Congress passes Schiff’s Israel resolution

The House of Representatives recently passed a resolution congratulating Israel on the election of its U.N. ambassador, Dan Gillerman, as a vice-president of the United Nations General Assembly.

Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democrat who represents Burbank and Glendale, introduced the resolution in July, with Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), vice-chairman of the Middle East and Central Asia Subcommittee.

Gillerman is the first Israeli to be elected to that post in over five decades. The only other Israeli was Abba Eban, who held the position in 1952.

Group giving peace a chance

For three years, a group of about 20 has gathered at the corner of Broadway and Brand Boulevard to passively protest the Iraq War.

They don’t get arrested. They don’t shut down businesses.

They ask people to sign pre-addressed postcards asking U.S. Sen. Diane Fienstein to bring the soldiers home.

Nancy Kent, 58, a retired elementary school teacher, might be called the leader of the group except there isn’t one.

“We’re just local residents. We’re not really an organized group,” Kent said. “We’re calling for an end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq, and we were calling for it not to start.”

They want to be unimposing.

“It’s a vigil, so we’re pretty quiet. We are there for outreach to our neighbors so we are not there to try to disrupt,” Kent said.

“If the police make suggestion or ask us to tweak what we’re doing, we do.”

She said an officer did suggest they drop signs asking drivers to honk for peace.

“We put the signs away. So far they [police] have been reasonable and we have complied,” Kent said.

Chamber strongly endorses reform bill

The special election ballot on Tuesday is loaded with measures that will have a huge impact on business, jobs and the California economy for years to come, according to the La Cañada Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber board believes Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Reform Bill seeks to reform the state’s education, public employee union, budget and political systems.

Propositions 74, 75, 76, and 77 are strongly supported by the chamber in conjunction with the California Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber took no position on Proposition 73, which would require a waiting period and parental notification before a minor’s abortion.

It opposed propositions 79 and 80. Proposition 79 is one of two prescription drug propositions designed to control prices.

Crescenta Town council on TV

The Crescenta Valley Town Council meetings will be televised by Charter Communications on Channel 25, from 8 to 11 p.m. every Wednesday evening.

Charter Communications broadcasts to La Crescenta, La Cañada, Glendale and Burbank.

The most recent broadcast includes the council’s Candidates Forum.

Viewers can see all of the candidates running for a Crescenta Valley Town Council seat.

The town council’s election will be held Saturday at the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station, 4554 Briggs Ave. Ballots must be cast before 5 p.m.

Only registered voters will be allowed to cast ballots.