BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS

Volunteers sought to fill sandbags

The city’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department on Tuesday appealed for help in filling sandbags for hillside residents at risk of mudflows and heavy rain runoff this winter.

The volunteer event will run from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday in the lower parking lot at Dunsmore Park, 4700 Dunsmore Ave., in La Crescenta.

The sandbags will be distributed to residents in the La Crescenta and Glenoaks Canyon areas.

Volunteers should wear sturdy close-toed shoes, sunblock and be prepared for physically demanding work.

Shovels, gloves, water and snacks will be provided.

For more information, call Iris Hidalgo at (818) 548-2782, or Jeff Weinstein at (818) 550-4478.

Kiwanis to make case on Zarian

Cathy Keen, president of the Glendale Kiwanis, is scheduled to appear live Thursday on “The Larry Zarian Show” with fellow member Stacey Gin to discuss the nonprofit’s upcoming Incredible Duck Splash fundraiser.

The annual event raises thousands of dollars, which is distributed to local charities and nonprofits. People and businesses sponsor their own ducks, which are then entered into a race at Verdugo Park in a man-made lake.

The numbered ducks are matched to their sponsor, who could win an array of prizes at the race — depending on how fast their ducks are.

Each nonprofit that sells duck adoptions keeps 50% of the proceeds, while the other half goes to the Kiwanis organization. The duck splash is scheduled for Oct. 24 at Verdugo Park.

Zarian also plans to host Aroutin Hartounian, president of the United Young Armenians, to discuss the reasons for the public rally held at Pelanconi Park on Sunday.

The group organized the demonstration to protest the protocols under which Armenia and Turkey are to begin official talks.

Relations between the two countries has been strained due to Turkey’s refusal to recognize the massacre of millions of Armenians in 1915 at the hands of the Ottoman Empire as genocide.

The show airs at 7 p.m. Thursday on Channel 280.

The viewer call-in number is (818) 547-3668.