It’s no Mickey Mouse operation: When Central...

It’s no Mickey Mouse operation: When Central Elementary School of Burbank named itself after Walt Disney in 1969, it seemed appropriate. After all, Walt was the maker of films that have entranced millions of children and he worked out of Burbank.

A quarter-century later, though, Disney Elementary School has asked the Burbank school board for permission to dump the name. It isn’t a protest against Disney naming a hockey team the Mighty Ducks, or anything like that.

The problem is that financially pressed administrators say they are constantly turned down for grants and corporate partnerships because organizations believe the school enjoys a special relationship with the studio.

“We’re in desperate need of refurbishing our library,” said a PTA official. “Our library, cafeteria and our stage are all in one room.”

The relationship between the school and the financially astute corporate giant is a bit less than special. Disney does allow the students to sell Mickey T-shirts, but only if they are purchased through the studio--at a higher price than if they were ordered via a wholesaler.

*

Give me a D, give me a . . . oh shut up!Some city leaders hear complaints about the presence of gang members in their parks. Downey officials are hearing complaints about the presence of cheerleaders.

A handful of residents near Rio San Gabriel Park contend that there’s just too much racket made by the pompon twirlers during their thrice-weekly workouts in the early evening.

For a while, the 70 or so cheerleaders, ages 5 to 14, shifted their youth football league drills to another part of the park, away from the homes. “But there was an adult softball league there,” said City Councilwoman Joyce Lawrence. “Some of them were hit by foul balls. And evidently there were some catcalls (directed at the cheerleaders).” The city is trying to set up a peace conference between the cheering girls and the booing residents.

Even at this price, we’re not sure that’s a bargain: Barry Nackos of Westchester came upon one offer from an automotive garage that he decided to pass up.

*

At no extra charge?Sallye Carpenter of South Pasadena saw an ad for a travel service that touted its L.A. to Honolulu flights as “nonstop.”

miscelLAny:

If Donna Shalala, President Clinton’s secretary of Health and Human Services, wants to single out an example of the benefits of exercise, she has only to turn to mom. Edna Shalala was part of the doubles team that recently won the national hard-court championship in the 80s-and-over division at the L.A. Tennis Club.