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Bulldogs Ousted in 1st Round, Burroughs Advances

By Austin Green

Burbank Leader

Despite an early one-set lead and outside hitter Jonathan Coleman’s team-high 14 kills, Burbank fell to Laguna Hills on the road, three sets to one, in the first round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs on Tuesday. The scores were 25-20, 19-25, 20-25, 21-25. 

Coleman also had an impressive 16 digs, second only to libero Meena Amari’s 19, and a service ace. Amari also led the Bulldogs in aces with two.

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Avetisyan, Mosley Lead Burbank Past Burroughs

By Nathan Cambridge

Burbank Leader

The boys’ basketball season usually allows John Burroughs and Burbank High to get two shots at beating their intracity rivals. However, this season has been so different in so many ways, including a condensed schedule containing just a single matchup to win city bragging rights.

In a competitive contest and high-scoring affair, host Burbank executed on offense to come away with a 90-80 win over the visiting Bears in the Pacific League finale for both squads.

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Local Woman Makes a Difference — at Home and Abroad

Photo by David Laurell
Lusine Simonyan in 2019 launched Burbank-based Miray Collections, which represents more than 40 Armenian artists.

Every community is blessed with residents that are exceptional by virtue of their commitment to giving back. With their dedication to make life better for others, they are the shining stars in the constellation that make up a community.

Since its incorporation as a city, Burbank has been fortunate to have many such shining stars, including a vibrant young woman named Lusine Simonyan.

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Burroughs Beats Burbank For 8th Straight Time

Photo by Eric Danielson
Kayla Wrobel scored a team-high 19 points and led the Bears to a 53-25 victory over intracity rival Burbank on Thursday. Burroughs is ranked No. 11 in CIF Southern Section Division IIAA.

By Nathan Cambridge

Burbank Leader

There is a truism in basketball: If you don’t put the ball through the hoop, you will struggle to win games. This was clearly demonstrated when Burbank hosted Burroughs in a girls’ basketball clash of intracity rivals.

Burroughs used a suffocating defense against the host Bulldogs that produced a 53-25 victory Thursday evening in the Pacific League finale for both schools.

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School District Grapples With a Derogatory Word

A proposed revision to policy could change instruction and materials used by teachers in the Burbank Unified School District.

While no decision was made, board member engaged in a lengthy discussion on the revision. Sharon Cuseo, assistant superintendent of instructional services, presented to the Board of Education a first reading of a draft policy that would prohibit the N-word from being said or read aloud in any class. Any instructional material, such as novels or textbooks, that use the derogatory word would be accepted only if it fit specific criteria.

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City OKs Ordinance Raising Some Store Workers’ Pay

Following weeks of intense disagreement among City Council members, the group approved an ordinance increasing pay for Burbank grocery and drugstore workers on Tuesday.

The hazard pay ordinance, sometimes referred to as “hero pay,” directs affected stores to increase employees’ wages by $5 an hour starting June 18 and will last for 60 days unless terminated early or extended. It will affect workers of large businesses, defined as stores that have more than 10 employees and are either publicly traded or report having more than 300 employees nationwide.

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Utility Rate Hikes Receive Council’s Backing

Despite concerns from residents and its own members regarding the timing, the Burbank City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to move toward increasing utility rates.

The water rate is set to increase by 1.96% in October, as well as in January and April next year. The electricity rate will increase by 1.24% in October 2021 and April 2022, while the refuse rate will increase by 2% in July 2021.

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Local Businesses Receive Millions in State COVID-19 Grants

Photo by Christian Leonard / Burbank Leader
David and Theresa Hanna have owned local gift store Bell Cottage for nearly 14 years. The Magnolia Park business received a COVID-19 relief grant from the state in April — a much-needed boost during the pandemic.

A California program for small businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic has given more than $5 million in grants to Burbank companies and contractors, recently released data shows.

More than 450 Burbank small businesses — including nonprofits, sole proprietorships and independent contractors — that grossed between $1,000 and $2.5 million in the 2019 tax year received grants from the state’s COVID-19 Small Business Relief Grant program, which was announced in early December.

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Spartans Holding Their Own in Open Division

Photo by Mitch Lehman / Outlook Valley Sun
Coach Will Moravec credited the spirited play of Maya Urata, above, for the Spartans’ CIF Open Division first-round win over Mira Costa High of Manhattan Beach.

Anyone who thought the La Cañada High School’s girls’ tennis team would be derailed after losing a tough Rio Hondo League title match to San Marino better think again. 

Not only have the Spartans survived, they have since thrived, to the point of defeating perennial powerhouse Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach in the first round of the CIF playoffs.  Continue reading “Spartans Holding Their Own in Open Division”

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Flintridge Prep Defeats LCHS to Remain Unbeaten

The Flintridge Prep varsity girls’ basketball team won bragging rights for La Cañada Flintridge by defeating intracity rival La Cañada High School, 47-39, in a nonleague game on Monday.

It wasn’t easy for the Wolves, who struggled with the Spartans’ size and trailed 10-6 with 1:40 remaining in the first quarter. La Cañada boasts two players six feet or taller on its roster, including senior standout Lauren Scoville.

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