After Kim Kardashian idea, Glendale to go with local students for Rose Parade float

Instead of inviting reality TV star Kim Kardashian to ride atop Glendale’s Tournament of Roses Parade float, four local high school students will get the honor.

While the students are being reviewed by the parade organizers this week, City Council members said Tuesday night that they want to set guidelines for who can ride the float in the future. In the past, riders have included council members, float fundraisers and Miss Asia USA.

“I think what we should do is perhaps set forth some loose guidelines, some preferences,” said Councilman Ara Najarian, who broached the idea of inviting Kardashian to ride the float last week.

He made an about-face after he found out the starlet would be attending a New Year’s Eve event at a Las Vegas nightclub.

Several residents had chided Najarian for nominating Kardashian because what they felt was her lack of morality in the past, citing her infamous sex tape.

At the City Council meeting on Tuesday, Najarian said, in the future, there may be a “morally acceptable” celebrity who doesn’t live in the city that may want to ride the float and officials should leave that option open.

Mayor Frank Quintero, a Vietnam war veteran, said he wanted to see veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq, especially those who are injured, get to ride the float in the future.

“There’s certainly Glendale veterans,” Quintero said. “I think they would deserve a chance to be on the float.”

The four high school students who are set to ride on the float will be announced next week, said City Manager Scott Ochoa. In addition to the city’s nominees, Caruso Affiliated -- which owns the Americana at Brand -- and Glendale Adventist Medical Center will have representatives on the float after putting up most of the money to build the float.

-- Brittany Levine, Times Community News

Follow Brittany Levine on Google+ and on Twitter: @brittanylevine.