Gay Men’s Chorus get “Naughty and Nice” at the Alex Theatre

By Ted AYALA Leave it to the gentlemen of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA) to infuse that holiday spirit with some extra zest and flair. What could have proved to have been yet another ho-hum rendition of the same well loved, not to mention well worn, Christmas classics proved anything but. Their […]

Master Chorale Does a Second Take on Handel’s Messiah

By Ted AYALA  Just a little under a week since they last performed it, the Los Angeles Master Chorale (LAMC) regrouped on Sunday at the Disney Hall for their second trip down Hallelujah Lane, courtesy of Handel’s “Messiah.” Instead of the 2,000-plus singers that comprised of last week’s Disney Hall audience, you had the lucid […]

La Crescenta Avenue ‘Road Diet’ Put On Hiatus

By Ted AYALA Advocates of bicycling in Glendale were dealt a blow by City Council on Tuesday. After reviewing a proposal by the city’s Traffic and Transportation Department to allow a road diet of La Crescenta Avenue between Verdugo Road and Montrose Avenue, the council voted against the proposal. The road diet, to have been […]

Pipe bomb Scare Shuts Down Glendale Police Headquarters

By Ted AYALA Glendale Police Department (GPD) was called out late Saturday night after being informed of a pipe bomb in a vehicle that was parked in front of the police department. The suspect at the center of the incident was Saro Akhverdyan, 50, of Glendale. At about 9 p.m. Akhverdyan’s sister and nephew took […]

“Hallelujah!”: L.A. Master Chorale Celebrates 31st Messiah Sing-Along

By Ted AYALA On Monday at Walt Disney Hall, the men and women comprising the Los Angeles Master Chorale (LAMC) took a break and sat out the performance scheduled that night. In their place were over 2,200 enthusiastic amateurs eager to participate in the LAMC’s 31st annual sing-along performance of Handel’s “Messiah.” Joining them was […]

A Time of Reflection and Celebration for LACO

By Ted AYALA Saturday’s Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) concert at the Alex Theatre was one that was appropriately entitled “Reflection.” Binding the program were the works of 19th, 20th, and 21st century composers reflecting on and finding inspiration in the music of the baroque and early classical eras. But the night was also one […]

MSPA Presents Budget for 2012 to Council

By Ted AYALA Dale Dawson, executive director for the Montrose Shopping Park Assn., presented the MSPA budget for calendar year 2012 to the City Council on Tuesday night. The budget, totaling $369,000, is open to examination by the Council, but they cannot amend or vote against its implementation. The MSPA has suffered a difficult year, […]

Council Approves North Glendale Plan

By Ted AYALA The future of the unique character and atmosphere that distinguishes Montrose, Verdugo City, and La Crescenta from the rest of Glendale was set by the City Council on Tuesday. Members of the city’s Community Development Department presented the Council with the final version of the North Glendale Plan, which earned the Council’s […]

End of an Era: Jim Starbird Says Farewell to Glendale

By Ted AYALA The Glendale City Council’s first meeting after Thanksgiving was both busy and bittersweet. Jim Starbird attended his last City Council meeting as Glendale’s city manager on Tuesday. As he was called up to the podium, his City Council colleagues praised his many years of work. “He has served this city for 13 […]

Outdoor Dining Fees Enrage Restaurant Owners

By Ted AYALA For restaurants along Honolulu Avenue, outdoor dining has been an essential part of the area’s atmosphere that has helped attract customers. And it has now gotten a lot more expensive. As part of a budget package approved by City Council on June 28, the permits for allowing restaurants to keep outdoor dining […]