A Politically Incorrect Blog About Living in Woodland Hills, California

Unattended Bag At Bus Stop Turns Out To Be Nothing. Ya Think?

Who are the people that phone in this crap? I miss the good old days when if you found a lost bag at the bus stop you checked it for valuables then tossed it in the bushes.  I guess I’m old fashioned.

Daily News writes:

The intersection of Burbank Boulevard and Owensmouth Avenue in Woodland Hills was reopened at about 11:30 a.m. Monday after LAPD’s bomb squad checked out a possible suspicious package near the corner, authorities said.

The incident closed down the intersection near the Warner Gateway corporate park, barring workers from reaching or leaving their offices for almost 2 hours. Eastbound Burbank Boulevard traffic was rerouted to Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

LAPD’s bomb squad examined an unattended bag that had been left near a bus stop at the intersection’s southeast corner, said LAPD spokesman Kevin Maiberger. Police got the call about the bag at 9:43 a.m. and reopened the intersection at 11:35 a.m., he said.

Popularity: 2%

Suspicious Package Shuts Down Parts Of Warner Center

Daily News (and not Nixle) writes:

Police were checking out what they called a possible ’suspicious package’ near the intersection of Burbank Boulevard and Owensmouth Avenue in Woodland Hills around 10 a.m. Monday, authorities said.

The incident closed down the intersection near the Warner Gateway corporate park, barring workers from reaching or leaving their offices. Eastbound Burbank Boulevard traffic is being rerouted to Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

LAPD’s bomb squad was on its way to the scene to examine an unattended bag left near a bus stop at the intersection’s southeast corner, said LAPD spokesman Officer Kevin Maiberger. Police got the call about the bag at 9:43 a.m., he said.

Popularity: 2%

Warrant’s Jani Lane Arrested This Evening In Woodland Hills

Looks like local resident and chronic mess Jani Lane is in trouble with the law again.

TMZ writes:

LAPD arrested Lane in Woodland Hills, CA this evening.

Police sources tell us Lane was driving a black Infiniti sedan when he allegedly hit a parked car. Officers arrived on the scene and gave Lane a field sobriety test — we’re told he did not do well and was arrested.  Lane’s car is pretty mangled, but there were no injuries reported.

According to sources, Lane blew more than twice the legal limit of .08 when officers gave him a breathalyzer test at the police station.

Lane pleaded no contest to misdemeanor DUI in July 2009. A hit-and-run charge was dropped as part of that plea deal, and the judge put him on probation for three years.

Bonus fact: We’re told Jani was arrested today by the same cop who arrested him last summer.  Go figure.

Popularity: 4%

A Case of “The Times Square Jitters” Spawns False Alarm Bomb Scare In Woodland Hills

The area of Woodland Hills at the corner of Ventura Blvd and Topanga Canyon Blvd was on lock down for about an hour last night after a concerned community member saw an object inside of a car that they thought might be an explosive device.  The incident occurred around 9pm (May 5, 2010) in the Gateway Plaza parking lot, near the Rite Aid drug store.

Topanga Station’s Officer Brent Rygh confirmed the event to me today via e-mail.  He tells me the area was evacuated and the bomb squad determined that the item in the car was not a threat.  It turns out wires are used for things other than bombs.  Community members have written me today with stores of being on lock down at Chipotle, not being able to get into their neighborhood to go home, etc.

The LAPD erred on the side of caution due to recent events in New York’s Time Square, I am told.

I was initially surprised that so many people had to deal with inconvenience from this event, yet no Nixle alerts or other LAPD notifications went out.  Officer Rygh mentioned that he intends to make some changes to the way Nixle alerts are issued, so that more timely and pertinent information makes it out to the community.

Popularity: 3%

City Mows Lawn Of Old Fire Station 84 In Woodland Hills

In a little bit of a follow up to my previous post about the overgrown lawn at the old LAFD Fire Station 84, I drove by last Saturday April 24th and saw that the city had come in and done a nice mowing.  Maybe Brian Humphrey’s good word had something to do with the swift action? Good job, Brian!

Also, I heard from Councilman Dennis Zine at an April 23rd Woodland Hills Warner Center Neighborhood Council meeting that there is some premiliary talk going on between the city and the community about what the ultimate disposition of the site will be.  Apprently, according to Zine, just demolishing the old structure will cost a fortune due to environmental concerns such as asbestos.

Popularity: 2%

Is KB Homes Already A Bad Neighbor For Woodland Hills?

Well, I found this quite amusing and interesting.  Anyone who is familiar with Woodland Hills and the west valley would know that quite a stink has been raised recently by trailer signs. (See list or trailer sign related stories here on HoW)  Personally, I’m relatively neutral on the issue.  However, many people hate them.  Councilman Dennis Zine has pretty much launched a personal war against him, so much so that if it ever comes before a city council vote again I think he should recuse himself on the issue.  I was at a Woodland Hills Warner Center Neighborhood Council meeting yesterday where he mentioned the issue again.

This is why I was kind of stunned that KB Homes, in their widening advertising campaign for their Ascent project on Erwin Street, would be so ignorant as to place trailer signs in Woodland Hills.  Just not a very good idea, in my opinion, and not very neighborly.  Please feel free to comment.

Popularity: 3%

Lost Doggie Mazie Was Found, Owners Thank Community And Keyes Woodland Hills Buick, GMC, Cadillac

Today I was taking a walk in Warner Center and came across on old sign about the missing dog Mazie.  I decided to call the number and do a little follow up to see if she was eventually found.

I reached Kellie, who told me that they indeed did recover Mazie unharmed about 24 hours after she went missing.  Turns out the signs and canvasing of the area paid off as the family received a flood of calls about sightings of Mazie.  Mazie, while absolutely harmless, is both an aggressive barker and also a scaredy dog.  Which, is a bad combination for a lost dog because they end up hiding from, or barking at, people who are just trying to help.  Some of the callers had temporarily had custody of Mazie, but she fled.  Kellie explained that she believed someone, for an known reason, had probably let Mazie out of the family’s parked vehicle at the Topanga Promenade mall on Friday April 2nd.  She canvased the area with fliers on the next Saturday and later realized that Mazie would probably want to be where there are plenty of lights at night, so she made a special trip to the car dealerships on the western side of Topanga Canyon Blvd and passed out fliers to the personnel there.

This paid off as later that not long after the employees, and I’m told service technicians, spotted Mazie hiding under one of the cars that sits atop an elevated display platform.  Kellie and her husband rushed over and were able to be reunited with their no doubt hungry and scared doggie.

Kellie wanted me to let everyone know that she and her family are very thankful to the residents of Woodland Hills who called and offered so much information about their sightings of Mazie, who it seems had quite an adventure for the 24 hours or so that she was lost.

Mazie’s family is especially thankful to the folks at Keyes Woodland Hills Buick GMC Cadillac for their efforts.  A very happy ending indeed.

Popularity: 2%

« Previous Page — Next Page »