altadenablog

Morning jolt

 

• Stankard at Pace: Altadenan Connor Stankard is a first-year student this fall at Pace University's New York City campus. Founded in 1906 as a business school, Pace has always insisted on a core curriculum in the liberal arts and sciences, and now has evolved into a comprehensive university preparing professionals for a full range of careers.
• Cedar tree, how big it's grown: If you've lost a deodara tree in the windstorm, Carolyn Seitz tells us that resident has a very old Deodar in their yard which is  "a prolific mother of many new trees."  If you can carefully dig up a sapling from its current location, it's yours, but limited quantities are available.  Some are up to five feet high.  If you are able and willing to carefully remove them from their current location, email budabonz@gmail.com
• Day One's "Cherishing Children Holiday Celebration" will be Wed., Dec. 14, at 175 N. Euclid Ave.  It's free and open to the public.  There will be a REAL SNOW Winter Wonderland, festive holiday music, arts and crafts, story-telling, and a toy give away for children ages 3-17 years (until we run out!).  If you would like to make a tax deductible product or monetary donation, please mail to or drop off at Day One, 175 North Euclid Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101. Your donation will help provide free gifts to youth ages 3-17.
• Relay for Life Holiday Party: The American Cancer Society's Relay for Life for Altadena is having its annual holiday party this Sun., Dec. 18, at the Altadena Ale & Wine House, 2329 N. Fair Oaks Ave., starting at 3 PM.   Come along and bring a friend, especially if you're interested in joining the Relay.  Team registration is free until Jan. 1, 2012, and you can register here.

 

 

Treed cat on Christmas Tree Lane

Reader Kim Alvarez called us to say that "Fox," a neighborhood Maine Coon cat, has been about 30 feet up in a tree at Santa Rosa Ave. and Deodara for about the past three days.  Fox is yowling, but apparently has no desire to come down.  Alvarez tells us the fire department has been called, but it's out of their baliwick.  So the neighborhood is wondering what to do.  Anyone with a long ladder or a cherrypicker want to help out?  Call Kim at 589-7854.

Christmas Tree Lane: take a bough

by Timothy Rutt

"This community was under siege last week," Assemblyman Anthony Portantino said at last night's Christmas Tree Lane lights-on ceremony.  "But look at us now."

Indeed.  Thanks to dedicated work by county crews and volunteers, Altadena's Christmas gift to Los Angeles was ready to go on schedule, despite Windstorm Gabriel* and felled trees.  This is when Altadena becomes a small town, and we have more images to share after the jump.

(*yep, we decided we liked that one).

Altadena Junction: lessons written on the wind

Our column is up at the Pasadena Sun:  some reflections post-windstorm.

 

Governor declares state of emergency for wind damaged areas

by Timothy Rutt

Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. has proclaimed a state of emergency for Los Angeles County and the city of Ranch Cucamonga today due to last week's windstorm, which caused severe disruption of utilities and tens of millions of dollars in damages.

Assemblyman Anthony Portantino told Altadenablog that the proclamation followed the Dec. 8 tour of damaged areas that he and other local officials gave to Mike Dayton, acting Secretary of the California Emergency Management Agency.  

In an email, Portantino said: 

This is great news for the San Gabriel Valley.  The tour of the wind damage made a difference and the Governor's office responded today.  I'm very glad that my call and request was answered and that Secretary Dayton took the entire day to see for himself the devastation. Cities and counties are now eligible for up to 75% reimbursements.  Thank you Governor Brown! 

 

Altadena sheriffs need help sorting today

Carolyn Seitz writes us:

Thanks to the generosity of the community at large and this morning's very successful and much appreciated food and toy drive in the President Streets area and the toy drive in La Vina, we are certain we'll be able to feed at least 300 very needy Altadena families.

Right this minute, Sheriff's Deputies, Lt. Duane Allen, Captain McLean and a small group of very dedicated volunteers are sorting toys and packing them up for each family for which we have an application.

It's now 11:55 am.

Could you come help us for the next hour or two . . . ?

We can sure use the help and you'll have fun making a big contribution.

All are welcome - especially kids.

They know better that any of us what a 6 year old boy would like or an 8 year old girl . . .

Sorting is going on at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr..

DA drops charges in Brown arrest

by Timothy Rutt

The Los Angeles County district attorney has decided not to file charges against a teen who was arrested after a volunteering at a neighborhood watch meeting last month.

District attorney Steve Cooley and deputy DA Rebecca E. Lewis in a Dec. 9 letter told Kendall Brown, 19, that "the matter has been reviewed by the district attorney and no charges will be filed at this time."

Brown was arrested for grand theft following a Nov. 1 meeting at the Altadena Library of the Altadena Coalition of Neighborhood Associations, where he was volunteering. Altadena sheriff spokesman Lt. Duane D. Allen said that the charges stemmed from theft of an iPad some time before. 

According to Brown's father, Kevin Brown, Kendall was jailed overnight and released the next day, Nov. 2. He was to appear in court Dec. 30.

Our original story is here.

Jim Berry is Coffee Gallery's December artist

Jim Berry is the Gallery at the Coffee Gallery's featured artist for December.

Jim Barry lived in Senegal for five years and returns frequently to West Africa.

Laughing with his photo subjects has become a habit as he travels. Many schools and colleges in Mali use his expertise for their webs and now have and their outpost on the Internet. These photos are taken in remote areas of Mali, Burkina Faso, and most recently in Tunisia. The silk paintings come from travel sketches.

The "Jasmine Revolution" in Tunisia was a close parallel to one in Mali fifteen years ago and inspired a peaceful two month trip this summer to talk to people about their newly found freedoms and hopes for the future. Please see jimbarry.org for contact information.

There will be a reception for Berry at the Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake, this Sunday, Dec. 11, from 4:30-6:30 PM.  The Gallery at the Coffee Gallery is curated by Kathleen Swaydon.  

Public safety: fallen tree knocks out power for half hour this morning

by Carolyn Seitz

This morning a tree weakened by last week's damaging winds fell at about 8:15 AM, knocking out an Edison transmission line.  Just under 5,000 customers in Altadena were without power.  Within about 30 minutes power was restored to all but about 50.

As Edison works to repair the downed transmission line, you may experience intermittent power outages as they complete repairs and then re-energize the system and balance the distribution network.

We may continue to have these kinds of outages for a while, including today.

We are all also being cautioned that trees may continue to fall.

Please let me know if trees fall in your area.  If they are in the parkway, LA County Public Works will take care of them.  If trees fall on your property, unfortunately, it is your responsibility to deal with them.

If you see trees leaning or note that trees have fallen on utility lines, you may let me know or you can call Edison at 800 611 1911.

Currently, Southern California Edison's website indicates it will be down for maintenance tomorrow so we shouldn't rely on reporting outages through their website.

As a fallback, please let me know if you see trees impacting utility lines or see lines down.

If you find trees down on public roads, or parkway trees that have fallen or are leaning - about to fall, let me know.

As always - STAY SAFE!

Community volunteer Carolyn Seitz can be reached at cmseitz@mindspring.com

 

State officials tour storm damage -- starting in Altadena

L. A. County Supervisor Mike Antonovich, center, shakes hands with Acting Secretary of the California Emergency Management Agency Mike Dayton, right, with Assemblyman Anthony Portantino on the left as they leave the Altadena Golf Course on Friday, December 9, 2011. (Roger Wilson/Staff Photographer, Pasadena Sun)

 

by Bill Kisliuk
Pasadena Sun

State emergency management officials started Thursday’s tour of wind storm damage at the Altadena Town and Country Club, looking at downed trees and getting an earful from local politicians about Southern California Edison’s slow efforts to restore power to nearly 434,000 customers.

Edison fully restored power to all customers Thursday morning, more than a week after 80-mile-per-hour winds downed trees and caused damage throughout the San Gabriel Valley. The California Public Utilities Commission has launched a probe of Edison’s response.

“They tried to do it solo,” Supervisor Mike Antonovich told Mike Dayton, the acting director of the California Emergency Management Agency.

“Solo doesn’t work,” replied Dayton.

More at the Pasadena Sun.

UPDATED PICTURE: Supervisor Antonovich, Altadena Golf Course Managing Partner Doug Colliflower, State Senator Carol Liu and California Emergency Management, Acting Secretary Michael Dayton. Photo by Antonvich's office.

The name game

by Timothy Rutt

OK, we love your suggestions about naming the big windstorm of 2011, but we think they all fall a little short.

We don't want to necessarily pin it to Altadena, as it was a regional disaster, and if we can avoid the blame, let's do it.  Besides, Pasadena, Temple City, Arcadia, and many other communities suffered as well.  "The Edison Windstorm" has a certain, um, stickyness to it -- we'll certainly never forget the association -- but that's not quite it, either. Variations on "Blow," while viscerally satisfying, will make it hard to avoid an off-color headline, and we want to keep things a little more elevated around here.

So we were thinking of melding a couple of concepts.  The National Weather Service names its hurricanes after people.  The Forest Service names its forest fires after the suspected point of origin (hence, Station Fire, Morris Fire, etc.).

So we were thinking that we give the windstorm a human name that reflects the area it affected.  Since we don't feel bound to an alphabetical listing, like the Weather Service, we can name it anything we want.

So here's what we're thinking: Windstorm Gabby.

"Gabby" for two reasons: one, it happened in the San Gabriel Valley, and puts our communities in solidarity. (And we always liked giving hurricanes girl's names).  And two, personally, a hat tip to Rep. Gabrielle "Gabby" Giffords of Arizona, whom we admire for her struggle against adversity, an example for us at this time.

So what do you think? Comment away!

Weekendin' Dec. 9-11

Between the storms, a weekend awaits ... and we're always adding more!

Fri. Dec. 9

• Fancy Food Truck Friday at Webster's, 2450 N. Lake Ave., 5-9 PM.
• Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake: frontstage, open mic, 8-11 PM, free; backstage, Teresa Turdury and the Ventucky String Band (roots/country/Americana), 8 PM, $18 Reservations:  (626) 798-6236.  

Sat., Dec. 10

• Fork in the Road Toy Drive, 8-4 at the Fork in the Road, 200 Bellefontaine, Pasadena.
• Aveson Charter School Pancake Breakfast and holiday boutique, 8-noon at the school, 1919 Pinecrest Dr.
• President Streets toy and food collection for the Altadena Sheriff's Station, 9-10 AM on Harding Ave.
• Village Playgarden Winter Market, 3636 Skyline Dr. from 10 AM-3 PM.  
• Altadena Community Arts Center (ACAC) will hold its first Silent Auction and Open House on Sat., Dec. 10, from 2-4:30 PM, at the school at Loma Alta and Canon Drive.
• Christmas Tree Lane Winter Arts & Crafts Festival starts at 2 PM at the Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa St., followed by:
• The Christmas Tree Lane Lighting Ceremony, starting at 6 PM, also outside of the Library.
• Coffee Gallery: backstage, Hal Ratliff and Lee Ferrel matinees, 3 PM, $20; The Reynolds Brothers (jazz) and Finn McCool (Irish), 7 PM, $18. Reservations:  (626) 798-6236.

Sun., Dec. 11

• Fork in the Road toy drive continues, 8 AM-4 PM.
• Artisanal LA Pop Up Shop at the Armory Center for the Arts, 145 North Raymond Avenue Pasadena, 10 AM-6 PM, including vendors from the Altadena Urban Farmer's Market and demonstrations from the Institute of Domestic Technology.
• Glass artist David VanNoppen studio sale, 3100 Rubio Canyon Rd., 10 AM-4 PM.
• Reception for artist Jim Berry at the Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake, 4:30-6:30 PM.
• Champagne and sparkling wine tasting at the Altadena Ale & Wine House, 2329 N. Fair Oaks Ave., 5-7:30 PM, $25 for the tasting.
• Coffee Gallery: frontstage, open mic, 8-11 PM; backstage, Ken O'Malley (Irish) matinee, 3 PM, $18; Jim "Kimo" West and Friends holiday show (Hawai'in), 7 PM, $15. Reservations:  (626) 798-6236.

 

 

 

County warns of localized flooding in upcoming rainstorm

by Timothy Rutt

After wind, the deluge.

The Los Angeles Dept. of Public Works has issued a possible flooding alert for rainstorms that are forecast to hit the county on Mon., Dec. 12.  In a release, DPW said that the flood control system is being inspected and prepared for approaching rain, but of particular concern is the wind debris piled up on county streets.

"The potential for localized street flooding could be serious if we get significant amounts of rainfall," said Bob Spencer, DPW spokesman, in the release.  "Residents of impacted communities need to stay alert to the possibility of such flooding."

An earlier statement from Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich recommended piling wind debris in parkways (the area between the curb and the sidewalk) rather than the street where rainfall could collect. In Altadena, where there are few sidewalks and hence few parkways, most of the debris is piled up right in the path of drainage.

 

Fancy Food Truck Friday tonight

There'll be a lot to do at Fancy Food Truck Friday at the Webster's complex, 2450 N. Lake Ave., from 5-9 PM.  This will be the last one until spring, so make sure you come...

The trucks will be:

Hungry Nomad
Greenz On Wheelz
Border Grill
Komodo
The Lime Truck (they won the Great Food Truck Race this year)
Sweet Es Bake Shop

At Webster's Fine Stationers, they'll present a special winter trunk show with Altadena seamstress Leslie Aitken, of LA General Store. Leslie's whimsical, snugly and brightly colored knitwear designs have been a hit at the Altadena Urban Farmers Market, and will be sure to please you on Friday.

• Altadena artist extraordinaire Karen Bagnard will showcase her playful watercolor giclee prints, hand-painted glass ornaments and greeting cards. She'll personalize them for you at purchase, and might even draw you as an elf! Supremely talented, Ms. Bagnard's designs encompass dreamworld designs of mermaids, fairies, Santas, snowmen in holiday garb. You just have to see her iconic seasonal offerings!
• Local wellness guru Revvell Revati will be here demonstrating hooping - the latest craze in fitness! Not your parent's Wham-O hula-hoops, Revvell fashions these from sturdy tubing and decorative tapes and are now in stock at WFS. See how easy it is to hula-hoop the pounds away - it's so fun, you might even want to join in! 
• The John Muir High School chorus will be here at 6 PM with an assortment of holiday tunes.
• If you bring an unwrapped toy or packaged/canned food item for the Put The Fork In Hunger Toy Drive, you 'll get 20% off any item in the store.

Webster's Community Pharmacy will also be accepting unwrapped toys for "Toys for Tots" today.

Sponsor Danny's Farm will have their mobile petting farm available in the parking lot.

 

Crime log: Nov. 28- Dec. 2 -- burglars out in force

The house burglars were out in force this week -- not only taking money and electronics, but expensive bicycles and a guitar collection.  The crime blotter is by Altadena Sheriff Lt. Duane D. Allen:

Mon., Nov. 28

Between 5:00 AM and 2:00 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 1700 block of E. Meadowbrook Road.  Suspect(s) entered the residence via the doggie door.  Loss:  gray martini shaker, diamond/garnet white gold ring, misc. currency.
Between 8:30 AM and 11:30 AM – A residential burglary occurred in the 2700 block of Lake Avenue.  Suspect(s) entered the residence by prying the front door.  Loss:  unknown amount of currency.  
Between 12:30 PM and 3:00 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 1700 block of N. Roosevelt Avenue.  Suspects(s) entered the residence by shattering the rear patio door.  Loss:  black Dell laptop, black iPod, white iPod, white iPad.

Tues., Nov. 29

 
Between 7:00 AM and 6:05 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 100 block of W. Figueroa Drive.  Suspect(s) entered the residence by shattering the bedroom window.  Loss:  black Samsung flat screen, black Sony PS3, white queen size comforter.  

Thurs., Dec. 1

 
Between 4:00 AM and 7:30 AM – A grand theft occurred in the 200 block of E. Palm Street.  Suspect(s) stole a bicycle which was secured in the front yard.  Loss:  silver/gray Ibis Mojo SL bicycle, estimate value $5,000.00.
Between 1:30 PM and 4:00 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 1700 block of Coolidge Avenue.  Suspect(s) entered the residence by prying the rear door.  A witness observed a light colored sedan; possibly a Honda, parked to the front of the victim’s residence during the time of the reported burglary.  The vehicle was occupied by a male, Hispanic, 20-25 years, 6 ft., 185, shaved head, white tank top and a female, Hispanic, 18-22 years, dark hair, unknown clothing.  The suspects were then observed walking towards the front of the victim’s residence.  A short time later, the suspects were observed entering the vehicle with a broom in hand.  Loss:  black Coach purse, brown Louis Vuitton, black Canon SLR digital camera.
7:30 PM – A robbery and assault with a deadly weapon (hands, feet) occurred at Arco Gas Station, 2171 Fair Oaks Ave.  The victim was on foot and approached by three, male, African-Americans described as: #1 - 20-30 years, short black hair, light color shorts, #2 – 20-30 years, short black hair, thin moustache, plaid shirt, dark denim shorts, and #3 – 20-30 years, riding a bicycle.  The suspects approached the victim, pushed him down to the ground and began assaulting him and asking him for money.  Loss:  set of house keys.
Between 9:30 PM and 7:00 AM, Friday – A vehicle burglary occurred in the 2100 block of Fair Oaks Ave.  Suspect(s) entered the vehicle by shattering the front passenger window.  Loss:  misc. currency.

Friday, December 2nd

 
Between 1:00 PM and 5:15 PM - A residential burglary occurred in the 1800 block of Pepper Drive.  Suspect(s) entered the residence by shattering the dining room window.  Loss:  black Sony Vaio laptop, silver Dell laptop, silver Canon EOS digital camera, (3) black camera lenses, brown Blueridge acoustic guitar, blonde/mahongany Martin acoustic guitar, light gold Taylor acoustic guitar, gold/black Sony camcorder, misc. currency.  
Between 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM, Sunday – A residential burglary occurred in the 2500 block of N. Allen Avenue.  Suspect(s) entered the residence via unknown means.  Loss:  beige wool/silk blend Persian rug, silver/black Sony digital camera, silver Dell 17” laptop.

 

Lost cat: Rook [UPDATE: Never mind!]

Lara lost a cat:

Rook is a brown shorthair cat with black stripes. He is an indoor cat who goes outside during the day sometimes. He always comes home at night. He has been missing since the afternoon of 12/8/2011. He is loved very much and we miss him!!!! He was last seen at our home near Raymond and Palm. If you have seen him, PLEASE contact me at (626) 283-9014 or lara.m.lund@gmail.com

UPDATE:  Rook apparently wasn't lost, he was out -- did whatever he had to do overnight, and decided to come home.  Probably ran out of money ...

Antonovich update on post-wind recovery

Fifth District Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich has sent out this letter updating the post-wind situation.  Of particular interest is the "Green Debris Removal" section below.

-----

Dear Friends,

Here is the latest update on recovery from the hurricane-force winds that devastated the unincorporated communities Altadena, La Crescenta, Pasadena, San Gabriel, Temple City, Monrovia and Arcadia of last Wednesday and Thursday.

Power

As of 6:21 a.m. PST today, Southern California Edison (SCE) has restored service to all customers known to be without power in the aftermath of hurricane-force winds that hit last week and affected service to 433,945 customers.

Crews will remain in the greater San Gabriel Valley area, which was the hardest hit, to do clean-up work. Some customers who have power may experience intermittent outages while repairs are made to nearby properties. Please report outages to (800) 611-1911.

If you see a downed line or dangling wire — even if it appears not to be live — don’t touch or approach it and call 911 immediately.

I also introduced a motion at the meeting of the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday requesting we send a letter to the Public Utilities Commission, the State agency that regulates Southern California Edison, asking that they require that energy providers develop an emergency management system with more customer and community involvement. My criticism of Edison stems from the lack of information that was given to their customers during the power outage, some of whom were in the dark for 6 days.

Green Debris Removal

A systematic green debris removal process is now underway in the unincorporated communities of Altadena, La Crescenta, Pasadena, San Gabriel, Temple City, Monrovia and Arcadia. The County’s local waste haulers have doubled their crew and equipment to meet the increase in refuse.  Residents are asked to place their green debris out on the parkway and it will be picked up on your regular trash day. The green debris should be light enough to be picked up manually and small material should be bagged or boxed. Please keep green debris off the road and place it on the parkway to avoid localized flooding during the forecasted rains.

Local waste haulers in unincorporated areas have also coordinated with the LA County Public Works Department and the Department of Parks and Recreation to offer the additional free debris drop-off events.

Storm damage in the tens of millions

By Times Community News Staff
Pasadena Sun

The streets are mostly clear, the lights are mostly on and local cities are busy toting up the damage from the wind storm that ripped through the area last week.

Pasadena sustained close to $20 million in damage from more than 1,200 downed trees that crushed cars, knocked out power lines and scarred homes and businesses, according to city officials. San Marino is estimating damage of $5.6 million, while South Pasadena leaders put the damage at $1 million and counting.

On Thursday the last of nearly 434,000 affected Southern California Edison customers saw their power restored, but not before the utility took a pummeling from local politicians and learned the California Public Utilities Commission will conduct a probe of Edison’s response.

More at the Pasadena Sun.

Windwatch: the word on the street

by Timothy Rutt

This is our collection point for your reports on what's happening in your neighborhood -- is the power back on?  Is anybody picking up tree debris?  Is anyone acting suspicious and maybe exploiting the situation?  Here's your place to let your neighbors know.

And don't forget to enter our "Name the Windstorm" no-prize contest, which closes at end of day today!

-----

UPDATE 11:15 AM

Your power is on:   Southern California Edison (SCE) has issued a release that service has been restored to "all customers known to be without power" as of 6:21 AM today.  Crews will remain in the area to do cleanup work, and if you have issues, call SCE's customer service at (800) 611-1911. 

Still time to give to the Altadena Sheriff's Station Food and Toy Drive

by Timothy Rutt

There's still time to donate food, cash, or a new and unwrapped toy to the Altadena Sheriff Station's food and toy drive,

The Altadena Sheriff Station is still looking for donations of non-perishable canned food items, cash, and/or unwrapped toys for children ages 2-12 for its annual holiday food and toy drive.  Altadena Capt. Steven McLean said that the need is great, and they are looking to assist 300 families this year.

Donations can be left at the Altadena Sheriff's Station, 780 E. Altadena Dr.; Bank of America, 2345 N. Lake Ave., or Chase Bank, 2333 N. Lake Ave., through Dec. 11.  

The President Streets neighborhood group will also be collecting donations on Harding Drive on Sat., Dec. 10, from 9-10 AM.

Distribution to families will be on Dec. 17.

You can also drop off cash or checks payable to "Altadena Station Fund" at the station.

For more information, call Dep. Ronnie Manier or Sgt. Michael Randenberg at the Altadena Sheriff Station at 626-798-1131 or 626-296-2105.

Pictured: Nancy Rothwell and Hugo Arteaga at the Palm St. Area Residents Association collection for the toy drive on Dec. 3.  What is it with these people and the red shirts?

UPDATE: Carolyn Seitz sends this schedule, if you'd like to volunteer:

Fri., Dec. 9: Help us from 1 pm to 4 pm at the Altadena Community Center as we set up the Center for the sorting and packing of the food and toys.  We'll be taking everything out of the Pods and into the Center and setting up tables to help facilitate the inventory of food and toys so we know whether the Station needs to purchase more or find a way to get more donated

Sat., Dec. 10: From 7:30 am to Noon or 1 or whenever we finish, we will be at the Community Center sorting toys and bagging them for each family we hope to serve and packing food boxes.  When we're done, everything has to be packed back into the storage Pods.  The briefing of the team and assignment of tasks will begin at 7:30.

From 9 am to 10 am - the President Streets area will hold its 3rd Annual Food & Toy Drive at 1826 N Harding.  You can drive by and drop off food and toy donations - all will be gratefully accepted.  Have small kids who would like to have mom or dad take their photo in a Sheriff's car, come on over and have some fun with us.

Fri., Dec. 16  We can use many hands again to unpack the Pods and set up the Community Center for the food and toy distribution.  We will be stacking the food boxes and organizing the bags of toys for each family, by the source who provided their information.  That will take place on Friday afternoon.

Sat., Dec. 17:    From 7 am to 12:30 pm at the Community Center.  We will have a briefing and assignment of tasks then we will sort the bags of toys in each group alphabetically.  The distribution will begin at 8 am and will be completed by noon.  We will also have groups of people making phone calls to those who haven't yet arrived to pick up their food and toys by about 10 am.  In that process sometimes  we've discovered that the custodial adult in some families is an elderly grandparent or a parent who is disabled, so volunteers deliver their food and toys.

If you can participate in any of these events, please let me know which day and event.  It'll help us know for which we need to look for more volunteers.  

If you'd like to donate non-perishable foods - canned corn, green beans, carrots, boxes of stuffing mix, cake mix, brownie mix, Jiffy Cornbread, jello, pudding or other similar foods, you can drop them off at the Sheriff's Station until Friday the 9th, or bring them to the Community Center on Saturday morning the 10th.

You can also drop off new toys at the Sheriff's Station until Friday the 9th or bring them to the Community Center on Saturday morning, the 10th. 

You can also bring cash donations or checks payable to "Altadena Station Fund" to the Sheriff's Station until Thursday, December 15th.

Many thanks to all who have donated and/or volunteered and special thanks to the President Streets area for their very generous support for the food and toy drive for 3 years and for the La Vina community for having supported the food and toy drive for many more years.

We have extraordinary need this year.  Your generosity is much appreciated.

Seyffert sponsors free showing of "Elf" at Farnsworth Park Dec. 16

Linda Seyffert of Podley at the Cottage Real Estate (Altadenablog sponsor) is offering a free showing of the film "Elf" on Fri., Dec. 16, at Farnsworth Park.

Bring the family (children must be accompanied by adult) for this all-ages film.  Pizza, popcorn, and punch will be provided -- doors open at 6 PM, and the movie starts at 6:30.

 

Edison in the final stages of restoring power, still some out in Altadena

by Timothy Rutt

Southern California Edison (SCE) said in a release Wednesday that it has restored power to most lines and is now going block-by-block to ensure residents and businesses ahve power."

"While line power lines that run between power poles are back in service, SCE is checking with customers to ensure that the lines that run from poles to homes or businesses are all working. In some cases SCE is calling customers to check to see if their power has been restored, and if it hasn’t, is dispatching crews to do repairs to restore service."

As of 9 AM this morning (Thurs.), Edison's outage website still says there is power out in the 91001 area code, but expects to restore all power this morning.

SCE reported that 433,945 customers lost power in the windstorm, and they had restored power to all but 1,504 customers as of Wednesday afternoon.

 

Aveson Charter School pancake breakfast and boutique Sat.

Aveson School, 1919 Pinecrest Dr., is joining the cavalcade of holiday events this Sat. with a pancake breakfast and holiday boutique from 8 AM-12 PM. Aveson invites you to stop by, have breakfast and do a little holiday shopping.

RSVP to Portantino open house at the Armory Dec. 14

Assemblymember Anthony Portantino will hold his annual Holiday Open House on Wed., Dec. 14, 6-8 PM at the Armory Center for the Arts, 145 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena.  There will be light refreshments, and please bring a new, unwrapped book suitable for grades K-6 that will be donated to local libraries. Suggested titles can be found at: www.assembly.ca.gov/portantino

RSVP to: (626) 577-9944

 

Morning jolt

• UFO sighting: we haven't had one of these in awhile, but website the Vike Factor is on the case of a daytime UFO spotted Nov. 29.
• Christmas with the Chorale: The Pasadena Master Chorale will hold its "Home for the Holidays" program on Sat., Dec. 10, at 7:30 PM at the First Congregational Church in Pasadena, 464 E. Walnut St.  The program includes works by Holst, Rachmaninov, Praetorius, and a selection of oliday carols, including a singalong.  Tickets are $25 at the door, and $22 online, and are available here.

 

Portantino sets sights on Liu's senate seat

From the left, Glendale Mayor Laura Friedman, Senator Carol Liu and Assemblyman Anthony Portantino at the newly named Larry Zarian Transportation Center dedication ceremony in Glendale on Wednesday, November 30, 2011. (Tim Berger/Pasadena Sun)

 

by Mark Kellam
Pasadena Sun

Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) — faced with being termed out of office next year — is seeking the endorsements of two local Democratic organizations for a run at state Sen. Carol Liu’s seat in a newly redrawn district.

Portantino’s move into the state Senate race for the 25th District — which includes Burbank, Glendale and Pasadena — is a marked shift from his stance in June, when he said he planned to run in Rep. David Dreier’s San Gabriel Valley district.

He is scheduled to join Liu and Ameenah Fuller on Saturday for interviews conducted by members of the Glendale Democratic Club, said Thomas O'Shaughnessy, treasurer for the organization, and then a week later by the Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley.

More at the Pasadena Sun.

Police interview witnesses in boot camp probe

by Bill Kisliuk
Pasadena Sun

Pasadena police have interviewed between 10 and 20 witnesses related to a probe of possible child abuse in 2009 by operators of boot camps for at-risk youth.

Investigators still are seeking to locate three more people whose images appeared in a videotape of a camp where it appears juveniles were forced to drink water to excess and one was forced to walk while wearing a car tire around his neck as adults yelled at him from inches away.

Pasadena Police Lt. Tracey Ibarra said it has been a challenge to identify and then locate witnesses, since the incident took place two years ago but only came to the attention of police in the last couple of months.

More at the Pasadena Sun.

Independent film company fights bullying through film

from Tamirfilms

Tamirfilms, an independent film company, launches initiative to combat bullying through filmmaking. Silencio, an all-volunteer effort, is an innovative and “high-tech masterpiece”, says the film’s producer, Tamir Yardenne.  

The film is a pillar for the national program with the same name that champions anti-bullying efforts and fostering positive environments for today’s children. Thus far Silencio has organized more than 800 volunteers in ten states, with its initial launch scheduled in Los Angeles, California on November 22, 2011.

The launch of Silencio will begin with its Student Leadership Forum that seeks to immerse young Latinos in an intense 8-week course in film production. The course will connect local youth with experienced professionals in the entertainment industry and provide young filmmakers with an opportunity to receive practical, hands-on experience. Interns will be a vital part of the project and assist in the film’s production. The curriculum will include marketing as it pertains to social media, pre-production, on-set production, and post-production. Students will get to produce their version of Silencio. “How Cool” says one applicant.

The Student Leadership Forum has gained local and national media coverage, and is supported by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Fundraising is vital to our campaign. Click here to learn more about what you can do to support. Help us spread the word and get out the message to end bullying. We need your help.

 

 

 

Deadline coming for home upgrade rebates

Alpine Green Property Services, a participating contractor in Energy Upgrade California (Altadenablog sponsor), is holding a workshop on Mon., Dec. 12 at the Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa St., at 7 PM.  

Alvin Villaneva of Alpine Green says that residents can qualify for $8,500 in rebates for home upgrades, but they must apply by Dec. 14 to make the end-of-year cutoff date ($4,000 of  the rebates will go away at the end of the year).

There will be another workshop at the Library on Jan. 10, 2012.

Windwatch recovery Wednesday

by Timothy Rutt

This is the repository for wind and recovery-related information for today.  It will be kept sticky at the top of the page, and please use the comments to let everyone know what's going on in your neighborhood.

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Reader Smarsh Cavallo writes:

One positive outcome of the windstorm is that neighbors on the west and east side of Ganesha finally talked to each other about power outages. There are times for both sides that we notice the other side of the street has power and we don't. In other words it works both ways! We all reached out to help each other too. Community bonding.

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Sgt. Marsha Williams at Altadena Sheriff Station says that the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation was responsible for providing free blankets at the Altadena Community Center yesterday, so thanks to them.

She also reminds us that there is a new 800 number attached to 211 for unincorporated Los Angeles county residents to call in damage from the windstorms: 1 (800)980-4990.  Incorporated city resident should continue to call city agencies. 

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Probe launched into Edison's power outage response

by Bill Kisliuk
Pasadena Sun

Joining the chorus of government officials and agencies concerned over the slow response to the power outage in the San Gabriel Valley, the California Public Utilities Commission is opening a probe of Southern California Edison’s work in the aftermath of heavy wind storms that downed power lines and trees last week.

"Our enforcement staff is looking into why the outages occurred and why it is taking so long for power to be restored," Plan Clanon, the commission’s executive director, said in a statement. "We will determine whether [Southern California Edison] met all safety requirements and did all it could to prevent outages, and that it is now doing all it can to restore power and communicate with its customers. If we determine that SCE has violated safety rules, it may face fines and penalties."

More at the Pasadena Sun.

Open thread: way out here, they got a name ...

by Timothy Rutt

When we were growing up in Colorado, forest fires were just nameless fires --"you know, the fire, the one in July, the one that burned up the hills back of the ridge?"  One of the best things the National Forest Service ever did was start naming their fires -- so when everyone hears "The Station Fire," you know exactly what they're talking about.  Local fire departments name their fires, too.

So we had a bad windstorm last week, and we'll be living with its effects for months and talking about it for years.  It needs a name.  

(Yeah, they call the wind Mariah, but we think we can find something more appropriate ...)

We're opening it up to the hive mind:  what shall we name last week's windstorm?  

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Fancy Food Truck Friday is on, bring Toys for Tots

by Timothy Rutt

Boy, do we need some good news this week, and here it comes: Fancy Food Truck Friday returns Dec. 9 at the Webster's stores, in the parking lot at 2450 N. Lake Ave. from 5-9 PM.

Sponsored by Danny's Farm (which will bring their mobile petting zoo), trucks include the Border Grill, Sweet E's Bake Shop, Komodo, Hungry Nomad, Greenz on Wheels, and Food Network Great Food Truck Race winner, The Lime Truck.

Webster's Community Pharmacy has partnered with Toys For Tots and will be accepting new unwrapped toys for donation (help fill up their box!).  Fancy Food Truck Fridays is sponsored by the pharmacy, Webster's Fine Staioners, and Webster's Liquors.

 

Arroyo Pacific changes up its pitch for Land Use Committee Tuesday night

by Timothy Rutt

National politics likes to classify voters and politicians and “red” or “blue.”

The same thing is happening in Altadena, depending on where you fall on the Arroyo Pacific Academy.

At previous meetings of the land use committee and town council, opponents of the school have marked themselves with red shirts, reflecting the neighborhood’s ubiquitous crimson “No School on Palm” signs.  At last night’s standing-room-only Land Use Committee meeting, the room was awash in blue Arroyo Pacific Academy T-shirts as the Arcadia school revisited its pitch to create a satellite campus at 183 E. Palm St.

The Land Use Committee and the Town Council had both turned down the school’s earlier bid for a conditional use permit.  Tuesday’s meeting was a hearing on AP’s revised plan, which cuts the maximum number of students at the Altadena campus from 250 to 200.

AP President Philip Clarke assured the committee that the reduced student load, carpooling, a staggered start and end to the school day, and holding physical education and sports near their Arcadia location would alleviate the concerns of neighborhood residents, still smarting from the location’s illegal use as a school in 2008-09.

But his assurances didn’t move many of the residents, who maintain a strong opposition to having a school on the site.

Morning jolt

• Jeanette Williams at PSN goes to Altadena to remind us that it isn't only humans and their pets that are affected by natural disasters -- wild birds and animals are, too.
• Bulgaini Gelato has opened its new location in Culver City, but fortunately Leo made lots of gelato at his Altadena shop before the lights went out -- LA Weekly has deets.
• This Pennsylvania website picked up LA Times' Betty Hallock story on roasting your own coffee beans -- at the Zane Grey estate under the tutalage of the Institute for Domestic Technology.  Yes, the goats are mentioned.
• Kevin Smith at PSN looks at Waste Less Living, which is leaving Altadena for a green building in Pasadena -- but they'll still be around!

 

Chamber names Altadenablog, Bill Westphal as best of the year

by Timothy Rutt

The Altadena Chamber of Commerce has named Altadenablog "Altadena's Business of the Year" for 2011.  This is the first time the Chamber has awarded such a designation.

Citizen of the Year for 2011 is community übervolunteer Bill Westphal.  A stalwart member of the Sheriff's Support Group of Altadena, a Volunteer on Patrol for the Altadena Sheriff's Station, roving photographer, weather expert, and the proprietor of the Altadena Weathercam, Westphal richly deserves this award.

"I am honored to be recognized as Citizen Of The Year for 2011 by the Altadena Chamber Of Commerce," Westphal writes us.  "Altadena has given me so much in my 34 years as a resident and I enjoy giving back to Altadena in any way I can.  I am humbled to be recognized for things that I have so much fun doing."

Rose West of the Chamber's Board of Directors said that Altadenablog was awarded for its timely coverage of local news, particularly during the Station Fire and the recent windstorm.

More on this as it develops.

PIctured: right, 2011 Citizen of the Year Bill Westphal at the weathercam; left, Altadenablog publisher Timothy Rutt

We've changed Bill's picture and added a quote to the original version of this story.

Tree vs. pool -- who will survive?

Our friend Matt Wright shares this video of their wind recovery.  He casts it as a romance of tree and pool.  Surprising, as Matt's the voice of the "Survivor" promos -- we look on it as a strategic battle and only one will survive ...

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UPDATE: Gloriana Casey responds as only she can, after the jump.

Windwatch: Tuesday, the recovery continues

by Timothy Rutt

Again, this will be at the top of the page so we can give you more wind/recovery related information and you have a place in the comments to report what you're seeing.  Thanks to all who have reported about what's going on -- you're what makes this community news service so valuable!

Four things we're looking for this morning that you can help with:

• Debris cleanup: What do you see Athens and/or county public works doing in your neighborhood to clear up tree debris?  We seem to be getting contradictory information from what officials tell us and what you're seeing on the ground, and we're going to try to pin it down today.
• Power: We also want to know what neighborhoods are still without power, and what you see Edison doing.
• Crime: it seems that there are some opportunistic criminals who are using the wind/power situation to their advantage.  Have you or your neighbors suffered a break-in or other kind of theft?
• Crime or capitalism?  Who's going door-to-door offering products/services in relation to wind damage?  Some of them are no doubt entrepreneurs who see an opportunity, and God bless 'em, but we know this draws scam artists, too, so let us know what's going on if you see it.

UPDATES 8:30 AM

Farnsworth Park debris roundup this weekend: The county and Athens will have another tree debris roundup at the lower parking lot of Farnsworth Park on Sat. -Sun., Dec. 10 and 11, from 7 AM-4 PM for residents of Altadena and Kinneloa Mesa. A press release from the county says that "Unacceptable items for green waste bins include palm tree branches, bamboo, soil, painted or treated wood.  The removal and clearing of tree waste or green debris that is not in the public right of way is the responsibility of private property owners.  Waste and debris should not be dumped in public rights of way or flood control channels."  Which, again, contradicts what we heard from the county on Sunday. And so far, a lot of debris seems to have fallen in the public right of way, leaving private yards clear!

Edison to meet with supervisors: Supv. Michael D. Antonovich says that he has requested officials of Southern California Edison to meet with the board of supervisors at this week's meeting, which starts at 9:30 this morning in downtown Los Angeles.  "Since the windstorm, my office has received dozens of phone calls and e-mails from residents who have been without power since last Thursday -- many of whom are elderly or infirm - expressing frustration with the lack of information being provided by Edison with regard to power restoration," he says in a release. Edison officials have been requested to provide an update of their efforts and answer questions.  County residents who have incurred damages are encouraged to call 2-1-1 (or 800-980-4990) to report damages as a result of the windstorm. 

UPDATES 10:00 AM

Edison passing out flashlights, ice, and water: As long as they last, at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr. from 10 AM-4 PM today.

Damage assessment: Public safety maven Carolyn Seitz says that the County of Los Angeles is preparing a comprehensive damage assessment and is requesting that you call 211 to report the damage to your property and/or vehicle if your homes, accessory structures, walls, fences or vehicles have sustained damage.

UPDATES 11:00 AM

Blankets at the Community Center: Landy Johnson of the Altadena Community Center staff, 730 E. Altadena Dr., says that they are passing out blankets until they are gone.

UPDATES 3:30 PM

Debris pickp: We were out and about and saw county crews with loaders and dump trucks clearing up Mendocino in front of the Balian Mansion at about 2 PM. So some curbside county cleanup is going on -- maybe just in the mansiony area of town!

 

 

Antonovich drubs Edison at supervisor's meeting

by Timothy Rutt

Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich delivered a spanking to Southern California Edison officials at this morning's Board of Supervisors meeting.

Edison officials attended the meeting at Antonovich's request to report on the utility's response to the windstorm, and to answer questions.  Victoria Guttierez of Edison said that, as of this morning, about 9,000 customers remain without power.

Edison has deployed 276 crews, some from as far as Bakersfield, to the affected areas, and there were 100 crews working to restore power today, Gutierrez said.  

"This storm has been unprecedented in our experience," she told the supervisors.

But Antonovich put Edison on the hot seat, particularly about how it informed customers.  When Gutierrez said that it was impossible to notify each of Edison's 419,000 customers individually and they relied on the media to inform the public, Antonovich said that if there's no electricity, there's no media: "That's stupid," Antonovich said of the plan.

Antonovich also called into question Edison's method of determining if a customer had power by monitoring their smart meter -- especially since not all customers have the Internet-readable meters installed yet.  Gutierrez said that the utility also had employees and volunteers go door-to-door in some affected areas.

Gutierrez said that Edison conducted regular disaster exercises, but Antonovich said that they should be working with local governments and safety agencies as part of those exercises.  "You have an exercise and you fail when we have a disaster," Antonovich said.  "It's like this is the first disaster we've ever had -- you're sending a wrong message to your customers -- you're sending a wrong message to your stockholders, that you're not a company who plans ahead."

Gutierrez told the supervisors that Edison was "entirely committed" to getting the lights back on, despite the unprecedented amount of damage.

 

 

PUSD Special Education Advisory Committee meeting Monday at Edison

Dr. Elizabeth Blanco, PUSD's executive director of special education, wil be the speaker at the December Pasadena Unified School District/SELPA Special Education Dept. Community Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting  on Mon., Dec. 12.

The CAC will meet on Mon., Dec. 12, from 6:15-8:30 PM at the Edison Professional Development Complex, Rm. 211, 119 W. Palm Avenue, Altadena. There will be free childcare and translation available.

Send questions for Dr. Blanco to joycac1@gmail.com

More details at: http://cac.pasadenausd.org

 

Land Use Committee hearing on Arroyo Pacific Academy tonight

The Land Use Committee will meet this evening at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr., starting at 7 PM, to hold a hearing on the Arroyo Pacific Academy's plan to put a school on Palm St.

LUC Chair Mark Goldschmidt has said that the committee will take no action on the school tonight.  Arcadia-based Arroyo Pacific (Altadenablog sponsor) is coming back with a new plan after their initial proposal for a planned Palm St. campus was denied by both the LUC and the Town Council. 

VanNoppen art glass sale Sunday

Alta-glass artist David VanNoppen will have a sale of his works in his back yard at 3100 Rubio Canyon Rd., on Sun., Dec. 11, from 10 AM-4 PM.  There are Christmas ornaments, bowls, vases, goblets, flowers and vegetables. Refreshments will also be served, and it will go on rain, wind, or shine.

Image (c) David VanNoppen

Special ACONA meeting cancelled

Elliot Gold and Holly Rundburg of the Altadena Coalition of Neighborhood Associations (ACONA) have announced that the scheduled Dec. 14 meeting at the Altadena Community Center has been cancelled due to the storm and holiday season.

Gold says:
"Please though DO GET YOUR issues to me in December, so that we can make sure they are addressed when we do meet with the Sheriff's staff from the Altadena Station, and hopefully from Sheriff's Headquarters."  You can contact him right here. 

Community Garden beautification meeting tonight

from the Altadena Community Garden:

Join us at a community meeting tonight to discuss the beautification and revitalization of the area surrounding the Altadena Community Garden.  Four students (Brian Capurro, Arin A. Dolatian, Armando Torres Ramos and Artin Zaghian) from CalPoly Pomona have generously donated their time and effort to redesign the periphery of the garden.  The primary objective of the project is to beautify the outside of Altadena Community Garden while further connecting the space to the surrounding landscapes as well as its own historic heritage.

WHEN: Tuesday December 6, 2011

TIME:  6:00 p.m.

WHERE:  Loma Alta Park Community Center 3330 N. Lincoln Ave. Altadena, CA. 91001

 

"Fork in the Road" cyber toy drive at Coffee Gallery tonight

The Fork in the Road gang is going to have a major toy drive coming up this weekend (see graphic for details), but tonight it's in cyberspace.  A message from Bob Stane at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N. Lake and "Fork in the Roader" Phil Coombs:

Attention Cyberspace fans.  As you may or may not know, Tuesday December 6th is  "Viral Tuesday". We are encouraging everyone out there to throw a Facebook party with your friends and see how many people you can connect with regarding this massive Toy Drive in the space of an hour or two. Brainstorm with your buddies and take this event viral!

 

For your networking pleasure, the Coffee Gallery in conjunction with the Coffee Gallery Backstage will be hosting the event Tuesday evening from 6-10 PM.  Bring your laptop, bring your friends' laptop and your friends too. Bring your pizza and share among friends. 

 

Having cream with your coffee or sugar in your tea is an option, but leaving children without toys on Christmas morning is NEVER an option.  With your help, we will succeed in making every childs Christmas a memorable one.

BTW, let's not forget the older kids too.  Number one requested gift for the older kids are ipod shuffles and itune gift cards. 

 

http://www.PutTheForkInHunger.com

http://www.facebook.com/PutTheForkInHunger

 

 

Sign up for disaster text/email service from the county

from Los Angeles County Emergency Operations

(A reminder that you can receive text and email messages during crises)

TEXT and EMAIL alerts from the LASD EMERGENCY OPERATIONS BUREAU has been created to share ongoing information about damage and assistance regarding wind storms, wild land fires, floods, earthquakes, and more. 

Text: LASAFETY to 888777 to receive TEXT alerts only via www.Nixle.com(Standard text msg rates may apply, depending on your calling plan). Register for EMAIL AND/OR TEXT alerts atwww.Nixle.com under the title: "LASD - Emergency Operations Bureau, Los Angeles County Sheriff." 

The Emergency Operations Bureau (EOB) of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is the primary resource for coordinating the Department's response to complex emergencies and disasters. LASD EOB works closely with county, city, state, and federal agencies and well as community resources to serve the needs of the public. 

County activates disaster hotline

from Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office, Office of Emergency Management (OEM) http://lacounty.gov announces the activation of the 211 LA County Disaster Hotline (1-800-980-4990) for Los Angeles County residents to report damages caused by the recent wind storm event. Residents can also call 2-1-1 to report damages. This includes all unincorporated county communities and the 88 cities in Los Angeles County. 

As the recovery efforts continue in the Los Angeles County Operational Area (OA), OEM continues to collect Initial Damage Estimates from County departments, cities and unincorporated areas to determine public and private sector damages throughout the County. 

OEM will continue to coordinate with the California Emergency Management Agency http://www.calema.ca.gov/ to secure State and Federal assistance as warranted. 

On Dec. 1, Los Angeles County Mayor Michael D. Antonovich declared a state of emergency for the cities and unincorporated areas in the County. 

OEM stands ready to ramp up if conditions warrant. In addition, all County departments continue to prepare and be ready to respond to any future emergencies and/or disasters. 

211 Los Angeles County Disaster Hotline: 
(1-800-980-4990) 
Los Angeles County communities and residents 
(including all 88 cities and unincorporated communities) 
English and Espanol 

To report wind-related damage online: 
http://www.211la.org/ 

Christmas Tree Lane lighting is still on for Saturday night

Some bright news in a dreary week:  The Christmas Tree Lane Association has announced that the lighting ceremony is still on for this Sat., Dec. 10.

Linda Lane White of the Christmas Tree Lane Association tells us that the Winter Arts & Crafts festival kicks off the festivities with vendors and food trucks at the Altadena Library, starting at 2 PM.  Santa Rosa Ave. will be closed to traffic from Mariposa to Woodbury starting at 4 PM, and the ceremony begins at 6 PM.

Local radio personality Tammy Trujillo will be mistress of ceremonies for the event.  Performers include:

Pasadena High School Naval JROTC

Altadena’s "Singing Realtor," Linda Lane-White

Blair International Baccalaureate Singers

Pasadena Waldorf School 6th Grade Singers

Altadena Children’s Choir

John Muir High School Alumni Drum Corp.

Parking is limited. Get there early. This year, there will be some parking available at the Altadena Senior Center.

 

 

Dog found, but not corralled

Reader Ethan writes:

My girlfriend and I spotted this dog around 1am Tuesday morning on Glen ave between Harriet and Mariposa. He's wearing a brown collar but her(his?) tag was missing. It ate treats from our hands, but darted away when it was done and ran off when we tried to lure him onto the porch with more food.

Wanted to give an update if folks are out looking for him (her.)   If you are the owner and trying to track him down, contact us with your info and we'll try to corral it and call you if we see him again.   ethan718@earthlink.net

Tomorrow's Layton Vista street lighting meeting cancelled, will be rescheduled

The Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Works has cancelled a community meeting to discuss street lighting that was scheduled for tomorrow, Dec. 7, at 7 PM at the Altadena Community Center.

According to Arnel Dulay of the DPW,  the meeting was to inform the community of the proposed street lighting project in the Layton Vista area.  Dulay said that they were looking at reschedling to early January, and they will be mailing out a notice to the affected residents when the meeting date is set. For any questions, please contact Dulay at (626) 300-4754.