Latest news with #Wian
Los Angeles Times
09-05-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
The Crowd: Exhibit recalls when Bob's was big on Balboa Island's Marine Avenue
The main gallery of Balboa Island Museum welcomed the community to an opening reception viewing the local history of the 'Bob's… Home of the Big Boy' eatery present on Balboa Island and serving enthusiastic crowds in mid-century America. Lines of locals and tourists alike stepped up to the street-front counter to order their prized Bob's burger and an 'extra thick' shake. Add hot fries (perhaps with blue cheese dressing on the side for dipping purposes) and it was the ideal treat for strolling Marine Avenue and then finding a bench or cement wall on the bayfront to take in the view and share burgers. All of those memories come rushing back as museum curator and executive director of Balboa Island Museum, Tiffany Pepys Hoey, collected and assembled a photo display along with narration on the history of the fast-food business on Balboa Island before all the big chains such as McDonald's became American fast-food phenomena. Bob's, (originally called Bob's Pantry) founded by Bob Wian and his team in 1936, first opened in Glendale. It was built by Bob Peterson (father of Balboa Island local Judy Tucker); the business eventually expanded to more than 240 locations. The Wian family lived in the Los Angeles area and also had a beach home in Newport and loved life on Balboa Island. Bob's was located in the orange-colored building in the 300 block of Marine Avenue in the 1960s. Bob Wian was often in the Island store greeting visiting customers and neighbors alike. The business was sold in 1967 to Marriott Corporation. Today, four Bob's locations still serve customers in Southern California: Burbank, Downey, Norco and Northridge. Credited with creating the three-decker hamburger, Wian's sandwich quickly became a hit, but it had yet to be named. According to restaurant lore, a chubby 6-year-old named Richard Woodruff had been doing chores at Bob's Pantry in exchange for free burgers. When Wian called him 'Big Boy,' the name stuck, and the rest is hamburger history. Another regular customer, Ben Washam, a movie studio animator for Warner Bros., sketched the now famous character on a napkin. The Big Boy burger craze that ensued prompted Bob Wian to change the diner's name to Bob's Big Boy and to introduce the now-iconic Big Boy mascot. Among the special items on display in the museum gallery is an original statue of 'Bob' on loan to the museum from a local collector on Balboa Island. Balboa Island Museum staff produced a lively hamburger-themed open house as museum members and guests poured in for the recent mid-week opening catered by museum board member Cynthia Shafer, talented restaurateur and proprietor of the Royal Hen on the Island. Burgers, fries, and ice cream treats delighted the crowd sharing memories. Checking out the photographic and memorabilia display in the main Gallery were Museum chief executive Shirley Pepys, John Conners, president of the museum board and his wife, Diana; Sue Sibley, Renee Pepys Lowe and Christine Tillet. Also there were John Scudder, Jim and Erin Moloney, Andrea and Tom McElroy, Bob and Kim Miller and Jack Callahan. The exhibit will run through June and into July, open free to the public daily. For more information, visit
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State Senate signs off on new Westmoreland register of wills, judge
Feb. 4—Westmoreland County's newest row officer and a judge could be sworn later this week after the Pennsylvania Senate on Tuesday confirmed both nominations from Gov. Josh Shapiro to fill the vacancies. Republican Jon Wian, 43, of Delmont, takes over the Register of Wills, the office where wills, estates, adoptions and guardianship records are filed and marriage licenses are processed. Hempfield attorney Matt Schimizzi, 41, was tabbed to fill a vacancy on the county's Court of Common Pleas. Both appointments were part of a deal to fill multiple elected offices, judgeships and commission seats throughout the state. Wian replaces acting Register of Wills Katie Pecarchik, who assumed the job last September following the court-influenced retirement of three-term Republican Sherry Magretti Hamilton. Magretti Hamilton was demoted and forced to retire after a judge found her in contempt after officials said she failed to correct issues that led to delays and years of backlogs. Officials blamed the office problems on a depleted staff caused by mismanagement. "Everything is running well in that office, but I'll get in there and assess things before any changes are made," Wian said. Wian will serve the remaining three years of Hamilton's term. He had served as chief of staff to Westmoreland County Commissioner Sean Kertes since 2020. Pecarchik is a former register of wills office employee who retired in 2023 but was rehired by a court-appointed conservator to fix the office and later elevated to the top job. She was not considered for the gubernatorial appointment. She said she will retire again by week's end. "I am very disappointed, and I was disappointed (the Register of Wills position) was not put on the ballot this year," Pecarchik said. "I will stay on until (Wian) is sworn in." Meanwhile, Schimizzi's appointment returns the county bench to its full complement of 11 full-time judges. For the last year, the county court system has operated with reduced staff following the January 2024 retirement of Judge Rita Hathaway. Officials said her absence strained operations in the civil court division, where all cases have been overseen by just two judges. President Judge Christopher Feliciani, who has spent the last 13 years hearing criminal cases, will shift to the civil division later this month. Judge Mike Stewart will transfer from the family court division to hear criminal cases. "I am thankful they (civil court Judges Chris Scherer and Harry Smail Jr.) were able to take on that burden," Feliciani said. "This (appointment) will put us back up to full capacity in the civil division." Schimizzi will start his judicial assignment hearing family court cases and will serve as judge until a voters elect a candidate to a full 10-year term on the bench this fall. He announced his candidacy for the upcoming judicial election last month. Rich Cholodofsky is a TribLive reporter covering Westmoreland County government, politics and courts. He can be reached at rcholodofsky@
