altadenablog

Munyungo!

(We just like saying that out loud.  Try it!)

A steamy night at Farnsworth Park became steamier with the Latin jazz of Munyungo appearing as part of the summer concert series.  During the set we sat in, we heard Weather Report, Charile Parker, and Miles Davis classics with a Latin tinge. 

Bandleader Darryl Munyngo Jackson sets the beat.

A great part of this band was that the melody was carried -- not by the usual instruments, such as a horn or electric guitar -- but by an amplified violin.

Photos by Bill Westphal (who else?)

"Il Postino" at Bulgarini tonight

This is a little last minute, we know, but Bulgarini Gelato, one of Altadena's treasures, is having Italian dinner and a movie tonight:

IL POSTINO
starring Massimo Troisi
SATURDAY, August 30, 2008
8:45 pm
At 8:00 pm dinner will be available for $11.95 per plate.  This will
include a pasta dish, salad and a drink.The movie showing is free and open to all.
The gelateria will be open before, during and after the show.
UPCOMING FEATURES
Saturday, September 6:  MY HOUSE IN UMBRIA with Maggie Smith
Saturday, September 13: AMARCORD directed by Federico Fellini
Please check our website www.bulgarinigelato.com for future showings.
Ciao!!
BULGARINI GELATO
749 E. Altadena Dr.
Altadena, CA 91001
(626) 791-6174

Internet Explorer readers ...

...we feel your pain.  Some readers who use IE report strange web behavior today --squished columns and the like.  We're trying to fix it as best we can -- this apparently affects some Explorer users but not all.  Firefox and Safari users report no problems.  We'll just do the best we can to get it fixed (but really, you should be using Firefox by now!)

Library holds meet & greet for homeschooling families Sept. 10

All local homeschooling families are invited to the Altadena Library on Wed., Sept. 10 at 2 PM in the library’s community room for a focus group meeting with the Children’s Services staff and other home schooling families. This meeting is designed to gather information about how well the Altadena Library is serving the needs of local homeschooling families and what we could do to improve our services. Light refreshment will be served and activities for the children will be provided.

The award winning Main Library is located at 600 E. Mariposa Street.  The address of the Bob Lucas Memorial Branch Library is 2659 North Lincoln Avenue. The libraries offer many services including programs for children, teens and adults, a book club, teen advisory board, literacy classes, online tutoring, internet tutoring, passports, public computers and wireless access.  To find out more call 626-798-0833 for the main, 626-798-8338 for the branch, or visit the library’s website at http://altadenalibrary.org.

Supt. Diaz on PUSD's new direction

Supt. Edwin Diaz of Pasadena Unified has an article in this week's Pasadena Weekly on the improvements on board at the school district.  Diaz touches on Muir's four academies, middle school reforms, and the new Office of Child Welfare, Attendance and Safety, among other topics.  Details right here.

(Hat tip to the unstoppable Monica)

MonteCedro, Eliot tennis courts on land use committee agenda Sept. 2

Town council chair Gino Sund tells Altadenablog that the Altadena Town Council Land Use Committee will have two significant and controversial items on the agenda: an information item on the Eliot Middle School tennis courts, and the Monte Cedro development at the site of the old Scripps Home will be up for a vote to refer to the Town Council.

Writes Sund:

In September, the Altadena Town Council will be voting on the reconstruction plans for the Scripps Retirement Home, now called MonteCedro.  MonteCedro  will be the largest, around $200 million, and the most important project in Altadena in years.  I would invite all interested or curious residents to attend the Land Use Committee meeting on September 2nd or the Town Council meeting on September 16th.  You will hear the presentations by the Episcopal Home Community (the successor organization to Scripps) and will be given an opportunity to ask questions and to express your opinions.

The meeting will be held Tues., Sept. 2, at 7 PM at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E Altadena Dr.

Library announces fall events

Our Altadena Library looks like it has another outstanding schedule of authors and speakers this fall: memoirs, Mt. Lowe, Japanese American Baseball, and raising G-rated kids. 

The library is located at 600 E. Mariposa.  Details after the jump:

Gothard Art Open Studio Oct. 12

Sounds like a pleasant Sunday afternoon in the fall:

Gothard Art Presents The Fifth Annual Open Studio
215 Laurel Drive, Altadena, CA 91001

Sunday, Oct 12, 2008
11 AM to 6PM

Featuring Mary’s Photographs and Patrick’s new paintings

Live Jazz by Robert Kyle & Friends

Come and enjoy an afternoon of fabulous art with great live music in the tranquil foothill setting of Altadena. Browse while you listen and enjoy the delicious food and drink .

We look forward to seeing you. Invite a friend.
Music: 1PM to 4PM

Lincoln Crossing tenants vent

PSN's Robert Hong interviews the disgruntled tenants of Lincoln Crossing today.  (We've included the link, but haven't been able to call up the story this morning -- some problem with PSN's server).

UPDATE 10 PM: We're back home, read the paper in hard copy, PSN's server is working, and we think this is the nut graf(s)

Some owners and would-be owners of small businesses at Lincoln Crossing want to air their grievances, and will hold a Town Hall meeting on Sept. 12 to discuss issues surrounding the project and why their businesses went under ...

The meeting with the Altadena Coalition will be held at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Altadena Community Center, 780 E. Altadena Drive.

"Altadena Coalition" is a new player in the game -- should be an interesting event!

UPDATE 8/30: One of our readers pointed out that the address as given for the community center in the PSN story is incorrect -- it's actually 730 E. Altadena Dr.  780 is the sheriff's station -- probably not the site of the meeting, but you never know ...

Mercury rising

Robert Gaskell, a member of Tucson's Planetary Science Institute, who himself is headquartered in Altadena, has develped a new computer software that is being used to map the planet Mercury.  Astronomy.com's Daniel Pendrick has the story.

Photo courtesy NASA.

Bass on Bass

Altadenan Saul Bass was renowned for his arresting, blocky, almost-brutal film titles (many of his title sequences were better than the actual films!)  Today's Smashing Telly blog features a documentary of Bass, with the master talking about his work.

(Also note the piece below it -- Werner Von Braun in Nazi footage, launching a V2, and some years later explaining rocketry on a Disney show.  Rockets go up, who knows where they come down?)

Another iPhone sketch

Another sketch of Altadena life made on an iPhone, this time by Steph Kardos.

(We've featured Steph's work before on his regular sketchblog).

We hear you can also make phone calls on these things. They've gone about as far as they can go.

UPAC summer camp a huge success

Altadena Sheriff Capt. Roosevelt Blow sent us these pictures from the United Peace Officers Against Crime Summer Camp, held Aug. 18-24 at the Alpine Meadows Camp Facility in Angelus Oaks.  The camp staff consists of volunteers from law enforcement, fire fighters, and various community groups.

Over 300 kids participated this year, with the local sheriff's station sponsoring nine campers.  Among many other activities, the campers participated in canoeing, hiking, baseball, swimming, tug-o-war, art & crafts, basketball, and learned computer skills.

In uniform L to R, Dep. Sam Estrada, Capt.Blow, and Dep. Gregory Gabriel, all of Altadena station,  pose with some campers.

LA County Sheriff Lee Baca came up to visit with the campers.

All the happy campers pose for a picture.

PUSD to hold master plan meetings

The Pasadena Unified School District is holding a series of community meetings in September to talk about the PUSD Facilities Master Plan, i.e. what are the needs at EVERY school in the district and how these needs were determined and categorized. If you have a child in the district, it's important to attend the meeting involving your child's school.

A flier (in English and Spanish) to find out which meeting you should attend is at this link.

And here is the district's announcement:

Attend a community meeting near you to hear about proposed improvements at your school and throughout PUSD!

Meeting schedule:
Monday, September 8, 2008 - 6:30 p.m.
Wilson Middle School Library
300 S. Madre Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91106

Wednesday, September 10, 2008 - 6:30 p.m.
Altadena Elementary School Library
743 E. Calaveras St.
Altadena, CA 91001

Saturday, September 13, 2008 - 10:00 a.m.
Pasadena High School Library
2925 E. Sierra Madre Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91107

To determine which meeting you should attend, please go to

www.pusd.us/filemgmt/visit.php?lid=2341

Contact Binti Harvey at 626-568-4550 for additional information.

Altadena real estate values hold steady ...

or so says Ellie Viray of Dilbeck GMAC.  Nineteen homes closed escrow in August, with one selling at list, five above list, and the remainder no lower than 94% of list price. (We put real estate news in with great trepidation, because competitor real estate agents have been known to send us pages of raw data, saying that if we simply crunched the numbers, it would prove that the agent we're quoting is an idiot.  Just bracing for the reaction ...)

Salon this Sunday at the Gallery at the End of the World

Altadena's boho art spot is becoming more popular than ever, and sent this message on the Pasadena Culture listserv:

Artists-- the Sunday Salon is one of the newer ventures we've established up here at the Gallery At The End Of The World.

Part Art Show / part Workshop & Networking Event, the Sunday Salon is designed for artists to come up, show their work, hang out with other artists and swap info about techniques, tactics, other upcoming arts events, etc. In addition to all the GATEotw's regular artists, we also invite ALL artists to be a part. It's a fun introduction to the Gallery At The End Of The World universe.

We also invite a select list of art lovers, collectors, gallery owners, interior designers, appraisers, etc, so that you can actually SELL your work at the salon, too, and/or get picked up for additional shows at some of the other galleries we work with.

TO SHOW ART AT THE SUNDAY SALON:
-next salon is Sunday, August 31st, 12noon-dusk
-show up at 11am with the work you intend to show; make sure it is ready to hang; the gallery can provide hammer, nails, screws, and other wall hardware
-$20 co-op fee to reserve display space for the day, plus 20% of sales to the gallery
-our friendly cashier will handle all sales transactions for you; all sales proceeds will be waiting in an envelope for you at the end of the day

GALLERY AT THE END OF THE WORLD
Sunday, August 31, noon-dusk (artists hang work 11am)
2475 N. Lake Ave., Altadena 91001
626-794-8779
www.galleryattheendoftheworld.com
myspace.com/galleryattheendoftheworld

Mistrial declared in Pasadena police shooting case

Down San Diego way, the Associated Press files this story that a mistrial was declared in a civil case involving a police shooting in Pasadena.  Walter Villanueva, 25, of Altadena, has been charged with murder in the death of his girlfriend by a Pasadena policemen on the criminal end of this case.  Full details here.

Quick takes

Still on vacation, but a couple of quick hits for y'all:

• Art AIDS Art in Altadena is looking for a PR/Communications volunteer.  Details here.
• Some guy from Missouri is checking out famous TV family houses while he's in California, including the Walshes (NOT in 90210 area code!).

UPDATE: Altadena Co-Op Meeting Sept. 3

Patrick Reagan sends us a more full and flavorful note about the upcoming presentation on establishing an Altadena food co-op (including letting us know that the mouthful of initials stands for Altadena Area Food Co-op Steering Committee, but that's also promised not to be the permanent name!).  Sounds like they've been working hard, looking for best practices and trying not to re-invent the wheel. Reagan's note after the jump.

Crime Log

... is on vacation and will return next week!

Munyungo Latin Jazz@ Farnsworth Aug. 30

The Farnsworth Park Summer Concert Series continues Sat. with Munyungo, at 7 PM in the amphitheater:

DARRYL MUNYUNGO JACKSON

Seasoned percussionist Darryl Munyungo Jackson possesses an ever-increasing collection of instruments with which to execute his craft. That is one of the reasons this warm & unassuming West Coast artist can be found in virtually any musical setting—whether it’s Funk, Pop, Jazz, Latin, Reggae, or traditional dance music of such countries as Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Haiti, Brazil & Cuba.

Despite his youthful appearance, Munyungo is no newcomer: in his over thirty years of playing, he has developed an awesome versatility & became a well-respected & much requested session, concert & tour player. He has performed with Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Sting, Kenny Loggins, Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves, the Zawinul Syndicate, George Howard, Ronnie Laws, The Temptations, Four Tops, The Supremes, Bennie Maupin, Bill Summers, Marcus Miller, & dozens of others, including numerous ethnic music & dance troupes.

Munyungo’s passion for the timbales was only the beginning. From that point, he made the natural progression to Congas, Bongos, Latin Percussion & beyond, eventually to religious Bata Drumming & numerous drums & percussion from many different cultures.

Subsequently, he met & worked with traditional drummers from Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, China & Japan resulting in a collection of over four hundred percussion instruments & drums from all over the world — all of which he plays proficiently.

Why that name? On several occasions, he performed with some players from Africa & the Caribbean, who would shout “Munyungo!” (Which is a Zulu word meaning “door” or “entrance”) to cheer him on as he played — and it wasn’t long before the word attached to him as a nickname. Now, for him, the name means “Gateway to Heaven.”

Munyungo is deeply committed to understanding — & keeping alive — the tradition surrounding the instruments he plays. “It’s hard to study drums without studying the cultures from which they come,” he points out. This respectfulness seasons his playing with hearty passion & enjoyment.

For series information visit: www.altadenasheriffs.blogspot.com or call; 626-296-2103

Food co-op meeting @ Coffee Gallery Sept. 3

Patrick Reagan and the other folks who've been looking into establishing an Altadena food co-op are ready to talk turkey (so to speak).  They call themselves the AAFCSC, but we don't know what it means!

They sent out this recent missive:

Hard to believe it, but August is quickly slipping away and fall is right around the corner!

Just wanted to give you all a quick update on what’s been going on and to give you an idea of what to look forward to in September.

On July 26^th, Patrick, Agnes, and Kristin took a “field trip” to Co-opportunity in Santa Monica to meet with Bruce Palma, the store’s general manager. Bruce was quite generous with his time (coming to the store to meet with us while he was officially on vacation!) and his knowledge. Bruce also showed us several “behind the scenes” areas of the store such as the office space, meeting room, kitchen, general storage, refrigerated storage, and receiving areas.

We had our first ‘official’ AAFCSC Potluck Dinner and Social on August 2^nd. It was a small group, but the evening was very enjoyable and went by too quickly! We had a LOT of great food, including vegetarian sushi rolls accompanied by homegrown horseradish, Indian-style lentils and rice, chicken curry, and fresh fruits.

Our August meeting was held on August 6 and the primary topic was the upcoming informative presentation that Patrick will be giving at the September meeting. Since that meeting, Patrick, Keosha, and Kristin have been meeting weekly to help Patrick fine tune the presentation. Hopefully you will all be able to come to this meeting (and tell your friends and neighbors about it!) to learn more about the “whys” and “hows” of creating a cooperative grocery store and how you can help in this effort!

"Why and How to Start a Cooperative Grocery Store in Our Area"
An Informative Presentation
By Patrick Reagan, Chairman, AAFCSC
Sept. 3, 2008, at 7:30 PM
The Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake Ave.

Mail thieves at work

Have a few minutes in the middle of packing for vacation, and need to catch up ...

Carolyn Seitz recently sent this "all hands" letter, which we share with you:

I learned from friends this evening that there is an adult male and two young men somewhere between late teens and early 20's in a newer Ford Escape, stealing mail from mailboxes.  They are Caucasian and all have shaved heads.

This morning, one of my friends was out for what she thought would be a quick walk to let her 3 dogs do what dogs need to do at 6:30 am.

She was on Sierra Madre Boulevard in Sierra Madre when she saw the 2 young men quickly opening mailboxes, especially where the boxes are unsecured gang boxes.   In some areas of Altadena, there are rows of mailboxes all clustered.

When these three men realized they'd been seen, the adult, sitting in the passenger seat of the car quickly but calmly called out to the two younger men to hurry up and put the mail in the boxes, as if they were just leaving outgoing mail.

My friend, at first out for a quick run out with the dogs, in her plaid PJ bottoms and white t-shirt, ended up running to the Sierra Madre Police Department.  On the way there she saw these same guys again, still emptying mailboxes and when they saw her, they made a u-turn and started to drive away.

She ran to the police station, gave them a report and by the time she was running back with the dogs, the SMPD was on the scene where she told them they'd find the majority of mailboxes open. 

She was also able to give them the license number for the car, except for the first digit.

If you don't have a locking mailbox, get one, or have your mail sent to a post office box.  Don't leave outgoing mail in an unsecured mailbox.  Don't be an easy target for identity theft.

Carolyn

OK, so the sheriff has inaugurated an email address ...

... and it doesn't work.

Got tipped to this from a reader using a fairly lame pseudonym and email address -- but his facts nonetheless check out.  Sending a message to the altadenacrimetips@lasd.org address just gets us bounced back.  Hopefully they will fix this soon and let us know about it.

Update 8/25, from our remote location:  It seems to be working now. 

30,000

.. that's the number of page views we've passed to date, and we've logged 200 total comments.   Thank you!

And thanks also for those faithful readers (our unpaid staff!) who have kept us informed about the goings on around town and provided us with stories, pictures, and raw information,especially: Monica Hubbard, Alice Wessen, and Bill Westphal, as well as Capt. Roosevelt Blow and Sgt. Yolanda Palomo of the Altadena Sheriff's Station.

And thank YOU for supporting Altadena's community newsblog!

Mosely family: "We need to know who to forgive"

Contra Costa Times has had more news of Altadena this week than PSN does some weeks.  Today, it's a story about slaying victim Evelyn Mosely.  Nothing new has emerged about who killed Mosely, 90, who was beaten and stabbed in her Lincoln Ave. home May 8 (the home was later set on fire). The county supervisors have offered a $20,000 reward for anyone who gives the authorities information on her slaying. 

This is the nut graf for us:

"We need to know who to forgive," Sandi Hamilton, the victim's daughter, said at a news conference. "Please, please, please come forth and let us know who you are and why, please, please, please."

Anyone with information about Mosely's death is asked to call sheriff's homicide Lt. Liam Gallagher at (323) 890-5500.

10 AM update: PSN story is here.

Caltech to hold Attardi symposium Aug. 29

Caltech will remember Giuseppe Attardi of Altadena, a pioneering DNA researcher, with a memorial symposium at Beckman Auditorium in Pasadena from 1:30-4:30 PM on Fri, Aug. 29.  Attardi died on April 5 at age 84 in his Altadena home.  Says Caltech Today:

Attardi, the California Institute of Technology's Steele Professor of Molecular Biology, was among the first scientists to delve into the processes through which DNA's information is transferred. He identified all the genes of the DNA in human mitochondria—often called the powerhouses of biological cells. He then developed techniques for investigating genetic diseases, including Alzheimer's, and aging in general, which he discovered is associated with changes in mitochondrial DNA.

KeKe Palmer on the move

Singer/actress/Altadenan KeKe Palmer (star of Akeelah and the Bee) is off promoting her new film, The Longshots, in this Miami Herald feature.

8/25 update: KeKe does Q&A at Sly Fox Film Reviews.

The saga continues in Mr. Henry's neighborhood.

PWeekly's Razor 7 (aka Andre Coleman) fills in the latest chapter in the Irsie Henry saga: a jury acquitted him of a charge of pepper spraying his neighbor -- but there's more to it than that, of course. Absorb the details here.

"Tranquil" Altadena featured in Pasadena Magazine

From the ceaseless Monica Hubbard:

In a section called" SGV Insider" in the September issue of the oh-so-glossy Pasadena Magazine, Altadena is called a "tranquil town" and a few of our photogenic spots are featured:  Millionaire's Row (east Mariposa near Santa Rosa), 1675 E. Altadena Drive (the original Beverly Hills 90210 house), Altadena Library, Mountain View Cemetery, Patticakes, Fox's, Christmas Tree Lane, and Bulgarini Gelato. Pages 101, 103-104.

Haven't seen it yet ourselves, but we've got a few things to say about the "tranquility" around here ...

"Read for the Record" registration ends Aug. 29

Fri., Aug. 29, is the last day to register to participate in the national Read for the Record event, to be held Thurs, Oct. 2.

The Altadena Library District, in cooperation with Jumpstart, is organizing the local National Read For The Record (RFTR) Event to encourage hundreds of thousands of children across the country to read the same book on THE SAME DAY.  This year’s date is Oct. 2 and the book is Corduroy.  The goal of the National Read for the Record campaign is to raise public awareness about the crucial need for early reading education. 

THe event will be held at the libraries, schools, parks, day care centers, etc., throughout Altadena. Volunteer positions include, readers; on-site verifiers; event facilitators, event photoraphers, and administrative assistants -- or you can be a reading site provider

For more information log onto the Library's website or call: 626.798.8338

My morning project ...

... this has nothing to do with anything, I was just struck by the resemblance after reading the discussion on Patterico's Pontifications and made this picture  this morning ... with George Soros as the Angel of the Resurrection.

Post-it notes

Posting may be a little light for awhile -- we've got a couple of days of non-serious medical procedures coming up, so we may be out of pocket for awhile.

In addition, we're going on vacation next week.  While we'll cover things as best we can from our remote location, we won't be in town and hey, it IS a vacation!

Caltech does recycling

Did you know that Caltech has a recycling center that processes darn near everything? And is open to the public? And can even take your e-waste the first Wednesday of the month?  This website gives the deets.

(from Monica Hubbard, some time ago -- she just works too hard!)

Truthiness in advertising, Nation!

Dan Abendschein, the meister of PSN's Under the Dome blog, has found this interview with Congressman Adam Schiff by the one and only Stephen Colbert.  (Altadena's Old Fashioned Days is mentioned -- blink and you'll miss it!)

Dangerous e-mail attachments on the loose

If we just ran computer virus alerts, we'd do nothing else, and this isn't a computer virus alert site.  However, we've been getting warnings from so many quarters about some new stuff out there, we know all you folks with PC's <Mac owner snicker> are vulnerable, and Altadena's Steve Bass (columnist for PC World) explains the latest stuff succinctly:

Memorial for 1993 firefighters

Via the Contra Costa Times, a memorial will be held this afternoon for two LA County firefighters who died 15 years ago today, battling a brushfire near Altadena.  The ceremony for Christopher Herman and Arthur Ruezga will be held at Fire Camp 2, 4810 N. Oak Grove Drive.

"Please, Gov. Schwarzenegger ..."

From Pasadena Weekly's Kevin Uhrich, the kids at Loma Alta Elementary School put in a video plea to the governor to not cut funding for their afterschool programs.

The video was  produced by Sha'ron Pennix-Cathern, coordinator of the afterschool LEARNS program at Loma Alta, and videographer Patricia Cunliffe of Joie de Vivre Productions.

MCASC sponsors young African American males conference Sept. 27

The Metropolitan Community Action Services Corporation will hold a "Young African American Males Conference" on Sat., Sept. 27, from 8 AM-2:30 PM at Pasadena City College:

You Should Attend this Conference if...
> You are a Young African American male between the age of 12 and 25.
> You want to learn how to choose your pathway to success.
> You want to learn how to resolve life issues.
> You want to get the facts about setting goals and preparing for college.
> You want to know if a brother can be smart.
> You want to learn how to get the money.
> You want to learn how to make successful educational, career and life choices.
Conference Highlights
> All sessions facilitated by African American Males
> Keynote Speaker: John Harriel: Gang Life to Valedictorian
> Speaker: Dr. Nate Brooks: Awaken the Leader in You -- Steps of a Highly Effective Leader

Download the application at www.mcasc.us, or contact:

Metropolitan Community Action Services Corporation
PO Box 6377 Altadena CA 91003
2283 N Fair Oaks Avenue, Suite 211, Altadena CA 91001
626 798 8558

Sheriff launches email address

This information came out of last night's Town Council meeting: The Altadena sheriff's station now has an email address to report non-emergent crimes (vandalism, graffiti, parking violations):

altadenacrimetips@lasd.org

(Vintage photo of Altadenablog's grandfather, Ft. Collins, Colo. Police Capt. Jacob R. Rutt, using his day's advanced technology.)

Foothill Municipal Water Dist. looking for docent volunteers

Foothill Municipal Water District and its retailers (which include Rubio Canon Land & Water Assn. and Lincoln Ave. Water Co.) are forming a volunteer Water Conservation Team.  Team members will spend a few hours each week in the community, spreading the word that water conservation is a necessary way of life.

Docents will be speaking to clubs and organizations, staffing water conservation booths at community functions, assisting in the office compiling and interpreting water use data, and making recommendations about additional activities "that will make our foothills the gold standard of water conservationists."

No experience is needed: "We are looking for enthusiastic, involved people in the community who can spare a few hours each week.  We will train you, which includes tours of local water facilities, and we will provide all the materials you need including identifying polo shirts and caps."

Call (818) 790-4036 or fill out the form at www.fmwd.com.

Ezieme meet & greet Sat., Aug. 23

New CT 4602 town council member Okorie Ezieme will hold a "meet your town councilman" event on Sat., Aug. 23, from 11 AM-3 PM at Farnsworth Park (middle section, Lake Ave. side).  He welcomes your questions and suggestions.  Hot dog and lemonade will be served.

New town council takes charge: tonight's highlights

A long meeting, and we're physically and psychologically exhausted (not to mention facing a 7 AM Wed. breakfast meeting), but here's the highlights of tonight's Altadena Town Council meeting:

This was the first full meeting to feature the new councilmembers.  Starting at left:  Okorie Ezieme (CT 4602), Ruth Edwards (CT 4612), Alice Wessen (CT 4603.01), Tecumseh Shackelford (CT 4610).  (The indispensible Bill Westphal took the photos).

New officers: Chair, Gino Sund; vice chair, Ken Balder; corresponding secretary Lorie Judson; recording secretary Wessen; treasurer, Shackelford.

The slot for CT 4603.02, vacated by Steve Lamb's resignation last month, will be appointed by a two-thirds vote of the council next month.  Interested candidates who live in that census tract can submit a letter of intent to the town council (and pay a $25 fee). 

The major event of the meeting was the appearance of Ray Carlisle (pictured) of the West Altadena Development Corp., partners with Dorn Platz in developing Lincoln Crossing.  In a lengthy presentation and Q&A session, Carlisle expressed sympathy with those businesses that suffered under the project's present management, but had precious little new information to offer and not many assurances that the project will get on track (and yes, we're editorializing here).

"Is this the worst deveopment I’ve seen,  heck no, not by a longshot," Carlisle said.  "Is it the best? Heck no, not by a longshot."

The council also determined that the council's executive committee, per its rules, will look into Regina Grimes' letter challenging the results of the last election, and will try to work to solve the problems that always seem to plague town council elections.

"Enlarge the place of thy tent" -- Is. 54:2

The Altadena Community Church (UCC) seems to be having a tent meeting on Altadena Drive.  Or perhaps it's for the termites.

Throwing a wet blanket on Gravity Hill

Gravity Hill, on Loma Alta near the Rubio Canyon Debris Basin, has a reputation as the most haunted place in Altadena (perhaps next to the Cobb Estate, a/k/a "The Haunted Forest.")  If you put your car in the right place and release the brakes, you apparently go uphill-- legend has it, pushed by the ghostly hands of the children who died in a school bus crash into the basin -- so what if it isn't true?  Many teenagers have been lured there late at night for the scare and ... whatever it is they do late at night.

(Gravity Hill will be the subject of a forthcoming Altadenablog video).

Anyway, some killjoy has distributed flyers around the area, neatly debunking the anti-gravity effects as an optical illusion.

As one local newsgroup commenter puts it:

Are we trying to de-emphasize Gravity Hill's cachet as a tourist destination?

I mean, most of the 'tourists' aren't there for the physics anyway, they're there for the chemistry.

or perhaps for the biology ...

Fishing for an unusual antique?

This just came up on the auction block - some of Zane Grey's fishing tackle:

Zane Grey owned Ashaway Special BOATMENS’ Cuttyhunk line box

Coming from Zane Grey’s home in Altadena, CA is this Ashaway Special Boatmen’s Cuttyhunk, hand laid, twisted linen line box. The empty box measures 5 3/8″x 8″x 1 5/8″ and once held 6/12 dozen, 50yd., 45lb wet tested line.

This item came directly from Zane Grey’s home in Altadena, California, and was part of his personal fishing tackle.

The item was purchased from the Lang’s sale in November of 2007 as part of the Brock-Tinglum collection of Zane Grey fishing items.

“For years it had been rumored the 1967 fire had engulfed many of these important articles, which can now be proven false by the presence of this collection. The wish of Brock and Tinglum, who have preserved these important items with care for many years, is to pass each rare object to others who share their enthusiasm for the man that so many, 68 years after his death, are still infatuated with” ~ Lang’s, November 2007

Interested?  Place a bid at OldReel.Net!

Crime Log: Aug. 11-17, 2008

Guns, theft, and domestic violence marked this week's crime log, after the jump:

And yet MORE on Farm Fresh

Par Aria, owner of Farm Fresh Market, weighs in at Crown City News with a lengthy, detailed letter on the problems there.

Vigil after violence

PSN has a story about a vigil for Ebony Huell on the one-year anniversary of her murder by gang violence at LIncoln Ave in Pasadena.  She was the daughter of LaTonya Samuels of Altadena.

Altadena Town Council, 7 pm. Tues. Aug. 19

... the next generation, meets at the Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr.