Parking Major Concern
As a Montrose business owner of Grayson’s Tune Town, established in 1953, and an active Montrose merchant for 40 years, I am writing about my parking concern for the 2300 and 2400 blocks of the Montrose Shopping Park. I learned just recently that Glendale College is in escrow to buy the vacated City Bank Building [2350 Honolulu Ave.). Dr. David Viar, president of GCC, stated at a Montrose Shopping Park February meeting that they will have seven teaching rooms for an expected 200 students. It will be an add-on to the PDC building next to it. The concern is the public parking lot on Wickham Way, which is 95% filled daily with visitors and employees. There is no parking available to accommodate that many [more] students. There is a total of 90 parking stalls available between the two buildings. The PDC building has 66 stalls, which they have stated is virtually full currently. The City Bank building has only 24 stalls to accommodate 200 students, faculty and supportive employees.
I know that this parking demand by GCC will affect businesses on both blocks and the local residents on the streets north and south of Honolulu Avenue. Montrose has been asking the City of Glendale for parking relief for 40 years that I know of, with no success. I have recently talked to several Glendale City Council members and they agree with me on this parking concern. I have even talked to Phil Lanzafame of the Economic Development Dept. and was told that Glendale cannot do much because the College is only monitored by the State of California. I have written to Assemblymember Laura Friedman and State Senator Anthony Portantino. Neither has responded to my email to date. I spoke to Adam Schiff’s office manager and she recommended that Mr. Portantino would be the best contact for a state issue. I spoke to one of his employees and she said that she would have his assistant contact me. Again, no success.
In all correspondence, I have asked all parties to look into this situation. I didn’t mention that Montrose is zoned for commercial retail. The College moving into Montrose could bring more activity and perhaps help the businesses. This would not be possible without them finding their own parking.
I am writing CV Weekly because I am sure that the merchants and local customers do not know of this pending problem. They will be unhappy when there is no parking to do business here. And the local homeowners will be up in arms for their lack of privacy and parking.
Ken Grayson, owner
Grayson’s Tune Town
Montrose

Call to Action
As the mom of a senior at Crescenta Valley High School, this is a busy season. My son is still waiting to hear back on college applications, applying for scholarships and planning spring break. We’re gearing up for prom and ordering his graduation cap and gown. I know lots of parents here and across the country are doing the same.
So it breaks my heart to think about those parents in Parkland, Florida who, instead of making graduation plans, are now making memorial service arrangements.
It is unbearable to think about, just as it was unbearable to think about the loss after the Las Vegas shooting, the Pulse nightclub shooting, the San Bernardino shooting and the Texas church shooting. But we must think about it. And we must act.
Did you know those and almost every other mass shooting in recent years has one weapon in common? The AR-15 assault rifle. In 2016, California lawmakers passed legislation restricting sales on some of these weapons and requiring registration by the owners. But just a few months ago, the NRA sued our state and others in an effort to throw out those laws.
“Individual owners of firearms deemed ‘assault weapons’ under the new law are irreparably harmed as a direct result of defendants’ adoption of these illegal regulations,” the lawsuit states.
Irreparably harmed because they have to register their weapon? I don’t think the NRA understands that phrase. Irreparable harm is burying the child you thought would bury you someday. Irreparable harm is the burning fear that you might forget what his or her laughter sounds like because you will never hear it again. Irreparable harm is learning to make dinner in smaller portions because your family has shrunk by 25% with the murder of your son or daughter. How dare they?
Gun registration may be an inconvenience. A murdered child is irreparable harm.
It’s time for change, and we can start right here in La Crescenta. The phones in Congress are with calls for common sense gun reform, peaceful rallies are growing in numbers in cities across the country, and families and friends are gathering together in their own living rooms to talk about bringing violence prevention programs to their schools. The movement is growing and we can help.
Here’s what you can do. First, call your representative in Congress today and ask that he or she support gun violence prevention legislation to keep guns out of dangerous hands. Second, get online and get involved. I recommend checking out the Sandy Hook Promise, Women Against Gun Violence, Drain the NRA and Everytown for Gun Safety. I did. I signed up for each and every one. I donated to each and every one. And I have started – with the writing of this letter – to use my voice, my energy, my creativity, my shopping dollars and my vote to start making a difference.
I urge you to do the same.
Keiko Feldman
La Crescenta