There was so much going on this year, it’s hard to keep it all sorted, and hard to decide what to leave out! But here, listed in no particular order, are Altadena’s Top Ten stories of the past year:
1. Altadena Town Council: Who would think that an unpaid, essentially powerless advisory body could pack in so much drama, month after month? This year’s highlights include:
Lamb stews: Longtime councilman Steve Lamb took outgoing chair Lewis’ advice and resigned mid-meeting in May. Despite sending out an immediate, bitter email saying he would stay out of the public eye, he still holds forth (sometimes anonymously) on a number of local blogs and newsgroups.
Conflict of interest? Some members of the council have not-terribly-lucrative contracts with the Pasadena Unified School District. It comes up every so often --usually by those who fervently support starting an Altadena school district -- that this represents a conflict of interest. (News flash: contractors usually love having more than one customer to peddle their services to, so they would probably actually SUPPORT having another school district.) We think forbidding a town councilor from having a relationship with PUSD raises other serious issues (i.e. could a teacher run for town council if taking a check from the school district was considered “conflict of interest?”)
Despite the often juvenile behavior that sometimes goes on around the council meetings (not all by councilmembers, we must say), it looks like a solid group this year. Gino Sund has shown himself to be a hard-working and well-meaning chair who actually wants to get things done. The council website is now professionally produced, and is in the process of actually being useful and up-to-date. The grownups appear to be in charge for now, and we wish them every success.
2. Lincoln Crossing: The westside shopping center has been one rough beast a-borning. Let’s look at the complaints about the physical plant: leaks and flooding reported after big rains, sewage smells, sewer line replacement, alleged promised turnkey locations not panning out that way. Or we can look at business problems: businesses going bankrupt and blaming the developer, businesses coming in long after they were promised. Or the legal problems: lawsuits and liens filed against the developer by various contractors, eviction of Farm Fresh Market; and the cherry on top, the Altadena Town Council asking Supervisor Antonovich to request a grand jury investigation of the whole mess.
Meanwhile, the parking lot is filled, reports of Farm Fresh’s replacement, Super King, are good, and new businesses are moving in (altho’ we’ve heard continued complaints from tenants who remain). A loosely-organized “Altadena Community Coalition” led by aggrieved tenants and former tenants was formed this fall, and we’ll have to see what happens. This story has a long way to go.
3. Murder: Three tragic killings in Altadena this year. In May, Evelyn Mosely, 90 or 91 depending on the reports, was found dead in her burning house -- apparently the killer torched the house to provide a smokescreen to the killing. Despite increasing rewards offered by the Board of Supervisors, sheriff’s haven’t fingered a suspect yet, altho’ they did question Corey King, 18, of Altadena. King, who apparently knew the Mosely family, is suspect in the Lancaster murder of a woman and her three children, which likewise involved an arson fire in an attempt to cover up the crime. Michael De La Torre, 19, of Pasadena, was shot to death on the 100 block of FIgueroa on June 28. And Jasmine Denson, 19, was shot in the head and fell out of a second story window in August. Her live-in-boyfriend, Tony Evans Taylor, 50, was charged in the crime.
4. Watch the skies: Aerial phenomena abounded in 2008. We were alerted to an unmarked four engine passenger jet that flew too low; several spectacular International Space Station flyovers; meteors; a U2 spy plane that was (allegedly!) part of a Hollywood air show; a B2 flyover; and Bill Westphal's Weathercam caught a mysterious disc-shaped object flying over town (pictured), on its way to a close encounter, no doubt.
5. Cell tower at St. Elizabeth’s: Neighborhood opposition mounted over plans to install a cellphone tower on the grounds of St. Elizabeth’s Roman Catholic Church on Lake Ave. So far, all required approvals have been made, despite the objections, and now those opposed (including the Altadena Town Council) are appealing to the Board of Supervisors.
6. Sahag Mesrob Armenian Christian School: The first Monday in September, this private religious school opened its new 250 student campus on Palm St., much to the surprise and dismay of the residents. The school’s lack of operating permits -- and disingenuous public statements and explanations -- only steeled neighborhood resolve against it. County planning authorities denied every attempt by the school to continue operations, and finally issued a notice of violation. The school was still operating just before winter break, despite the risk of fines, and the latest from the county is that it’s in the hands of the lawyers.
7. Pederast Hilton: Some new neighbors moved into the 4400 block of Risinghill Road in the Meadows last February: six parolees, hardcore sex offenders including child molesters, without any warning or notice to the neighborhood. Following a meeting at the Loma Alta Park community center that drew 150 people, they were out within days. Good riddance, altho’ the question remains: where DO we put these people?
8. MonteCedro: The Scripps Home site was flattened and is being prepared for its replacement: a $200 million complex with “the contemporary amenities, gracious living and dynamic lifestyle desired by today's discerning older adults,” according to their website. As town councilor Michele Zack wrote on this blog:
“What we all have to understand is the main mission of Scripps, which was chiefly charitable, will change, and for many reasons — once it becomes Monte Cedro. This had been happening any way; the model it was based on relied on a whole different set of social circumstances and was becoming less viable. Sad, but true; being realistic about such things, and adjusting to the new reality usually makes the most sense.”
The official schedule called for the complex to open by 2013. With the present economy, what will happen and when is anybody’s guess.
9. The wild life: Living this close to the mountains means living with the creatures who call it home. The dry summer in particular brought increased incursions by coyotes, cougars, and bears. Folks living/working around JPL and Chaney Trail in particular had regular warnings to be careful because there were creatures about.
10. La Vina must open trails: It’s in appeal now, but after many years, the courts declared that the La Vina development must live with its agreements and open up the historic trails around the gated community. And, they have to pay the $784,000 legal bill, too.
Among the stories that came close but didn’t quite make the top ten: the Altadena Library starts re-visioning itself; Rhythms of the Village charter school closes; Paul Little, aka Max Hardcore, is convicted on various obscenity charges in Florida; the Armenian vs. Latino rumble on Allen.
What’s in store for 2009? We’ll have to see. Best bets: the sinking economy’s effect on Altadena; continued turmoil at Lincoln Crossing; another town council election controversy; and, just maybe, more strange things in the sky (we’re waiting for a California Drone). Stick to altadenablog in 2009 and find out as it happens!
