Students, not Kim Kardashian, to sit on Glendale Rose Parade float

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Instead of inviting reality TV star Kim Kardashian to ride on Glendale’s Tournament of Roses float, four local high school students will get the honor.

While the students are being reviewed by the parade organizers this week, City Council members said Tuesday night that they want to set guidelines for who can ride on the float. In the past, riders have included council members, float fundraisers and Miss Asia USA.

“I think what we should do is perhaps set forth some loose guidelines, some preferences,” said Councilman Ara Najarian, who broached the idea of inviting Kardashian to ride the float last week.

He made an about-face after he found out the starlet would be attending a New Year’s Eve event at a Las Vegas nightclub, the Glendale News-Press reported.

Several residents had chided Najarian for nominating Kardashian because what they felt was her lack of morality in the past, citing her infamous sex tape.

At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Najarian said there someday may be a “morally acceptable” celebrity who doesn’t live in the city but may want to ride the float, and that officials should leave that option open.

Mayor Frank Quintero, a Vietnam War veteran, said he wanted to see veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq, especially those who are injured, get to ride the float

“There’s certainly Glendale veterans,” Quintero said. “I think they would deserve a chance to be on the float.”

The four high school students who are set to ride on the float will be announced next week, said City Manager Scott Ochoa. In addition to the city’s nominees, Caruso Affiliated -- which owns the Americana at Brand -- and Glendale Adventist Medical Center will have representatives on the float after putting up most of the money to build the float.

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-- Brittany Levine, Times Community News