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Glendale News-Press
Published February14, 2005
Ambassador to visit Glendale
John Evans, United States ambassador to Armenia, will stay two days, visit
with city officials.
By Josh Kleinbaum, News-Press and Leader
GLENDALE -- When police officers in Yerevan, Armenia, wanted to learn better
fingerprinting techniques, they turned to their counterparts in Glendale. So
a team of Glendale police officers flew to Armenia with high-tech
fingerprinting equipment and trained the Armenians.
As the relationship between the Yerevan and Glendale police departments grew
tighter, the cities have relied on help from the U.S. Embassy to Armenia to
facilitate travel and the flow of information.
When U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans spends two days in Glendale this
week, city officials will show their appreciation.
"The United States Embassy has been very, very helpful in making sure we can
get some of these things done," Mayor Bob Yousefian said. "We're going to
welcome him, talk to him, see what other challenges face him, and see what
we can do here to help relations between law enforcement here and law
enforcement in Armenia."
Evans, who replaced John Ordway as ambassador in June 2004, is making his
first trip to Glendale on Tuesday. Because nearly 30% of Glendale's
population is of Armenian descent, Armenian officials often visit the city.
Ordway came to Glendale several times, most recently in June 2003.
Evans will meet with Yousefian and other City Council members at City Hall
before Tuesday's council meeting, and he will receive a mayor's commendation
during the 6 p.m. meeting.
He will also meet with officials from the Armenian churches and the Glendale
Unified School District as well as members of community organizations.
Although the city's interaction with Evans will focus on law enforcement,
other organizations have other priorities.
"We're going to have a luncheon with him, exchange some ideas and see what
kinds of linkage we can develop," Glendale Unified Supt. Michael Escalante
said.
"Maybe it's as simple as exchanging letters or e-mails or sending support.
But having a contact with him as a conduit to do some of these things will
be a pretty neat thing."
Evans will be accompanied by officials from the U.S. Agency for
International Development, the organization that dispenses money that
Congress gives to Armenia, said Armen Carapetian, acting executive director
of the Armenian National Committee Western Region.
Carapetian is trying to arrange a breakfast meeting with Evans and his
entourage.
"It's important for us who work on communicating concerns and initiating
such [federal funding] that we listen to what they're facing on the ground,"
Carapetian said.
* JOSH KLEINBAUM covers City Hall. He may be reached at (818) 637-3235 or by
e-mail at josh.kleinbaum @latimes.com.
Published February14, 2005
Ambassador to visit Glendale
John Evans, United States ambassador to Armenia, will stay two days, visit
with city officials.
By Josh Kleinbaum, News-Press and Leader
GLENDALE -- When police officers in Yerevan, Armenia, wanted to learn better
fingerprinting techniques, they turned to their counterparts in Glendale. So
a team of Glendale police officers flew to Armenia with high-tech
fingerprinting equipment and trained the Armenians.
As the relationship between the Yerevan and Glendale police departments grew
tighter, the cities have relied on help from the U.S. Embassy to Armenia to
facilitate travel and the flow of information.
When U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans spends two days in Glendale this
week, city officials will show their appreciation.
"The United States Embassy has been very, very helpful in making sure we can
get some of these things done," Mayor Bob Yousefian said. "We're going to
welcome him, talk to him, see what other challenges face him, and see what
we can do here to help relations between law enforcement here and law
enforcement in Armenia."
Evans, who replaced John Ordway as ambassador in June 2004, is making his
first trip to Glendale on Tuesday. Because nearly 30% of Glendale's
population is of Armenian descent, Armenian officials often visit the city.
Ordway came to Glendale several times, most recently in June 2003.
Evans will meet with Yousefian and other City Council members at City Hall
before Tuesday's council meeting, and he will receive a mayor's commendation
during the 6 p.m. meeting.
He will also meet with officials from the Armenian churches and the Glendale
Unified School District as well as members of community organizations.
Although the city's interaction with Evans will focus on law enforcement,
other organizations have other priorities.
"We're going to have a luncheon with him, exchange some ideas and see what
kinds of linkage we can develop," Glendale Unified Supt. Michael Escalante
said.
"Maybe it's as simple as exchanging letters or e-mails or sending support.
But having a contact with him as a conduit to do some of these things will
be a pretty neat thing."
Evans will be accompanied by officials from the U.S. Agency for
International Development, the organization that dispenses money that
Congress gives to Armenia, said Armen Carapetian, acting executive director
of the Armenian National Committee Western Region.
Carapetian is trying to arrange a breakfast meeting with Evans and his
entourage.
"It's important for us who work on communicating concerns and initiating
such [federal funding] that we listen to what they're facing on the ground,"
Carapetian said.
* JOSH KLEINBAUM covers City Hall. He may be reached at (818) 637-3235 or by
e-mail at josh.kleinbaum @latimes.com.