker 1:Where did you guys go to school, roosevelt, roosevelt, okay, back in the day, yeah, I was a Stevenson person myself.
Speaker 4:Oh, stevenson, yeah, Okay, so you've been in Burbank your whole life.
Speaker 7:The whole time. What year did you graduate and what high school did you go to? Well, I went to Burroughs, went to Burroughs.
Speaker 1:Graduated in 76.
Speaker 7:Oh, we were born in 78.
Speaker 1:You're just a little tadpole then, aren't you Awesome?
Speaker 7:Maybe you went to school with Jenna's mom.
Speaker 4:Oh yeah, my mom is no, not that year. She was born in 55. Okay, well, a couple of years before me then, yeah, so yeah, she went to Burroughs too, and to Luther, it doesn't everybody stay in Burbank.
Speaker 1:I know, you know, that's one thing about Burbank People like to stay here.
Speaker 7:It is growing. It's a growing town.
Speaker 4:Absolutely, burbank 30 years ago. I know Well. When you drive down Buena Vista now it's just traffic.
Speaker 1:I bet you're right behind us here. Do you remember what that used to be back in the day? We're in Magnolia, california. Do you remember that building? No, it's a church.
Speaker 4:Yeah but what it used to be. What was it before that? Do you remember? I don't even know where my grandma lives right now. It used to be a theater, movie theater. Oh, that's way before our time. That is really back in the day yeah, the California Theater A theater.
Speaker 7:What kind of theater Movie? Theater, yeah, movies.
Speaker 1:We had another one down the street at Magnolia on Evergreen. Oh, my god Called the Magnolia. Oh, wow, how cool. So we used to have a lot in Burbank and the AMC.
Speaker 7:I'm from the AMC days, you know, when they started building there and all of you know, for a long time we had no theaters in Burbank at all.
Speaker 1:When the Pickwick shut down, nothing in Burbank for a long time.
Speaker 4:I am so sad that Pickwick shut down too Bowling yeah.
Speaker 1:But you know, let me tell you what everybody's sad, but nobody went there. Uh, I really went there and it was busy all the time. They never would have got rid of it. Bowling was always busy.
Speaker 4:Yeah, well, bowling was certain nights. Yeah, yeah, I Too late. I know right, it's just overcrowded. Yeah, too late. I want to keep Burbank small and beautiful, don't we all?
Speaker 7:The secret is out.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Well thank you guys very much for stopping by. Enjoy the rest of your night. Thank you so much. Okay, we're back and we have a longtime Burbank person and a good friend of mine. He's the head PE coach at John Muir Middle School. He's been a coach all around the city. He was formerly a head basketball coach at Burroughs but he's now the head softball coach at Burroughs, coming off numerous league titles we have with us.
Speaker 5:Doug Nickell, how you doing. Craig, it's good to see you, good to be here, good.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. Bring that back a little closer to your mouth. There you go, fantastic, so what?
Speaker 5:brings you here tonight Family. My daughter is working over at the City Light Church booth over here. We took Nobu, our dog, out for our golden retriever out. My wife is here with me and the whole family's here. I wish my son could be here, but he's vacationing in Hawaii right now. Of course he is because he's an accountant making tons of money. He's doing well for himself. Yes, and part of that is because of you, because when you were his baseball coach, you taught him what it was like the value of hard work.
Speaker 1:Well, I just all I do is write his name on the line of card and didn so. What do you think about Magnolia Park's event to holiday the park? What?
Speaker 5:do you think it's great man? I've been looking forward to this all day, pretty much for the last month, when I saw the date and I saw it announced. You know, I grew up in Magnolia Park area. I just grew up on Maple Street just down there and then born and raised in Burbank, and this is this is a great event To me. It seems bigger. I'm not good at that kind of stuff, but it seems even bigger than before. What I like is seeing all the middle schoolers and the high schoolers out here. I've already seen like half of my team out here walking around and causing trouble and having fun and enjoying the holidays. So it's beautiful out here.
Speaker 5:Yeah, it's good to see people in a different light, besides what you see them in every day, you know, and I just saw a couple of my old former players that played for me in 1995. We just had them on the show a second ago. That was awesome. Joyce Lau, jenna, marina great kids, and I had them when they were 18. Now they're in their 40s and they have kids. Now they have their own kids, yes, and that happens a lot now, as you know. Doesn't that make you feel old? Yeah, oh yeah. No, I am old, I don't feel old.
Speaker 1:What are you? What are you? What are you? Rose up to lately?
Speaker 5:Not, um, we're just, uh, you know, taking care of family or Any trips or anything. Or yes, yes, we will be go, we're planning a trip to Park City, utah. Okay, um, after Christmas, and then we're going to do a big trip this summer and we're looking at either Rome or Paris. Oh, we're doing the inter own thing. We can kind of plan our own stuff. That's not. We never wanted to go to Europe or anything with the kids because they were just too young, and so now we're going to be able to plan our own trips and stuff. So it's nice. Being empty nesters isn't as bad a deal, as they say, especially when you have Nobu, especially when you got Nobu. I mean, look at that guy. I mean that's great, love that guy. So what's on there? How's the team look for this year? The team looks great. We just played a doubleheader the other night against Valencia and Agura.
Speaker 1:Hold on one second. How are you, tam, with Takahashi? Just stop by real fast. Come on by. We have a change. We'll get you on the show. What are you doing? We're doing a podcast, a live podcast, here. Okay, we'll get you on the show in a second. Okay, I'm almost done. He's just about done. Right now, in fact, we're going to get rid of him right now.
Speaker 5:Yeah, they're going to get rid of me. Our team's looking great, okay. Hopefully the people from the city council come out and support us and watch us. Oh, they do. That'll be great and the girls are excited for the season. It's going to be awesome, okay.
Speaker 1:Well, thanks for stopping by. Doug you, craig, all right, good to see you. Bye. Okay, we're back with a very special guest. We're here with Tamela Takahashi, our city council member, and her husband, yoshi, making the rounds tonight. Tamela, what do you think about Holiday in the Park? What do you think about this event?
Speaker 8:Thank you for asking, craig. This is one of my favorite events. We just live down the street by Verdugo Park so we can walk up here. I just love how many people come out for this event, enjoy it, how many vendors and and uh tents we have here and it's a really like it's an iconic event in our community.
Speaker 1:I love it we'd love to see more events like this in the city too. A lot of people tell us it's so hard to put an event on, so I think, as a city council, something we should look into is how we can get more events.
Speaker 8:Our parade- back things like that. Yes, and I agree with you, We've been doing, you know, making some progress on making the permitting easier and more streamlined to make sure that events like this could happen. One of the toughest parts are that it is expensive to close off the street, to get police to get the barriers, that kind of thing. So we do want to help. There is a special price for nonprofits who are putting on these events that we have established, and we also have streamlined permitting. But doing events is a big undertaking, so it does take some effort, but I would love to see more as well. Absolutely, let's talk to Yoshi for a second.
Speaker 1:Thank you for sharing your wife with the city of Burbank. I imagine you don't get that much time together anymore, do you? Oh, yeah, we spend a lot of time together. You get to get time together, but you're going to a lot of events now that she's at right?
Speaker 5:Yes, definitely, and I enjoy them immensely.
Speaker 1:How long have you guys been in Burbank, oh, since 99. Oh, okay, so you've since 99. Oh, okay, it's been a while then, oh yeah, you've seen a lot of changes and everything else. I think it's still. I've lived here my entire life, so I still think it's the same old Burbank to me. You know, the business names are different. I was just talking to somebody about there used to be the California Theater right there behind us. Now it's a church, you you know, but the building's still there, you know. So you remember things. Yeah, so what's, uh, what, what do you have? I mean, what do you visit tonight? What have you visited anybody tonight? Or or not to say visit, but what have you seen tonight that you've really been impressed with?
Speaker 8:well, we've walked down towards porto, so we stopped by one of the food trucks and had some sushi and teriyaki. Um, we stopped by some of the booze uh, selling selling items and looking at some of the wares. We've talked to some of the different vendors here. It's just so much. I have to be honest, it's a little overwhelming Sometimes. We see this much stuff, but I have been seeing people like yourself here and there and saying hi, meeting some new people. It's been pretty amazing, fantastic.
Speaker 1:Well, thank you guys for stopping by. I know you're out mingling around the crowd, so are we stopping by the podcast? Yeah, anytime, we'll talk to you later, all right, thank you. Okay, we have another guest, gary Mariano.
Speaker 11:Mariano Mariano, it doesn't spell easy. It doesn't spell easy, never has.
Speaker 1:Long time Burbank person. Long time former sports editor of the Burbank person. Long time former sports editor Of the Burbank.
Speaker 11:Daily Review back then, burbank Daily Review and Burbank Leader. I was part of the tradition. I got three years as the review and then a year as the leader and then I got to go away.
Speaker 1:I know an executive with the Dodgers for a while.
Speaker 11:Dodgers, warner Brothers, disney what are you up to now? Public relations firm Got my own PR firm. I handle a lot of different Studios, Individuals, a lot of actors, do a bunch of work for Disney. Work for Warner Brothers Feels like I'm in Burbank At least three or four times a week. Well, it's good to have you here.
Speaker 11:What do you think about Holiday in the Park this year? You know what? Holiday in the Park is one of my favorite events of the entire year and I took a couple of years off between 2018 to back. Then it was a little. I was out of town, and then COVID, and last year I came back and I'd forgotten how enchanting it is to be here in a place where, like I don't know the people at the end of my block out in the other side of the valley, but you know, here you are, I know I'm going to see Ross Benson. I'm looking for, I'm sure, all Richard and the Sods around here. You just missed them. Mickey DiPaolo and Mike Gracello he's just here. You just missed them. Mickey DiPaolo and Mike Graceffo you just missed them. All the guys, all the gang. It's still very much a hometown to me and it's wonderful. So, yeah, I love it, and I dragged my wife this year for her first time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I just met her for the first time. Very nice lady, I'm sure she puts up with you, so she better be a very nice lady. Yeah, and I'm sure she puts up with you, so she better be a very nice lady. Yeah, she is in a way different. Gary, thanks for stopping by. Sure We'll let you get on your adventure. Thanks a lot, sorry. Okay, we're back with a couple more guests on Holiday in the Park we have.
Speaker 12:Hillary Scarle and Carol Urban.
Speaker 1:All righty.
Speaker 12:Are we longtime Burbank residents? Long-time Burbank residents? You know I've worked here for many, many years. I've never been to Holiday in the Park. Where do you work at here? Well, I work at different studios. I'm a re-recording mixer. Yeah, so I hop around where needed.
Speaker 1:But yeah, Well is the studio the media capital of the world here in Burbank.
Speaker 12:That's true. I mixed in that building like two blocks over. Yeah, absolutely Amazing. What do you guys think about tonight?
Speaker 9:This is awesome. You know what I've now been in Burbank for. I'm a newcomer at 12 years now in Burbank and I remember when it first started was more the mom and pop shops and local residents and there was a more hometown, small-town feel to it. Now you've got Ferris wheels and snow and it's still small-town, it's still the small-town.
Speaker 12:And Golden Girl caftans I'm very excited about the Golden Girls caftans, yes, and all the Dolly Parton ornaments oh my God, it's amazing. It's amazing. I'm so happy Really. Is that one of the boosts? Oh yes, multiple booths Amazing, amazing, yeah, fantastic.
Speaker 9:And I have to say, the shop owners, the business owners in Burbank are the best in the world, the best Absolutely. They work so hard and they have original things. Yes, from the Crystal Shine to Mindfulness, which is now rebranded as Stay Home Friends, and Phoebe Peacock and all the women-owned businesses who actually are putting out incredibly unique products I just learned about.
Speaker 12:It's a Wrap. It's a Wrap has. They provide clothing that has been worn in different productions so you can go and purchase a shirt from your favorite TV show. If you can buy it, it's amazing. It's incredible the amount of material they have. That's so interesting.
Speaker 1:Well, it's a place where I mean the studios we all know just go through a ton of stuff. They start a production, it's over, Okay, they toss everything out. I love it. I love it, so it's a good way to reuse it again and it's a lot of nice stuff too, really nice stuff, really nice stuff.
Speaker 9:Well, fantastic. Well, thanks for having us on your podcast.
Speaker 12:Thanks for stopping by. Yes, I'm going to go find Coco. I saw cinnamon rolls that were themed after hip-hop artists. I need to go. We need to figure that out. Let me know where it is down the line too.
Speaker 9:okay, a lot of people here. I love it, thank you guys very much.
Speaker 1:All right, bye, okay, bye, okay. What's your name? Kazuki Kazuki. Who's this over here? Kota? Oh, what are you guys doing tonight?
Speaker 3:What's going on?
Speaker 12:tonight.
Speaker 1:Well, that's pretty funny, isn't it? Wow, okay, wow, we got a couple of laughers here. Okay Okay, wow, are you having fun tonight? Yeah, yeah, what are you doing? What are you trying to do? Have you seen Santa yet? Hmm?
Speaker 12:I hear Santa's here?
Speaker 1:What? Yeah, all right guys, this guy can't stop laughing over here. All right guys, this guy can't even talk. Okay, we have another't even talk. Okay, we have another guest with us. Who do we have here? Ethan Austin, ethan Austin, what are you up to, ethan Austin Austin?
Speaker 3:Just walking around with my brother, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, where do you go to school?
Speaker 3:I go to school.
Speaker 1:you know Jordan, of course you go to Jordan, I go to Jordan. You call it Jordan, you don't call it a Horta. No, I went to Jordan. I went to Jordan Junior High School, not to Jordan Middle School. It was a junior high when I went there Seventh, eighth and ninth grade, nice Back in the day. So you play any sports? Yeah, what do you play?
Speaker 3:I play roller hockey Roller hockey yeah. Sports. Yeah, what do you play? I play roller hockey. Roller hockey yeah, I play at the booth right next to yours. I play at their roller hockey rink. Is that the one over?
Speaker 1:by Northwest Park up here. Ralph Roy, yeah, ralph Roy, yeah, yeah, yeah, what do you like about playing with?
Speaker 3:that I like, that I get to get a lot of exercise in.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. What about the game itself? You like hockey? Yeah, you go to a lot of Kings games.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Who's your favorite team? The Kings. Okay, I love going to the games. I don't like watching them on television, because on television they're just really kind of boring. Yeah, but when you go and you watch a game, you hear the goalie hit a stick on the ice and you hear the guys you know talking. You hear the puck hitting the sticks yeah, it makes it makes it a great game. Yeah, you have a lot of that on your your place too. Yeah, what, what kind of puck do you use?
Speaker 3:uh, we use, like, not the ice ice, uh, ice hockey puck, we use the roller hockey puck. So it has like it has like little, little white knobs on it and sometimes it's different colors. Okay, is it made out of rubber? No, it's made out of plastic.
Speaker 1:Okay, Sounds like a lot of fun. Yeah Well, thank you for stopping by. You're welcome, alrighty. Have a good night, alright, goodbye. Okay, another couple guests stopping by out of the blue. And uh, who do we have here? So I'm, I'm mark, I'm jc. Okay, now I see we have the king stuff on here, sir, so what's?
Speaker 14:going on. What are you guys up to? So we're with. We're with la king's burbank sports center. Uh, down at ralph foy park, right um, we have a bunch of public skating events roller skating, bunch of themed events as well Coming up. We have a holiday show on December 14th Pretty big community event there.
Speaker 10:We have some champions coming in to do some exhibitions. What was?
Speaker 1:in that park before it was a park.
Speaker 10:Oh, that's an interesting. Yeah, that's a very good question.
Speaker 1:Used to be a little three-par golf course. Wow, oh, you're kidding. I did not know that Back in the day, back in the 60s, oh, okay.
Speaker 10:Way back.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's a baseball field called Northwest Park. Wow Okay, Schaefer Field at Foy Park, I guess you'd call it. Wow Okay, I bet you also don't know that right below it, underground, is a huge reservoir.
Speaker 10:No, I did not know that. This is like a history.
Speaker 1:You can't even come to our show and learn things. So I know that you guys came here a couple years ago and it's thriving now from what I hear. Yes, yes, and what's the secret? How are you making it work so well?
Speaker 10:Well, I would say, because of the different programming that we're offering, we go from learn to skate to artistic sk, know artistic skaters to you know high level hockey skaters. So, whether it's on rollerblades or quad skates, we offer programs for everyone, no matter what your level or interest in skating is. Even if you have never tried it, or if you're an intermediate or advanced skater, we have a program that can challenge you. Okay, so if somebody says you know what?
Speaker 1:I want to go over there and just start and learn how do they get started?
Speaker 10:Okay, we have a skating school that we do each and every Sunday. We run a six-week program and within the skating school we have youth that starts at 9.45 am and then adults that start at 11 am, which is a great time, and then we also offer classes on Wednesday evening and people just show up, right, yep, and it's easy Walk-up registration or you can pre-register online with us Now do you have nights where you have just open games or something?
Speaker 14:Yeah, we have several nights of roller hockey and it depends on the day and the night. Yeah, we have several nights of adult roller hockey and it just depends on the day and the night. Each division, you know, it goes up from Division I and I think we have all the way down to IV or V. I believe we have a lot of pickup games, I think, on Saturday mornings that we offer, where you can show up and basically pay a fee and then you go and just play a pickup game, you guys, seven days a week.
Speaker 10:Almost, yeah. Yeah, we have some kind of program, seven days a week, something, and it's growing each and every season.
Speaker 1:Well, I know you've also put a lot of money into the facility too after you took over.
Speaker 10:Yes, we just put a whole new floor. It's not even been there six months. You're probably surprised I know so much about what's going on over there.
Speaker 1:Yes, that's great, because we're my Burbank. My Burbank is awesome. We know Burbank Well fantastic. I know that I've heard talk about it. Now I've heard a lot of positive talk too, no more than negative talk we used to hear. Yes, it sounds like you guys really have things going on.
Speaker 14:Yes.
Speaker 10:Yeah, we have programs for every family member.
Speaker 1:Now are you affiliated with the LA Kings?
Speaker 14:Yes, yes, we have an affiliation with them. Some things are kind of sponsored by them. They do some events on our surface, whether it be ball hockey, roller hockey, stuff like that sponsored by them, Because they also lease the Pickwick Center too. Yes, they do yes.
Speaker 1:They have a huge stump print now in Burbank.
Speaker 14:Yeah, absolutely. Promotion of youth hockey and youth sports.
Speaker 1:I think I had one of your players on here a second ago. Oh, yeah, yeah, the little guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And we were talking and I said you know, hockey is a terrible game to watch on television. Yeah, it just doesn't work. But you go to a game and you hear that goalie hitting the stick on the eyes, you hear the puck hitting the thing, you hear the collisions, the whole thing going on. It's a great thing to go to. Yep, you guys are hockey guys, right.
Speaker 14:Yes, I am. Yes, I'll tell you something about hockey. You don't know? All right.
Speaker 1:Let's hear it, you ready? Okay, so the blue line and the red line right. The red line's the middle, the blue line's just okay. The blue line's solid Yep Red line is dotted. Okay, the blue line's solid Yep Red line is dotted. Why is it dotted?
Speaker 14:For the most part, I don't know.
Speaker 1:It's a great question, though I've got to tell you I don't have that answer either. Let's see. Okay, when they first started televising hockey back in the day, we all had black and white TVs and you couldn't tell on the ice where they were because all the lines were stolen. So they decided to make a dotted line in the middle so they knew when they were at center ice.
Speaker 14:Wow.
Speaker 1:And they never changed it back when we went to color.
Speaker 10:That's genius, oh yes, there you go. Yeah, you're like Mr Trivia, just been around too long, that's okay.
Speaker 1:That's okay, all right guys, thanks for coming on the show. We appreciate it. Hey, good luck. We advise you to get out there and try it. Go watch a game.
Speaker 10:Yes, absolutely. Just enjoy a game or just learn to skate. Yeah, learn to skate, all right. So yeah, and we want to say how awesome everything that you guys do, yeah, to promote, appreciate that, yeah, thank you very much.
Speaker 1:Okay, thank you very much, guys. Thank you, enjoy the rest of your night. Hey, everybody, guess who we have with us. It's Ross Benson, one of the co Co-chair, the co-chair of Holiday in the Park. So, ross, we're a little over halfway into this. So far tonight, how's it going?
Speaker 6:There are more people. You cannot walk this street. You're not driving I you cannot walk this street, you're not driving. I'm on a golf cart and we can't move. We're in excess of 30,000 to 40,000 people. Yeah, that's what we thought about, 35,000. Last year we said we had 30,000, and we are well past it. It goes all the way down to Naomi Hollywood Way. We got three stages of music going on. Kids are performing. Look, we got jugglers even here from the Burbank High Baseball team. You know what more can you ask for?
Speaker 1:So it's a success overall, you feel. Definitely. We had Tam Takahashi on earlier and she says how amazing the event is.
Speaker 6:Well, the mayor should be by the vice mayor and the mayor should be by here, okay, and I know our city manager's assistant city manager was going to stop and wave hi to you. So it's just great. And you know we have tons of food trucks, the lines for the food trucks and the Ferris wheel and Santa Claus. How's Santa Claus doing tonight? I bet his lap is mighty sore, but everybody is saying what a fantastic event. I agree.
Speaker 1:You and I both know, and we've been doing it this long time, and we look forward to this and this is kind of what makes Burbank Burbank. You know, and that's all I hear from people is how we love the small town feel of this place.
Speaker 6:Yeah, it really. That's what I'm hearing from people. That's why we live in Burbank, and people out here with dogs, with cats, with babies, strollers it just in fact Gary Mariano, who you and I work with, will be bringing his dog by here to say hi to you. Mean, who was already on the podcast. Okay, look at that, scoop 30. There we are. There he is 30.
Speaker 1:Well, fantastic, I know you're probably busy and you've got to get more presentations and more stuff to do.
Speaker 6:Well, we're really honored, clint Howard. Did he stop by and talk to you?
Speaker 1:yet you know what? I saw him on my phone, but he called while we were talking to somebody, so I couldn't talk to him.
Speaker 6:He was going to come by and say hi to you on the podcast. Yeah, we want to talk to him. He's going to make a presentation in 10 minutes of the best car down in the car show. He's going to join us down there.
Speaker 1:Well, my brother's getting a lot of people really coming by and expressing all their appreciation for all we do and everything else, so I wish you could be hearing that.
Speaker 6:Oh, I will be listening to the podcast. You know, to the people I, just everybody I'm seeing they're just amazed. And this tablecloth looks pretty clean and nice. It does, doesn't it? And look at this brand new booth. And wait, are those my copyrighted pictures in that calendar? They are not, oh, okay, but they're somebody's. Yes, they're by burbanks, oh okay, um, yeah, it's just. Can you believe this? I'm thrilled. I just you know what? I can't wait till next year. Yeah, well, you're going to start working on tomorrow. We're going to start, we're going to start working on it in january, and you know it's. And guess who? I did run into here, danny Kahn's tour, the vice president in charge of Warner Brothers tour. Oh, next year he wants to bring six or seven Batman Mobiles and he told me, ross, I will call you next week. We will talk about an ad for the tour. Oh my god, wait a second. Am I going?
Speaker 1:to get hit by lightning later tonight. Ross, I will call you. Next week we will talk about an ad for the tour. Oh my God, Wait a second. Am I going to hit my lightning later tonight?
Speaker 6:He said we were taking care of a problem. And he came up and said I didn't know he was a Burbank resident. He reads my Burbank.
Speaker 1:He couldn't read his own ad. All right, well, fantastic, I'll let you get back at it.
Speaker 6:Thanks, we got to all righty. Well, fantastic, I'll let you get back at it. Thanks, we gotta stop right. Thank you, keep up the good work. All right, these great people out here just have a happy, merry, merry christmas, happy annika, to all our friends that uh, celebrate that and shop magnolia park. Shop magnolia park, that's very right, all righty.
Speaker 1:Thanks a lot thanks hi, we are back with us. We have the vice mayor, soon to be mayor. I know it shouldn't assume, but it's in the cards, trust me. I've read, I've seen all of the cards, from your words to God's ears. Well, there we go. Then we have Nikki Perez with us and Blake Perez I can't remember your last name Blake Dellinger, dellinger. I see it all the time, and yet there's a metal blade. I can't remember your last name, blake Dellinger, dellinger. I see it all the time, and yet there's a metal. Blake and very successful campaign manager for a number of people, including our larger offices, besides Burbank too. So good to have you guys with us. Nikki, holiday in the park. What does this mean to you as not being the vice mayor, but what does this mean to you as a lifelong Burbank resident?
Speaker 15:Well, craig, I am happy to be out here with Blake, my entire family, heck, my dog's even here. What's your dog's name? Scruffy Scruffy. We're all happy to be out here because it's a great time. It is a family event. It is what Burbank is all about. We've got all of Magnolia Park out here, which is great for our families, our communities. I can't go half a block without saying hi to somebody I know and, meaningfully, somebody that I knew from childhood. That's who I'm saying, absolutely.
Speaker 1:People don't leave Burbank.
Speaker 13:Now, blake, have you lived here long? No, I haven't, but I have been in the Valley my whole life. So I was originally born in Granada Hills, okay, and my dad was LAPD and Burbank was the place of like my dad was jealous about you know. He was like if we only made a little bit more, we'd go live in Burbank, oh yeah. So he was always very, very proud of Burbank.
Speaker 1:Where'd you go? A high school coach for 40 years? I've played there many times.
Speaker 13:I had a big into football, big into track and field. I graduated at LAB in 2010. Okay, not that long, that's about.
Speaker 15:Not too bad. You're a puppy, are you kidding? Yeah, older than me, so that makes me feel good. So Nikki.
Speaker 1:What does this mean for burbank? What is, what is, what's a night like this? What does this mean for burbank?
Speaker 15:this means two things and I think it's very smart of the merchants association, of businesses here and of the city to invest in moments like this, because not only is it community, it is also good for business. It is amazing for me and the thing I love to see and I'm looking into the crowd to see more folks walking into our small businesses, folks who are looking at stores and saying I didn't know we had a pharmacy there, and getting to talk to the owner who's now telling hey, you know, we're pretty affordable, we're down the street from you, here's my card. That's the interaction that holiday in the park brings, because now those folks are going to come shop here at their local mall business.
Speaker 1:We just had somebody on the show and it's a wrap, had no idea. It's this former studio costume and wardrobe and stuff and they get it here secondhand and then we resell it. They don't realize, and this is another business. This is why Burbank is the media capital of the world, because we have so many of these ancillary-type businesses that support the studios also. This is what makes Burbank so special in that regard so many businesses that work like that A hundred percent, craig.
Speaker 15:I mean, I grew up going to these businesses with my dad. My dad's a teamster, he drove for 399. And in the heart of my childhood he was in the costume department. We'd come around and, oh, I knew the ins and outs of all these places because of that. You know, it's that same reason that makes me worry about them during this time when we have a short of in the entertainment industry, we are not producing a lot, so events like this help the businesses stay alive, get customers coming in and help us do our part for the city while the entertainment industry gets back on its feet and I cannot wait to see it get back on its feet.
Speaker 13:Your mom and I uh, her mom and I were just talking about how, like we didn't know that business was there. We didn't know that business was there. We didn't know that business was there. I mean, this family's lived here your whole life, you know, and it's just literally down the street from them. But when you know we're all driving in our cars, we know maybe 80% of the business is here, but there's that other 20% of those real gems that you get you can really only see when you're on foot or you're at, I agree, enjoying the actual street.
Speaker 1:I also drive around once in a while 11 o'clock, maybe midnight I drive the streets and then there's no really traffic situation, yeah, and you can really see oh, look what's over there, oh, I didn't know that, you know, and and it's, it's amazing when you really look at all the different businesses we have yeah, I remember on your campaign that was one of the major points we put on your website and people thought it was crazy If you wanted to talk about I forgot exactly what happened, but remember the events community building and events yeah, One of my.
Speaker 15:You know, I think all of us as candidates talk about housing. If you're not talking about housing and homelessness in California, what are you doing running for office? You know it's one of our biggest issues in the state.
Speaker 1:It's the buzzword right now too.
Speaker 15:And look, it's a huge issue for California I mean for the nation, but for California really and so I think it's good that local electors get involved, learn how to solve these issues, and I think Burbank is doing a good job. Homelessness is down even 10% more from last year. But homelessness is down even 10% more from last year. But, you know, aside from these really like brick-and-mortar issues, one of the things I like to talk about a lot was community building, and people are like what is that? That sounds like a fluff word. No, that is what an average voter actually experiences in their every day. People get to see on the daily basis their local coffee shop. They get to see the events that Parks and Rec puts together. That improves their quality of life. They want things like Burbank on Parade.
Speaker 1:Boy, we would love to have that back.
Speaker 15:Yes, and I've been talking to Ross, I've been talking to Jamie at the Chamber. We are hoping to get something started and if you're listening out there right now and you want to get involved, please reach out to me. I really want to bring back Burbank on Parade.
Speaker 1:We actually, Ross really believes we can have a Burbank on Parade situation where using Magnolia Park like this and shut it down for a couple of days and doing a car show and all kinds of events for a couple of days, even you know. So it doesn't have to just be one small event and gone, it can actually be an entire in the summertime. In the summertime, maybe in July or August, maybe around 4th of July or something Absolutely. I mean, there's a lot of things that I would love to see again in Burbank. I remember when I was a kid I don't know if you were still, because I appreciate you. What are you talking about?
Speaker 13:Only by a couple years.
Speaker 1:At McCamber's Park. We used to. Every year the Burbank JCs put it on Big 4th of July celebration every year Ferris wheels, and then the whole thing. It was massive Every year at McCambridge Park and then we'd go out and watch the fireworks on the hill from the Starlight Bowl. Yeah, but we don't do that anymore anymore. You don't have any kind of event on fourth of july anymore here see, those are the things.
Speaker 15:You remember this, yes, those are things special. As a kid I remember and this was, uh, when the old ikea was still ikea right in that little tiny like stair kind of side section where they also held like their holiday tent yes during the summer they would have movies outside right.
Speaker 15:I remember going to see 13 Going on 30 when I was 13 with my dad. We loved it. We got ice cream. It was a great event and those are the things that you take with you and those are the things I want to leave our Burbank families with the impact that the Northridge had this big carnival like a lot of rides every year, and then it was so sad.
Speaker 13:As I got older I still kind of wanted to go. I was like you know, a tween, I'm too cool for stuff like a young teenager and I was like I'm going to spend all that and be a kid and I would go and it would get smaller and smaller every year. And there was the 08 recession where it really didn't do it at. A lot of it has not come back.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, vice Mayor Perez, who's soon to be Mayor Perez for one year. While you don't have any special powers, you're still one of five votes. You can still set agendas, and wouldn't that be a great agenda to bring all these kind of things to get them rolling again in Burbank? I know there's a lot of roadblocks and I've heard from a lot of people that you know this city has gotten so worried about everything going on that it's hard to do anything anymore, and it's today's society. But I challenge you to bring some of that back, you know. Bring our youth back to Burbank, you know, and make it special the way, because you know people in Burbank don't ever seem to leave here. You know, most of them were born here and we still are, or we migrate here and we don't want to leave. Well, craig, challenge accepted.
Speaker 1:Fantastic and we'll get you on next year for our Ask. The Mayor shows.
Speaker 15:I'm excited for those and look if nothing else. I'll leave you with one thing for this weekend. We have Holiday in the Park today. We have the Burbank Wine Festival tomorrow in downtown Burbank, hopefully no rain. Hopefully no rain. We have two back-to-back events. People love to hear that they're excited and I can tell you at least got you one new Burbank resident for life.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. And then we have the Mayor's Tree Lighting Ceremony pretty soon. I don't know is pretty soon, I know. Is he going to be here for the for the tree lighting ceremony on September 7th? I think it is.
Speaker 15:To address that a little bit. Actually, mayor Schultz will officially resign Monday, that's right. So is that your? Your event yes, You'll be stuck with me, that's your.
Speaker 1:that's your first official event, then, isn't it?
Speaker 15:It will be, as, as you know, the acting mayor Right. Well, we look forward to that, then.
Speaker 1:I'm excited for it. I think your council meeting is December 10th, I think it is December 16th. 16th Reorganization and reorganization and then, after that day, you will be the mayor.
Speaker 15:I'm excited to welcome a new colleague on board and I'm excited for our whole group to be together and get ready to work on our council goals. I'm ready to get the ground running.
Speaker 1:I think you brought a lot of energy to our city. I mean, I got to be honest, I didn't know who you were until you ran and I was still skeptical at that point. And boy, you've proven yourself. You've proven yourself. It is a great job, absolutely. And Blake, you are the kingmaker. Yeah, no, no no.
Speaker 15:You know, I think Blake is just somebody who cares very much about the work he does and tries to find good people. I met him here actually, oh, okay, I met him when he worked at Laura's office and he was like wow, that's one girl who cares about her hometown and I do, and you know I wasn't that public about it. You're right, I have always been a very behind-the-scenes person. You can ask any of my teachers Anytime I run into them. They're like you were so quiet in high school, how are you up there now? I think it's just you grow older, you grow a little less nervous and also you want to do the right thing and I care about this community and working at the state level. We both saw it. We both saw that there's money there to bring back home, that there's ways to work with your legislators, to work for your hometown and make sure it's getting its fair share.
Speaker 1:I challenge you to bring our money home now, for the path to new homeless. And Measure H is now gone and a new measure is now in but once again does not say how we proportion money. Measure H screwed us and we did so much without that money. So I challenge you guys now to get in there and say, hey, we want a piece, our fair piece, of that pie now.
Speaker 15:Well, I can tell you, Craig, measure A and I was very supportive of the Measure A campaign. I helped work on some of it a little bit, made phone calls for it because Measure A, it fixes a lot of things that I had problems with Measure H about. So Measure H had no accountability Right. There was no board keeping folks in check and you know I work in mental health, I work in homeless services and watching other organizations mismanage money while I had to work with under a million and a bunch of staff trying to house over 500 people. It's heartbreaking because you know the money's out there.
Speaker 15:So I'm glad Measure A fixed that piece. And on the other side, on the city council side, measure A fixes a little bit of the funding formula and gets cities like Glendale, cities like Burbank, their fair share. So we're going to have to go through SCAG. It's a little bit of a process but we're definitely bringing in more of what's due to us from our sales tax from measure a. So I'm glad it passed. It's good for us, it fixes things and on the other side I can promise you I've already brought 3.5 million for that homeless shelter here to burbank absolutely fantastic.
Speaker 1:We need it, we want it, it's got to be done. Definitely, blake, vice mayor, talking to you, thank you, thank you guys very much for the show.
Speaker 13:To the show and enjoy the rest of Magnolia Park tonight and thank you for everything you do. Seriously, I wouldn't know like half of what's going on. I mean, I hear my first half from her and my second half from you, so I really appreciate it. Well, we appreciate it.
Speaker 1:I never thought I'd be doing podcasts and stuff like that, but that's how the world kind of changed and I said, well, we to change with it a little bit, you know, and I never want to be on camera and all that stuff. And now it's like, okay, it's like you, you know, you can come out of your shell to a point and it's important to you.
Speaker 15:It's when you want to do something good for your community and we're both doing it and bring more color to it.
Speaker 1:Any ideas you have for shows. We'll be glad to do them too. I think that's all the super stuff.
Speaker 15:Awesome and I hope you enjoyed your first podcast. Yeah, welcome to the pod.
Speaker 13:Yes, Long time listener, first time caller.
Speaker 1:Well, you know what? Everything about it. Since you're kind of out of the loop right now for about a year, probably you'll start wrapping up again. You want to think about doing a podcast show. We'll talk to you. We should talk about it.
Speaker 13:We could talk about how all that stuff works out. I think it'd be great.
Speaker 1:To me in the podcast. I do them because I like to ask questions and I like to learn. That's how I look at it. I don't take a lot of notes sometimes and I do the first little intro and I say let's talk, let me let me learn about.
Speaker 13:I loved your podcast with uh dr emily weisberg because it was that it was I don't know super honest, I am not.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was not a fan whatsoever. I was surprised when she called, said and I said yeah, let's do it you know.
Speaker 13:so like that was like that's exactly what I, when I listen to to a podcast, what I want to hear is like there was actual like movement and like honesty and like a two-way conversation. So I just I commit, I'm going to have her back on now.
Speaker 1:again, too, we got. It was a really good experience, yeah.
Speaker 15:That's Greg Craig to Spotify's number one, yes, yeah.
Speaker 13:Okay, well, thank you guys very much for coming on, you do.
Speaker 15:Craig. All right, and we'll definitely keep Blake busy next year as Burbank's new first gentleman.
Speaker 13:My.
Speaker 1:God, fantastic. Is that an exclusive here?
Speaker 15:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, fantastic. Okay, we'll be covering it. We'll be in and around town. Got it Okay. Thank you guys. Thank you, okay, everybody. Well, you know what? Holly in the Park is just about over. It's around 9 o'clock and so I have brought my intrepid crew of baseball captains from Burbank High on to say goodnight to everybody. So we've got Colby, hello, and we've got Jeremy and we've got Rob. You know where the light is. That's good. So they're first experience with my Burbank and they did a great job tonight, sold a lot of stuff, and we appreciate them being here.
Speaker 4:So, guys, anything you want to say, I'd like to thank you, coach Sherwood, for this opportunity. I appreciate it. You know, seeing everyone around here maybe appreciate how big Burbank is and, like all the people around here, absolutely I thought it was a great experience.
Speaker 1:Ladies and gentlemen, Jeremy talked. You heard it first here. It was a great experience, Rob, what do you got? Thanks, Fantastic, Okay, for Craig Sherwood and all the gang here and everybody in Holly in the Park. Thank you very much for watching or listening. We always appreciate you in your car right now listening. Thank you very much. If you're watching on the YouTube channel, remember we could always use that membership. Okay, how about a? Like All those little stupid things. We appreciate them now. Thank you very much for listening and watching and we'll talk to you next time.