avenue twelve

Hollywood Magic Castle On Fire

2011-11-01T00:48:00.000-07:00

A fire burnt up the attic at the World Famous Magic Castle in Hollywood on Monday afternoon. NBC LA first reported on the fire via twitter.

At around 12:45pm, the Los Angeles Fire department tweeted about a "confirmed attic fire" at 7001 W. Franklin Avenue, address of the private magician's club in Hollywood.

Soon afterward, staff at the Magic Castle confirmed that the building had been evacuated as the LAFD took over to control the blaze.

Twelve minutes later, the LAFD took to twitter again to request additional resources at the site.

LAFD spokesperson Matt Spence tweeted another update at around 1:37, saying that the "stubborn" fire was in the attic and possibly the walls, but that it was "close to knockdown" because of the 120 firefighters on the scene.

At 1:42 pm, The LAFD reported via twitter that the fire is over. It took 120 firefighters one hour and five minutes to quell the fire, and no injuries were reported, according to Spence.

The Magic Castle has already updated its website to announce that the club will be closed on Halloween due to fire damage. For the last week in October, the Magic Castle had been hosting daily Halloween celebrations that included a "freakshow deluxe," a dance party and costume contest, and a seance to connect with the spirit of Harry Houdini. Their site's special events calendar had promised that the Magic Castle would be "ON FIRE with the spirit of Halloween!"

The Magic Castle was built in 1909 as the private home of real estate mogul Rollin B. Lane, who owned much of what is now Hollywood. The house went through various incarnations as a multi-family home, elderly home and apartment building, according to the Magic Castle's official site.

In 1960, Milt Larsen, a writer on the NBC TV show "Truth or Consequences," began to transform the neglected building. Milt was inspired by his father, the famous magician William W. Larsen, Sr., who had once dreamed of an exclusive club for magicians. With the help of generous friends and volunteers, Milt restored the historic Victorian building to just that; in 1963, the tourist attraction that it is today opened its doors to its guests.

Source http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/31/hollywood-magic-castle-on-fire_n_1068072.html

Police Log: Vandals damage numerous sprinklers

2011-08-09T22:47:00.000-07:00

A city employee reported the discovery of 76 sprinkler heads and 12 irrigation rotor heads damaged along 11th Street to Lammers Road at 3:30 p.m. It wasn't immediately known how much the sprinklers would cost to replace.

Tracy police received 184 calls for service Monday, Aug. 8. The following is a sample of those calls.

12:05 a.m.: A caller reported his neighbors saw a man go into his house on the 100 block of East Sixth Street. He said they saw him break the back sliding door and take a laptop. He was last seen driving away in a white car.

12:33 a.m.: Police arrested a 24-year-old man near Kavanagh Avenue and Ponte Mira Way. The arrest came after a pedestrian stop for an outstanding sheriff’s warrant for domestic violence.

12:38 a.m.: A woman called to report someone inside her house on the 400 block of Cecilio Way. She said she could hear someone going through her garbage. Police checked and found two men in the recyclables. They were both issued a warning.

1:49 a.m.: A caller reported his girlfriend just called him and told him she was going to drive into his garage door on the 700 block of Winter Lane. Twelve minutes later, he told police she just rammed his garage door twice. He told police he didn’t want to have her prosecuted, but he did want an officer to talk to her. As officers were about to leave, she ran to her car and rammed the garage door again. The boyfriend again told police he didn’t want to prosecute. Police returned at 3:31 a.m. and arrested the woman after the caller reported she rammed his car with her car and he wanted her arrested.

6:43 a.m.: A caller reported that someone vandalized a slide at Lincoln Park, 170 E. Eaton Ave. It appeared someone cracked the slide with a rock.

8:39 a.m.: A caller found three catalytic converters under some boxes on the side of a building on the 200 block of West Larch Road.

8:48 a.m.: A caller reported her 11-year-old daughter was out of control on the 100 block of Winter Court. She told police the girl said she would hurt her mother if she didn’t do what she told her. Police counseled the girl and told her there would be further action if they had to come back.

8:55 a.m.: A caller reported someone hit his parked big-rig at Mission Trading Company, 950 E. Grant Line Road.

10:45 a.m.: A caller reported someone tried to break into his house on the 300 block of Accipiter Court.

12:04 p.m.: A caller reported someone ran into his parked car at FoodMaxx at 3225 N. Tracy Blvd.

1:57 p.m.: A caller reported someone might have broken into a house on the 1500 block of Parker Avenue. He said it was his late sister’s residence. Police checked and found the property left outside for a charity was taken.

2:15 p.m.: A store clerk called to report a man walked out of the Rite Aid, 1970 W. Grant Line Road with three DVD players. He said the man drove away in a truck with a camper shell.

2:56 p.m.: Eighteen cases of graffiti were reported around the city, including in the area of Colony and Cabrillo drives; Central Avenue and Schulte Road; Parker Avenue and Carlton Way; Placencia Fields on Krohn Road; Eaton Avenue and Holly Drive; Lowell Avenue and Hampshire Lane; and Dorlane Thrasher Park, 1620 Joseph Menusa Lane. All the incidents were photographed and retained by the graffiti tracking program.

3:34 p.m.: A caller reported to report someone stole her purse out of her car at the Montessori School, 100 S. Tracy Blvd.

3:36 p.m.: An online report was made for a car burglary at the West Valley Mall, 3200 Naglee Road. The caller said his GPS and phone chargers were stolen.

3:40 p.m.: A caller reported his girlfriend punched him in the eye on the 100 block of Portola Way. Police arrested the 20-year-old woman on suspicion of battery.

4:01 p.m.: Police responded to a battery call and discovered people living in a condemned house on the 1700 block of Askren Court. They were several code enforcement issues discovered.

4:26 p.m.: A caller reported someone stole his motorized bike from an open garage on the 2200 block of Sudbury Court.

4:30 p.m.: A caller reported someone stole a tractor and lawn mower from his property on Mariani Court.

5:27 p.m.: A caller reported someone stole a large change jar containing $400 on the 300 block of Garden Court. He said he suspected his neighbor took it while he was not home.

5:55 p.m.: Police arrested a 29-year-old man on suspicion of drug possession on the 1900 block of Parker Avenue. The arrest was made after an officer received a call from a woman saying her husband was outside their house yelling.

6:31 p.m.: A caller reported two pit bulls got into his yard and attacked his dog on the 700 block of Cambridge Court. Police checked and found the dog was uninjured and the issue was a civil matter between neighbors.

6:40 p.m.: A caller reported someone stole his bicycle from Williams Middle School, 1600 Tennis Lane.

8:38 p.m.: Police arrested a 24-year-old man on suspicion of being drunk in public on the 100 block of East Beverly Place. The arrest came after a caller reported two men and two women were in an argument. The caller reported one of the men left and was seen pushing his way into a house.

8:44 p.m.: A caller reported a car hit the tree in front of his house on the 1700 block of Court Drive. He said the car left after the crash, going west on Lowell Avenue. Police checked and found tire marks from an “exhibition of speed,” but they were unable to find the car.

9:06 p.m.: A caller reported a small dog running the wrong way on a one-way street near 11th Street and Parker Avenue.

9:13 p.m.: A caller reported someone stole his bicycle from the Dollar Tree, 2691 N. Tracy Blvd.

11:37 p.m.: A woman said a man was hitting her son on the 1400 block of Blair Avenue. A second caller reported a fight between four or five men. The woman called back and said her son was chasing the man who hit him as he ran east on Suellen Drive. A third caller reported a man walking in front of his house on Ponte Mira Way saying he was looking for his father because someone was trying to shoot them. Police are investigating.

Source http://www.tracypress.com/view/full_story/14999531/article-Police-Log--Vandals-damage-numerous-sprinklers-?instance=home_news_lead_story

Lincoln Avenue Lexicon: Postcards, notes and a mystery

2011-03-31T21:19:00.001-07:00

This week was a toss up for me in terms of what I wanted to write, a column in this spot or a bookshelf book review, and seeing as I’m up to my literary elbows in Robert Frost poems (“Reluctance” being one of my favorites), digging through mail and chasing mysteries, I thought I’d have more fun with the column.

For starters, I have this letter that came in late last week from Calistoga massage therapist Liza Xavier.

“After shocking the community with her recent Mega-Millions lottery win, Liza Xavier declared, ‘With God, all things are possible’ and announced that she is now retiring to practice philanthropy.”

She added that the joyous announcement was written in the spirit of tomorrow’s celebrations (April 1).

The next day, a phone call jangled my nerves, breaking my deep concentration on getting 40 winks for lunch. Winks are nice. Low in calories, yet enormously invigorating.

Anyway, the caller asked if she was speaking to John Walters. “Waters,” I said.

“John R. Walters,” she asked again, obviously not having heard me the first two times I told her who I was.

Then she proceeded to tell me she’s been holding my package for more than a month, and that I should come get it or tell her what to do with it.

I had no earthly idea of what she spake, and I told her so.

“You left your package on the counter when you left.”

Well, the only place I had recently left was home, where I was certain I had wiped the counter clean.

She took a breath, and told me when I was at the coffee kiosk at Kaiser in Santa Rosa I left my little package next to the register and walked off.

I asked her to describe the contents of this package and she tried, but I still didn’t see the light. Then she said the magic words.

“The only thing at all with a name on it was a business card with John Walters Jr. on it, I assumed that was you,” she said.

“It is me, sort of,” I answered.

I would drive over, I told her, and see what the heck she was talking about.

Once I found the place and made myself a cup o’ Joe, I told her I was Mr. Walters. She was so excited, and spun around, and upon returning, extended a set of cards held together by a rubber band.

I separated them. There was a rosary card created by a group called “SOAR,” for “Support Our Aging Religious.” There was another card that was made to fold in half, and inside was a St. Jude medal, with the advisory; “Carry this medal with you at all times.”

Already, I felt like an unwitting accessory to the devil.

There was another folded sheath containing another St. Jude medal, this one made to stick to the external rear-view mirror of a vehicle, where it was meant to be at all times.

For those not up on the latest in Saintology, St. Jude was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He is sometimes identified with Jude, “brother of Jesus,” but is clearly not Judas Iscariot, another disciple and later the betrayer of Jesus.

In the Roman Catholic Church he is the patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes. (Ah, my hero.)

Suddenly, I had conflicting anxieties. Most of my anxieties work together to make me the desperate case I have become in my short 45 years of adulthood (starting from age 13). But now, I thought, I’d better keep these medals myself. On the other hand, another desperate soul had lost them and I felt compelled to return the things.

There was also a dollar bill upon which was the note; “Liz, congrats on the new bus,” Nate. It was dated June 8, 1985. Inside the sheath holding the medal for a rear view mirror, was a note signed by some Catholic priest from Guerneville whose signature was virtually illegible, dated May 7, 1982. It’s important to note, it wasn’t the priest there who got in trouble in the early 1980s for fooling around.

So, I’m still looking for a Liz who owned a new bus in the early 1980s, who’s religious, who’s held on to these medallions for around 30 years.

Finally, last week’s meditation I wrote about here made some folks feel a little better, indeed.

A precious friend and reader Dora Devorak dropped off a note recalling that she’d heard that joke from her mom, and she said her mom had once told Dora she’d heard that joke when she (Dora’s mom) was 12. Dora is 85. Dora also recalled her father once telling her he’d heard that joke about the time he was kicking the slats out of his baby crib.

Dora’s mom was born to missionaries in Thailand when it was still called Siam, and her friends used to tease her for being Siamese.

By way of disclaiming a Siamese heritage, Dora’s mom had once said that “Even though kittens may be born in an oven, it doesn’t make them muffins.”

OK, now that’s making me smile.

Source http://napavalleyregister.com/calistogan/news/opinion/columnists/john-waters-jr/article_4e967684-5b47-11e0-8f9b-001cc4c03286.html

Tampa focal point of spring training baseball trip

2011-03-01T21:35:00.001-08:00

It's as much a part of spring training as workouts and exhibition games: Visitors from the chilly Northeast, Midwest, Canada and elsewhere enjoying the sport while sitting in the Florida sun in short-sleeved shirts and Bermudas.

Fans have been traveling to Central and South Florida for decades to get a glimpse of veteran stars and new prospects alike during spring training, and the epicenter of the Grapefruit League is Tampa. Twelve of Florida's 14 spring training stadiums are within about a 2 1/2-hour drive of Tampa, with the other two camps about 3 1/2 hours away.

Baseball greats like Al Lopez, Wade Boggs, Tony La Russa, Dwight Gooden and Lou Piniella all have roots here, but Alejandro de Quesada, author of the book "Baseball in Tampa Bay," says organized preseason baseball in the area is as old as spring training itself, dating back as far as 1913 and 1914. The old St. Louis Browns set up camp in neighboring Pinellas County, the Chicago Cubs were in Tampa proper and other early camps in the area included the Boston Braves, who worked out in St. Petersburg, and the Brooklyn Dodgers, who set up shop in Clearwater from 1923-32 and 1936-40, according to de Quesada.

"Clearwater is one of the oldest sites," he said. "Then Tampa followed suit."

Today, 15 Major League Baseball teams - most belonging to the eastern divisions of both the National and American leagues - make Florida their offseason home. Here's a guide to their stadiums.

GEORGE M. STEINBRENNER FIELD: Located in north Tampa, this is the winter home of the 2009 World Series champion New York Yankees. The facility's name was changed from Legends Field in 2008 to honor Steinbrenner, the team's longtime owner. Steinbrenner, who lived in Tampa, died last year. According to its website, the field's dimensions are identical to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, with 11,000 seats and 12 luxury suites.

De Quesada recommends a side trip from the stadium to nearby Al Lopez Park on North Himes Avenue, where a statue honors the Cuban-American baseball great. Lopez, born in Tampa's Ybor City neighborhood - home of the old Cuban cigar manufacturing industry - was the oldest living member of the Hall of Fame when he died at age 97 in 2005. He took the Chicago White Sox to the World Series in 1959 and also managed the Cleveland Indians to an American League pennant in 1954. Nicknamed "El Senor," Lopez returned to Ybor every offseason.

From Tampa International Airport to Legends Field, proceed out of the airport exit to Spruce Street. Go about two miles, then turn left on North Dale Mabry (US Highway 92) for approximately a mile. The field will be on your left.

BRIGHT HOUSE NETWORKS FIELD: Clearwater has been the winter home of the Philadelphia Phillies since 1948. The 2008 World Series champs moved into 7,300-seat Bright House Field in 2004 after playing at the old Jack Russell Stadium a few miles away since 1955. Bright House has a 360-degree main concourse that opens out to the playing field, with a popular tiki-hut pavilion in left field.

From Tampa, take Highway 60 (Courtney Campbell Causeway) west. Cross over Highway 19 and at the next stoplight (Old Coachman Road), turn right (north). Go north through the Drew Street intersection. Stadium will be on right at 601 N. Old Coachman Road.

FLORIDA AUTO EXCHANGE STADIUM: The Toronto Blue Jays have spent the winter in Dunedin ever since the expansion team came into existence in 1977. This ballpark, formerly known as Dunedin Stadium, underwent a $12 million renovation in 2002, and has a more intimate feel than most. Located in a residential area, it seats just 5,500 people, according to the Florida Grapefruit League Association website.

The U.S. and Canadian flags fly side by side in the outfield, and "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "O Canada" are both played before each game.

From Tampa, take State Road 60 across Tampa Bay, then turn right on McMullen Booth Road. At Sunset Point Road, turn left. Cross US 19. At Douglas Avenue, turn right. Parking is at the second stoplight.

McKECHNIE FIELD: An hour's drive south from Tampa to Bradenton will get you to McKechnie Field, where the Pittsburgh Pirates make their home during the offseason. The Pirates have been at McKechnie since 1969 and, according to the Grapefruit League Association, signed an agreement with the city in 2008 to stay for another three decades.

The field, with its Spanish Mission-style architecture, was built in 1922, making it one of the oldest in the league. During the 2008 spring training season, the Pirates debuted renovations including a new visitor's clubhouse, media lounge and lights. The field has a capacity of 6,562.

Local attractions include the South Florida Museum and Village of the Arts, a neighborhood of artists' galleries and studios.

The stadium is named after Hall of Fame manager Bill McKechnie, a Pittsburgh native and former Bradenton resident.

From Tampa, go south on I-75 to exit 220 B at Route 64. Go west on Route 64 to Ninth Street West. Turn left. McKechnie on the left.

ED SMITH STADIUM: A 20-minute drive south of Bradenton in Sarasota, fans can find the Baltimore Orioles at newly renovated Ed Smith Stadium. The retooled venue is marked by its many columns and archways and a new high-definition video board in center field.

For local sightseeing, there's the Ringling Museum of Art, a 30-room mansion once owned by John Ringling of the Ringling Bros. circus family that now houses an impressive Rubens collection, as well as the Ringling Circus Museum. Established in 1948, it was the first in the country to document circus history.

From Tampa, take I-75 to exit 213 (University Parkway), head west on University to Tuttle Avenue, then turn left onto Tuttle and head south. The stadium is on the right at 12th Street and Tuttle.

CHARLOTTE SPORTS PARK: Despite its rich baseball history, it wasn't until 1998 that the Tampa Bay area got its own Major League Baseball team with the expansion Devil Rays, now called the Rays.

The 2010 American League East division champs play regular season games at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. The Rays' spring training was around the corner at Al Lang field in downtown St. Pete until this year, when they debuted at Charlotte Sports Park in Port Charlotte, about a two-hour drive south down Interstate 75. According to Charlotte County's website, the stadium features a 360-degree concourse, two outfield berms, a tiki bar and children's play area.

The stadium's capacity is about 6,000 seats with room for another 1,500 visitors in the general admission areas.

From Tampa-St. Petersburg-Sarasota, take I-75 south to exit 179 toward North Port-Port Charlotte. Turn right on Toledo Blade Boulevard and drive 6 1/3 miles. Turn right onto El Jobean Road-SR-776. Charlotte Sports Park is two miles ahead on the left.

CITY OF PALMS PARK and HAMMOND STADIUM: Continuing 30 or 40 minutes south down I-75 from Port Charlotte to Fort Myers, the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins faithful can see their teams at City of Palms Park and Hammond Stadium, respectively. The venues are about seven miles apart.

The Red Sox in late 2008 agreed to stay in Fort Myers, although not at City of Palms Park. In 2012, the team will move into a new ballpark about 10 miles away.

A word to the wise: It's tough to get tickets to Red Sox games at their palm-tree lined park, which holds about 8,000, including standing room.

The Twins have been at Hammond Stadium, which seats 7,500, since 1990. Marked by tall royal palm trees and a cascading waterfall, the park boasts a popular Beer Garden under the grandstand at the edge of the third base concourse.

Of note is the friendly rivalry between the two spring training teams each year, with the winner taking the Mayor's Cup, awarded by the city since 1993 when the 2004 and 2007 World Series champion Red Sox moved its winter camp to town.

To City of Palms Park from Tampa, take I-75 south to Tuckers Grade, exit 27. Make a right; go about a mile. Turn south onto US 41. Continue for about 16 miles over the river into Fort Myers. Continue for a half-mile. Turn left onto Victoria. Make the third right onto Broadway.

To Hammond Stadium, take I-75 to exit 136 (Colonial Boulevard). Turn right (west) on Colonia, then left on Six Mile Cypress Parkway. Go about 10 miles and Hammond Stadium will be on the right.

JOKER MARCHANT STADIUM: Driving east from Tampa about 45 minutes takes travelers to Lakeland, where the Detroit Tigers have made Joker Marchant Stadium their winter venue for 46 years, though the team has been in Lakeland since 1934. The stadium has a capacity of 8,000 seats plus about 1,000 lawn seats.

Author de Quesada notes the Tiger complex is located on the site of a World War II flight school, the Lodwick School of Aeronautics, which between 1940 and 1945 was attended by more than 8,000 cadets. "You still see the old World War II hangars in the parking lot," he said.

From Tampa, take Interstate 4 east toward Orlando to the US-98 S exit 32. Turn right onto US 98 S/South Florida Avenue. Turn left at the second traffic light onto Griffin Road. Turn right at the second traffic light onto Lakeland Hills Boulevard. The park is located a half-mile on the left side of the street.

CHAMPION STADIUM, OSCEOLA COUNTY STADIUM, SPACE COAST STADIUM: Driving east from Tampa on Interstate 4 about an hour and 15 minutes to the Orlando suburb of Lake Buena Vista, travelers reach the first of three Grapefruit League stadiums clustered within about an hour's drive of each other.

Orlando is the theme park capital of the world, of course, so baseball fans can also check out Disney World, SeaWorld, Universal Studios and other attractions.

Champion Stadium in Lake Buena Vista, home to the Atlanta Braves, is the centerpiece of Disney's 220-acre Wide World of Sports Complex. The Braves moved to the Spanish Mission-style stadium from West Palm Beach in 1998. With a capacity of 9,500 seats, Champion is the only double-decked stadium in the Grapefruit League. Take I-4 East to Osceola Parkway West (exit 65). Turn left at stoplight onto Victory Way to stadium.

Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee is home to the Houston Astros. The team moved here in 1985 from Cocoa Beach. Take I-4 east to US 192, US 192 east to Bill Beck Boulevard, turn left on Bill Beck and go seven-tenths of a mile and turn left into entrance.

Space Coast stadium in Viera is home to the Washington Nationals. Named in honor of NASA facilities in the area, the park was built in 1993 and seats 8,100. Take I-95 north to Wickham Road (exit 191), turn left onto Wickham and then right at the traffic circle onto Lake Andrew Drive. Go about 1 1/2 miles through the Brevard County government office complex to the traffic lights. Turn right on Stadium Parkway. Space Coast Stadium is a half-mile away on the left.

Two additional stadiums to the southwest are more than a 2 1/2-hour drive from Tampa: Roger Dean in Jupiter, home to the St. Louis Cardinals and Florida Marlins, and Digital Domain Park, in Port St. Lucie, home to the New York Mets.

Source http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2011/mar/01/bc-us-travel-trip-florida-spring-training/?features&travel