Airport joins pollution reduction program AIRPORT DISTRICT...

Airport joins pollution reduction program

AIRPORT DISTRICT -- Ground service equipment at Burbank-

Glendale-Pasadena Airport will soon be emitting less pollutants.

The Airport Authority has voted to enter into a partnership with

commercial airlines, state and federal agencies and other regional

airports to reduce pollution in ground vehicles by replacing older

models with low-polluting ones.

The group’s goal is to reduce emissions by 80% over the next seven

years from vehicles, including those that carry cargo, passengers and

food services. As vehicles are retired, they will be replaced with

lower emitting models or electric equipment.

Laura Sturza

Postal workers to collect food

BURBANK -- When letter carriers drop off the mail today, they’ll

also be looking to take a little something away.

For the eleventh consecutive year, letter carriers will be

collecting nonperishable food to donate to the needy.

Residents are being asked to place unopened nonperishable food

next to their mail boxes. The donations will be collected as mail

carriers follow their usual routes.

All food collected will be donated to local food banks and other

charities. In the 10 years of the event, which postal officials said

is the largest single-day drive in the country, over 500 million

pounds of food have been collected nationally.

Ben Godar

More parking coming to Magnolia Park

MAGNOLIA PARK DISTRICT -- The city is adding nearly two dozen

parking spaces in the Magnolia Park District.

The City Council has approved construction contracts for 22 new

spaces on Lima and Avon streets north of Magnolia Boulevard, all of

which are expected to be completed by early summer.

The plans are part of a larger street-improvement project that

includes adding landscaping and parking to the area.

Laura Sturza

Education cuts protested at City Hall

CIVIC CENTER -- More than 100 parents, teachers, students and

others rallied on the steps of City Hall on Thursday afternoon to

protest possible teacher layoffs, with some saying school district

officials overacted to state budget cuts by issuing preliminary pink

slips.

Nikki Capshaw, a Roosevelt Elementary School parent who organized

the rally, criticized school district officials for targeting

teachers and nurses, which she said is detrimental to education.

“To send that kind of message to the teachers, that we don’t care

enough to do our homework before we send these notices, says we don’t

value you,” Capshaw said. “It’s this attitude that there is no

solution [that is frustrating].”

Although most of the 250 layoff notices have since been rescinded

by the school district, 48 certified teachers, nurses and counselors

could be without jobs in September. District officials are expected

to make a final decision by May 15.

An estimated 50 teachers facing layoffs presented their cases to

an administrative law judge last week. Any rulings by a judge are not

binding on the district.

Tim Willert