altadenablog

Got CERT training? Let 'em know!

by Carolyn Seitz

The Altadena Sheriff's Station is ready to begin organizing all of its CERT volunteers, and for several reasons:

• So we all know how many of us there are
• So we know where we are in the community, geographically
• So we know what skills and experience each of us has
• So we can determine what additional training would be beneficial
• So you're better prepared if, or when a catastrophic event occurs
• So we're all better trained and prepared to work together when the need arises
• So we can all be more effective at meeting the needs of this community when we're pressed into service

A meeting for all CERT trained volunteers is planned as follows:

DATE            Thursday, May 19

TIME             6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

PLACE          Altadena Community Center
                     730 East Altadena Drive
                     Altadena, CA 

Please help us plan well by letting me know whether you plan to attend. 

If you're interested in participating at a future time, but May 19th isn't convenient for you, please let me know that as well and I'll make sure you stay on a notification list.

Thanks very much,
Carolyn

cmseitz@mindspring.com

Weekendin'

Keep checking back: we keep adding!

Fri., April 22

• Good Friday.
• "Movies in the Park" at Davies Auditorium, Farnsworth Park, 1-8:30 PM.  This month's movies are Disney Pixar's "UP" starts at 1 PM;  "Tangled" plays from 3:30-5:45 PM; finishing up with a showing of "Tron Legacy" from 6:30-8:30 PM.  Free admission, with free popcorn, door prizes, snacks, and punch.
• Fun and Games Friday for teens and tweens at the Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa St..  Traditional and video games (and snacks) in the Community Room. Come to the library and have fun, snack, socialize and have the opportunity to win a cool prize, a Target Gift Card. 3:30-5 PM.
• Open mic night at the Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake, 8 PM-closing.

Sat., April 23

•  PJ Sallave-Goldfinger tells what it’s like to operate Mt. Wilson Observatory’s CHARA Array and the famous 100-inch Hooker Telescope at the Mt. Wilson Observatory lecture at the Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa St., starting at 2:30 PM.

 

Sun., April 24

• Easter.
• Easter sunrise services at Farnsworth Park begin at 6 AM.  The Pasadena Journal has more details.
• The Altadena Ale and Wine House, 2329 N Fair Oaks Ave., will have a tasting of Australian wines, 3-6 PM. Ten wines, plus cheese and sandwiches for $22.  Get the wine list here.
• Open mic night at the Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake, 8 PM-closing.

Foothill Municipal Water District announces water plan hearing

from Foothill Municipal Water District:

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

DRAFT URBAN WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Foothill Municipal Water District is required to adopt its Urban Water
Management Plan (Plan) and to submit the Plan to the State Department of Water
Resources by August 1, 2011. Accordingly, Foothill has prepared its Draft Plan and its
Board of Directors will conduct a public hearing and consider adoption of the Draft Plan
at 3:00 PM on Monday, May 16, 2011. The Public Hearing will be held at the Foothill
Municipal Water District in the Conference Room of the Robert Williams Operations and
Administration Center at 4536 Hampton Road, La Canada Flintridge, California.

Copies of the Draft Plan are available for public inspection at Foothill’s Hampton
Road office. Copies are also available at the Altadena Public Library, the La Canada
Public Library and the La Crescenta Public Library. Comments or questions regarding
the Draft Plan should be directed to the District’s Office at the above cited address or by
telephone to (818) 790-4036.

alterdena by millard chaney 4/22/11

alterdena by millard chaney by altadenablog

NASA/JPL offer Earth Day activities

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., are celebrating the 41st anniversary of Earth Day this week with several online activities to engage the public in the agency's mission to use the vantage point of space to explore and protect our home planet.

On Earth Day, Friday, April 22, scientists involved in an airborne campaign in Greenland to monitor Arctic ice cover will participate in a Web chat.

NASA maintains the world's largest contingent of dedicated Earth scientists and engineers to lead and assist other agencies in preserving the planet's environment.

For details on NASA Earth Day activities and new agency programs dedicated to expanding our knowledge of our home planet, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/earthday .

NASA Chat: Live from the Top of the World

Friday, April 22 (noon-1 p.m. PDT) -- A team of Arctic explorers is in Greenland keeping a careful eye on changes in the ice landscape. Chat online with NASA's Lora Koenig from Kangerlussuag, Greenland, and Tom Wagner from NASA Headquarters in Washington about the Operation IceBridge airborne mission. The chat window opens at 11:30 a.m. PDT for advance registration. The chat will be broadcast live at: http://www.nasa.gov/connect/chat/live_from_greenland.html .

NASA Earth Day Video Contest 2011

Share your vision of what NASA's exploration of Earth means to you by creating a short YouTube video. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., announced on Wednesday a contest for the best video about discoveries or real-world benefits resulting from NASA's Earth science program. Producers are encouraged to draw from NASA's extensive collection of public domain Earth imagery. Submissions are due by May 27. For more information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/earth-videos.html .

JPL is managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif.

Crimelog: April 10-18

Petty thefts, some burglary, and two guys caught in the act, says the Altadena Sheriff Station this week.

Sun., April 10

Between 12:00 PM and 4:59 PM, Wed. – A petty theft occurred at Pacific Clinics, 700 block of Ventura Street. Suspect(s) entered an unlocked vacant house and stole the following items: brown love seat, silver glass top dining room table w/4 chairs, gray 32” TV, and twin bed set.

Sat., April 16

Between 4:00 PM and 4:05 PM – A petty theft occurred at King’s Market, 2260 N. Lincoln Av. Suspect(s) removed the victim’s purse which was placed inside of a shopping cart. Loss: blue cloth purse, black woman’s wallet containing credit cards and identification, and blue Samsung flip cell phone.

Sun., April 17

Between 11:45 PM and 9:00 AM, Mon. – A vehicle vandalism occurred in the 3300 block of Villa Mesa Rd. Suspect(s) shattered the driver’s side window with a rock.

Mon., April 18

8:29 AM – A residential burglary occurred in the 3600 block of North Glenrose Avenue. Deputies responded to the area and observed two male African‐American running from a residence. The suspects were apprehended and taken into custody.

"Lourdes of the West": the history of the St. Elizabeth grotto

For Holy Week, we're featuring this article by volunteer researcher Mary Lou Langedyke, courtesy of the Altadena Historical Society and reprinted with permission.  Graphics are courtesy the Historical Society and St. Elizabeth's Church.

By Mary Lou Langedyke

Many are familiar with the role Altadena played in the early 20th century as a major tourist attraction thanks to the Mt. Lowe Railroad.   Searching for old postcards of Altadena, I am not surprised to find pictures of Mt. Lowe along with Christmas Tree Lane, our two most common claims to tourist fame.  But why are there so many postcards featuring the grotto at St. Elizabeth’s church?
 

The story begins in the 1920’s with the construction of St. Elizabeth Church, the rectory and convent using the designs of Wallace Neff.  An elementary school was added facing Woodbury where the current parking lot exists.  St. Elizabeth was under the leadership of Msgr. William Corr who served as its pastor from 1924 – 1940. Because of his visionary leadership the parish and its treasury grew in size. Fiestas held during the late 1920’s earned $10,000.  A Christmas tableau along Lake Street drew thousands of visitors.  The parish school enrollment reached over 300, one of the largest in the diocese.   

Msgr. Corr purchased a lot on Lake Street and New York Drive in 1928, which, as the Pasadena Star News hinted, would become a shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes.    While waiting for construction and funding, the area was used as a school playground for the girls.

Using funds from the estate of Mrs. Mary Young, Msgr. Corr asked Ryozo Fuso Kado, a fifth generation stone and rock craftsman, described as “the greatest builder of Catholic shrines in the West and perhaps the whole country,” to create the shrine which is his thirty-first and most ambitious sculpture in the Los Angeles area.    

Morning jolt: only greener

It's a pre-Earth Day extravaganza!

• The Council of Arroyo Seco Organizations will have its quarterly meeting at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center, 360 N. Arroyo Blvd., on Thurs., April 28.  Networking and refreshments start at 6:30, presentations and discussion at 7.  Featured topic will be what's happening at Hahamongna Watershed, but also the Arroyo Seco bikeway and health of the watershed are on tap. 
• Pasadena City College is holding an event tonight, "In conversation with Julia Butterfly Hill and Daryl Hannah" at Sexcon Auditorium, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena.  Doors open at 6 PM, the event starts at 7 PM, admission is free.
• LA County's Clean LA program invites you to take the pledge to live a cleaner, greener life.  Find out all about it here.

 

Public Works details Hahamongna interim plan

Even though the county has stalled the startup of sediment removal from Hahamongna Watershed Park, the department of public works is going ahead on an interim plan to clear the area of the park nearest Devil's Gate Dam.

According to Christopher Stone, Assistant Deputy Director of the county Dept. of Public Works, the county wants to remove 25,000 cubic yards of sediment from the south end of the watershed before the next storm season.

Pictured: from the presentation, the side of Devils Gate Dam,
before and after sediment washed down from the 2009 Station Fire.

 Stone gave a presentation to the Altadena Town Council at its Tuesday night meeting about the interim plan for Hahamongna Watershed sediment cleanup. The county board of supervisors recently halted a fast-track plan to remove sediment from the Hahamongna Watershed after objections from the public about the removal of trees and habitat such a cleanup would entail, as well as the thousands of truck trips it would take to move the vast amount of sediment that has built up over the decades and after the Station Fire.

But while the county supervisors's request for an environmental impact report has halted immediate action, some interim form of mitigation needs to be done to clear up the area, which was filled with additional thousands of square yards of sediment following the fire and significant rainfall.  The watershed is a key line of defense against potential flooding in Pasadena, South Pasadena, and other communities downstream along the Arroyo Seco.

Council rundown: Loma Alta farmer's market back to square one

Al Evans of the county department of parks and recreation told the Altadena Town Council Tuesday night that the proposed farmer’s market at Loma Alta Park was going to be delayed even further.

Evans said that the chosen market manager (Air Machine Farmer’s Markets) had withdrawn due to injury, and now the the contract was “open to any potential market manager. So we’re back to square one, unfortunately.”

It may be hard to find a manager, Evans said, as running a farmer’s market requires a number of permits which are paid for out of the manager’s pocket -- so opening a new market requires an expenditure of $2,000-$3,000 up front before the market even opens.

Town Council election June 11, candidate packets available Friday

Candidate applications will be available Friday for the Altadena Town Council election Sat., June 11, which will also add a “pre-election” day June 7.

Election committee chairman Eric Pierce told the Town Council at last night’s meeting that a pre-election day, with all votes to be taken in a central location, would accommodate those who work on Saturday or observe it as Sabbath.

Pierce said that applications had to be returned by 5 PM Tues., May 10.  The candidate’s forum will be held at the May 17 town council meeting.

Pierce said that polling locations for June 11 were still being firmed up, but would likely be the traditional ones that have been used in the past.

Councilman Techumseh Shackelford, who is on the election committee, said that security  for the ballots needed to be solved for the June 7 pre-election voting, but that “we’re 90 percent there.”

Pierce said that they were still looking for volunteers, so any interested people should email: atcelection@yahoo.com

School news: Broadous, Moon on PUSD task force; Selinske re-elected

The Altadena Town Council chose Bernardine Broadous and Richard Moon as Altadena’s representatives on the PUSD districting task force at last night's council meeting.

The nine-member task force is charged with developing geographically-based districts for the Pasadena Unified School District board, whose members are presently elected at-large. 

Broadous is a local educator who is also on the board of the West Altadena Project Area Committee, which is involved in development of Lincoln Crossing.  Moon is a local screenwriter and, with his wife Isabel Junie Hildebrant, runs MoonHill Productions.

Meanwhile, in the Pasadena Unified school board runoff, the unofficial results from the City of Pasadena show that incumbant Tom Selinske keeps his seat with 7,968 votes (61.4%). His challenger, Sean J. Baggett, garnered 4,999 votes, 38.5% of ballots cast.

Coffee Gallery "People's Concert" April 28 at Altadena Community Church

The Coffee Gallery is trumpeting its Thurs., April 28 fundraiser as "A Concert for the People by the People of Altadena."

The concert, to be held at the Altadena Community Church, 943 East Altadena Dr.,  runs from 7-10 PM, and donations are accepted.

The concert is a fundraiser for an entertainment license for the Coffee Gallery coffeehouse, which earned the ire of county officials in March for holding almost-nightly open mic performances at the front stage.  (The concert venue in the back of the building, The Coffee Gallery Backstage, is a separate business that already has the proper licensing).

Hosted by Duane Thorin, with a special guest appearence by storyteller Leslie Perry, musical guests so far include: Dave Morrison, The Halpins, Raspin, Mr. McZeal, Star, Brad Rodgers, Jim Brille, Amazing Steve, and The Best of The Coffee Gallery Community Stage All-Stars.

Council to hold closed-door meeting to pick task force candidates

The Altadena Town Council will have a closed meeting tonight, before its regular monthly session, to go over recommendations for Altadena's two seats on a Pasadena Unified School District task force charged with carving up the school board into population-based districts.

According to town council chair Gino Sund, the council will not vote on the candidates in the closed meeting, but will approve two candidates during the regular, publicly-open meeting that follows. Nominations from the floor will also be considered in the public meeting, Sund said.*

The candidates were chosen by the executive committee of the council.  Sund said that there were nine candidates on the list: "we developed a pretty extensive criteria list, and we interviewed the top two, and I think we're down to three [candidates].

PUSD is trying to forestall potential future Voting Rights Act lawsuits by switching from its present system, where school board members are elected "at large," to a system where they are elected in seven geographic districts.  The task force, which will meet for about 14 months, is charged with divvying up the school district among Pasadena, Altadena, and Sierra Madre.

The Folly Bowl announces 2011 season

Susanna Dadd and James Griffith, the purveyors of the Folly Bowl, Altadena's spring/summer exploration of new and interesting music and performance, have announced their 2011 schedule of "concerts and other follies" held in their garden amphitheater:

May 7: Carmina Escobar
May 21: Subhajyoti Guha, Paul Livingston, plus Kathak dance
June 5: Briton Ensemble
June 25: HB3
Aug. 13: The Philabosians
Aug. 27: Sharon Yablon, a  play.

More details are coming soon.  The Folly Bowl is at 1601 E. Loma Alta Drive.  For more information: susanna.dadd@gmail.com

1. Blessed Passover. 2. Get out and vote today!

It's a busy week: Passover started last night, Easter season kicks into gear on Maundy Thursday, and don't forget that today's the runoff for the PUSD board seat.  Find your polling place here.

 

"Thank you, Altadena!"

Coffee Gallery habitue Donna Barnes Roberts shares this video of the gallery's open mic musicians sharing the love with the community for supporting their efforts.

________

 

"Waiting for Superman" at the Library tonight, 6 PM.

Parent Revolution is sponsoring a showing of the documentary, "Waiting for Superman," followed by a discussion at the Altadena Main Library Community Room at 6 PM tonight.

"Waiting for Superman," directed by Davis Guggenheim ("An Inconvenient Truth"), looks at the problems of public education by following a handful of students through the system as they try to win a lottery to attend a charter school.

The showing will be followed by a discussion.  Admission is free, and all are invited.

 

Morning jolt

• 
  Are Altadena burglars taking their act out of town?  San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports that cops arrested an Altadena man at LIncoln and Woodbury following a breakin in San Marino, finding the missing computer equipment stashed in the bushes.
• Sid Gally's history piece in PSN is a 1935 photo of men on relief removing debris from the Rubio Wash catch basin --6,000 cubic yards, by hand.

 

Town council to consider task force appointments, Devil's Gate, next election

The Altadena Town Council monthly meeting will be Tues., April 19, starting at 7 PM at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr.

There will also be a closed session starting at 6 PM.  According to chair Gino Sund, the closed session is needed to discuss "the recommendation by the Executive Committee concerning the appointments to the PUSD Districting Task Force.  We will discuss the merits of the applicants but will not vote on the matter in closed session, as always, votes will be in public.  We will need to discuss the candidates in private to allow for a frank discussion and so as not to embarrass anyone, especially residents willing to volunteer for this difficult task."

Also on the agenda: plans for the 2011 election; the proposed Loma Alta Park farmer's market; and Devil's Gate emergency interim measures.  Click on the graphic for full details.

 

Found terrier, Mariposa near Santa Anita

Brillana writes:

Yesterday [Saturday] afternoon, my mom and I found a female terrier mix running on Mariposa St. near Santa Anita. She seems to be well taken care of. She is well groomed and clipped around the face and was wearing a pink "diamond" studded collar. She is black and tan. I have a feeling she is very much missed. She is not microchipped and no tags were on the collar. I have a picture, but I'd love the owner to send me photographic proof along with other identifying characteristics. Any attention to this matter is greatly appreciated!

You can contact her at brillana@gmail.com

♫

I love the nightlife I: Muir alums celebrate Victor Wright and a golden year

Victor Wright celebrates with his classmate (and John Muir Alumni Assn. president) Dave Rutherford at Cafe 322 Saturday night.

The members of the John Muir High School class of 1979 celebrated their collective 50th birthdays this year with a "milestone reunion party" bash at Cafe 322 in Sierra Madre.  The guest of honor was Altadenan Victor Wright.  Wright, who went to Muir from 1975-79, was severely injured in a football game in tenth grade and became a quadraplegic.  Nonetheless, he graduated from high school with his class, graduated from college, and is one of the founders of Family of Friends International.  Wright was inducted into the John Muir High School Hall of Fame in 2007.

A full house came to honor Wright and celebrate a milestone year for the class of 1979.

Wright and friends at the 1977 "Turkey Tussle."

 

I love the nightlife II: Coffee Gallery roasts Julie Sandoval for $1,000

Pictured: Julie Sandoval gave as good as she got at the end of last night's roast.

Meanwhile, the Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake, held a good-natured comedy roast of owner Julie Sandoval Saturday night.  Funny stories, music, and good times filled the air as they raised exactly $1,000 to go towards an entertainment license for the business. 

There will be another fundraiser on Thurs., April 28, at the Altadena Community Church.  We'll have more details later in the week.

It was elbow-to-elbow as fans of the Coffee Gallery enjoyed an evening of music and comedy.

Raspin was one of the many performers who took to the mike Saturday night.

 

Creating a professional Facebook page at the Library, May 10

The Altadena Library District is excited to welcome Jo Lilore, Web Manager and Marketer who will present the timely social media marketing program for entrepreneurs, "How to Create a Professional Facebook page for your Brand without hiring a Pro."

During this informative program on Tues, May 10 at 7PM, Jo will demonstrate a number of easy-to-implement tips and techniques that business owners and web workers can use to optimize their own Fan pages, and those of their clients, without having to learn code or hire a professional.

Jo has been a web manager and web marketer for 11 years. 

The program starts at 7 PM on Tues., May 10, at the Altadena Library, 600 E. Mariposa.

Library: Alene Terzian and the Zephyr Poets April 29

Enjoy a delightful evening of fresh images that explore the human condition in a new light with Altadena poet laureate Alene Terzian and friends.  Poets include Shahe Mankerian, Armine Iknadossian, and Tina Demirdjian.  Open readers are invited to the program, which starts at 7 PM Fri., April 29, at the Altadena Library, 600 E. Mariposa St.

Dia de los Ninos/ Dia de los Libros at the Library April 29

Come celebrate Dia de los Niños/Dia de los Libros at the Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa St. on Fri., April 29.

There will be crafts in the children's room all day from 10 AM to 6 PM, so drop by and join in anytime.  All children who participate will receive a free bi-lingual book.

 

National Forest Service looking to form Friends of the Angeles

The National Forest Service and the National Forest Foundation are floating a balloon to see if there is public interest in forming a Friends of the Angeles National Forest organization. 

In a letter from District Ranger Michael J. McIntyre, there will be a series of three "sensing sessions" at the end of April to gauge interest: "During the course of each meeting, we will talk about the challenges the Angeles National Forest faces -- particularly in light of the Station Fire -- and how a Friends group could help.  We'll discuss what form such a group might take, what supportive activities it might take on, and the steps involved in creating the organization."

There are other Friends organizations such as Friends of the Inyo and the San Bernardino National Forest Association. The Forest Service also has a web page telling how to form a Friends group.

The three meetings will be:

Tues., April 26, 6:30-8:30 PM at the Angeles National Forest Supervisor's Office, 701 N. Santa Anita Ave., Arcadia.

Wed., April 27, 6:30-8:30 PM, Big Pines Information Center, Angeles Crest Highway (Hwy 2), Wrightwood.

Thurs., April 28, 6:30-8:30 Pm, San Gabriel Canyon Gateway Center, 1990 N. San Gabriel Road (Hwy 39), Azusa.

 

Bright Futures Scholars look at leadership in D.C.

Some of the Bright Futures Scholars were in Washington, D.C. last week during PUSD's spring break to tour the capital and talk to lawmakers.  Here, they pose on the steps of the Capitol following a meeting with Congressman Adam Schiff.

Art on Millionaire's Row looking for submissions, vendors

There's still time for vendors and exhibitors to get a spot at Art on Millionaire's Row at the Altadena Library on June 11.  Applications and more information is available here.

 

Beautiful but deadly: poodle dog bush

We've been getting warnings from several quarters about the Poodle Dog Bush, also called Sticky Nama (Turricula parryi).  It's a fire-follower plant that lives in granatic soils and can form thickets.  It's pretty, but you neither want to touch it or breathe too close to it if you encounter it in the hills.

The poodledog has highly-irritating glandular hairs to discourage herbivores.  The sticky hairs -- which can dislodge easily -- can be passed on to hikers who touch it or brush up against it, causing an itching dermititis that can last for two weeks.  Even shaking the plant and inhaling close to it can cause a serious reaction.

Wikipedia says: "Chemicals exuded by the glandular trichomes (prenylated phenolics) result in severe contact dermatitis and an inflammation response similar to that caused by poison oak. The scientific name of the plant's genus, Turricula, means "little tower" in reference to the stalk of deep blue, deceptively lovely flowers that rises over the plant in the spring. At other times of year the poodle dog bush can appear to be a droopy collection of brownish stems topped by green pom-poms of narrow leaves, shaped a bit like a clipped poodle."  Orange County Register has a short article.

Meeting on La Tuna Canyon sediment dump proposal Monday

LA County's Dept. of Public Works will have a hearing Mon., 1:30-4:30 PM to discuss upcoming reservoir cleanout projects. 

The latest one is La Tuna Canyon, and you know the drill -- flatten a mature oak woodland, and dump sediment in it.  The Theodore Payne Foundation is urging people who are concerned about this behavior from the county are urging residents to attend the meeting at the public works headquarters building, 900 South Fremont, Ave., Alhambra, conference rooms A& B.

Pictures of the site are here.

 

Easter Egg-stravaganzas at the local parks

It's getting to be the eggy season, and the county parks are gearing up for it.

Charles White Park will have an Easter Egg hunt and festivities Sat. April 16 (tomorrow) from 10AM-2 PM.

Farnsworth Park will have its Easter Egg hunt on Thurs., April 21, from 3-5:30 PM.  There will be arts and grafts, a goody bag, an egg hunt (starts at 4:30), a visit with the Bunny, and other activities through the afternoon.

 

Sheriffs unveil neighborhood watch map

An animation of the elements of the AltadenAlert map, created by Jeff Sedlik.

After several months of hard volunteer work, the Altadena Sheriff's Station and neighborhood associations and watch groups are ready to unveil their latest tool to fight crime and increase safety and communications in Altadena.

The AltadenaAlert Neighborhood Watch Map ( www.AltadenAlert.org) is  a free online tool provided by the Altadena Sheriff’s Station, displaying the areas of all neighborhood associations, watch groups, and neighborhood blogs and mailing lists in Altadena, and providing contact information for each group.   But, according to Jeff Sedlik, block captain for the Braewatch Neighborhood watch group ( www.BraeWatch.org) " it is more than a map."

The computer-savvy Sedlik is a member of the sheriff's community advisory council and has been working with the sheriff's station for months to create the map through Googlemaps.

"I am a firm believer in the partnership between the community and law enforcement," Sedlik wrote.  "Rather than asking the Sheriff 'what have you done for us lately?'  we should be asking 'what can we do to help you to help us?'    [Capt. Steven McLean] and his team welcome volunteers from the community.  So I volunteered to create the database and map last year.  I compiled information on current neighborhood watch groups in Altadena by contacting each known group, requesting updated information and requesting referrals to other groups. I then plugged that information into the map, with the permission of each group."

Pictured: Altadena neighborhood cartogropher Jeff Sedlik.
Photo by James deJauregui, and used with permission.

There are five primary purposes for the map, Sedlik said in an email:

Weekendin'

Keep checking back -- always new stuff coming in!

Fri., April 15

• This month's Fun Flick Friday at the Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa St., is "Tangled" (rated PG), starting at 3:30 PM. Snacks and goodies available!
• Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N. Lake, features Loafer's Glory (country/bluegrass/old time) at 8 PM.  Tickets $15.  Reservations:   (626) 794-2424

Sat., April 16

• Khadija Anderson will lead a poetry hike at Eaton Canyon Park, from 10 AM to noon.  An easy hike with breaks for writing (and prompts provided).  The hike will be followed by a poetry reading by participants. Meet in the parking lot at 10 AM, and bring a sunhat, water, and writing materials.
• Easter Egg hunt and festivities at Charles White Park, 10 AM-2 PM.
• The Caltech Jazz Bands will host their annual jazz festival this Saturday at Gates Patio on the Caltech campus, 1-6 PM.    There will be chairs for people to use, but it's also a great location to set up a blanket and picnic.   For further information, please visit the bands webpage at: thttp://bands.caltech.edu, or call the music office at 626 395-3295.
• Owner Julie Sandoval will be roasted like a coffee bean at the Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake.  Music, comedy, and special guests in a fundraiser to get the front stage a county entertainment license.
• Meanwhile, at the Coffee Gallery Backstage, the legendary Randy Van Horne Singers ("Flintstones, meet the Flintstones ...") start singing at 7 PM.  Tickets $15. Reservations:   (626) 794-2424

Sun., April 17

• Monthly gathering to support the midlife journey, third Sunday of the month at a private home in Altadena.  For more information go to www.simpleordinarypresence.com/Monthly.html 
• The Altadena Urban Farmer's Market is taking another month break, and (we hope) it will return next month!
• Matinee at the Coffee Gallery Backstage: The Perfect Gentlemen, 2 PM, tickets $20. Reservations:   (626) 794-2424.

alterdena by millard chaney

alterdena 4/15/11 by millard chaney by altadenablog

Morning jolt: now battery powered

• Pasadena City College has opened the Business and Entrepreneurial Services and Training Academy (BEST), to provide services to small business owners and other entrepreneurs.  Services include online education and access to consulting.  PSN has more details.
• There will be a grand opening celebration of Reese's Retreat at Brookside Park in Pasadena on April 30.  Reese's Retreat is Pasadena's first universally accessible playground, designed for children of all abilities.  Official dedication starts at 9:30 AM, and "pirates" from the Sierra Madre Playhouse will be involved.  The city of Pasadena has more information on its website.
• You've got a stack of old, dead batteries somewhere, don't you?  Now you can safely and greenly get rid of them though the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments' battery recycling program.  Three Altadena businesses are particpating: Altadena Hardware, 849 E. Mariposa St.; Masters Building Supply, 370 E. Woodbury Rd.; and Webster's Liquor, 2450 N. Lake Ave.
• The Forest Service plans to plant 3 million trees to help recover from the Station Fire -- and its a plan that's not without controversy.  LA Times has the details.
• Four autistic men who wandered away from their group in Eaton Canyon were found safe yesterday after a five hour search.  PSN tells it.
• And PSN's Janette Williams interviews Altadenan Ethel Shoebridge Engstrom, who turned 105 on Thursday.

Trained CERT volunteer meeting scheduled for May 19

from Carolyn Seitz
cmseitz@mindspring.com

The Altadena Sheriff's Station is ready to begin organizing all of its CERT volunteers, and for several reasons:

• So we all know how many of us there are
• So we know where we are in the community, geographically
• So we know what skills and experience each of us has
• So we can determine what additional training would be beneficial
• So you're better prepared if, or when a catastrophic event occurs
• So we're all better trained and prepared to work together when the need arises
• So we can all be more effective at meeting the needs of this community when we're pressed into service

A meeting for all CERT trained volunteers is planned as follows:

DATE            Thursday, May 19

TIME             6:30 pm to 8:00 pm

PLACE         Altadena Community Center
                     730 East Altadena Drive
                     Altadena, CA 

Please help us plan well by letting me know whether you plan to attend. 

If you're interested in participating at a future time, but May 19th isn't convenient for you, please let me know that as well and I'll make sure you stay on a notification list.

Morning jolt

• James Loney, a Canadian Catholic Worker who was kidnapped in Baghdad in 2005 (and freed by British Special Forces in 2006) will be speaking this Palm Sunday weekend.  He will deliver the sermon at the Pasadena Mennonite Church at 1041 E. Altadena Dr. at 11 AM, and is the keynote speaker at the "Pasadena Palm Sunday Peace Parade" starting at Messiah Lutheran Church, 570 E. Orange Grove, Pasadena, 3-5 PM.
• And the curse continues:  The Sierra Madre Tattler (one of PSN editor Frank Girardot's three favorite local blogs -- another is in South Pas, and modesty prevents us from mentioning the third) looks at the One Carter development in Sierra Madre. An ancient stand of trees was plowed flat by ... Dorn Platz, whose cold skeletal hand has such a tight grip on Lincoln Crossing that apparently can' t be loosed by anything known to mortals, or the county, or anybody.  Illuminating reading from Sierra Madre's watchdog John Crawford.

Chamber mixer (& dog bath) at Steve's Pets April 28

Photo credit: o0o0xmods0o0o from morguefile.com

The April Altadena Chamber of Commerce mixer has added an added wrinkle:

The mixer will be at Steve's Pets, 2395 N. Lake Ave., on Thurs., April 28 from 5:30-7:30 PM.  Members $5, guests $7, and bring a raffle prize to promote your business (or just because).

AND -- bring your dog (just one, please) for a quick bath as you're mixing, and leave with some dog food samples.

 

The latest burglary tool: distributing flyers

Public safety maven Carolyn Seitz has sent out word that a resident of southwest Altadena reported suspicious activity in northwest Pasadena, where a man was seen distributing flyers:

A watchful resident noted that he only seemed to drop a flyer on porches where there were NO vehicles in the driveway.  They thought it odd that he was skipping residences with vehicles in the driveway.

They watched what they characterized as unusual behavior, notified some neighbors to be watchful and then observed the man enter the backyard of a residence and then heard the sound of breaking glass.  They called Pasadena Police quickly.

That is a good reminder to be vigilant and to report suspicious activity.

The Sheriff's Department would much rather show up to question someone in your neighborhood and make sure they're okay than to have to show up later to write a burglary report.

If you see people who's behavior is unusual, odd or suspicious, please call the Sheriff at 626 798 1131 and report it.

Distraction burglaries on the rise, sheriffs say

The Altadena Sheriff's Station says that there has been a recent rise in "distraction" burglaries -- where a pair of crooks convinces a resident to let them have access to their house (claiming to have a legitimate reason).  Once inside the home, one crook distracts the resident while their partner steals things undetected.

The sheriffs advise that you not allow anyone in your home if you are not sure they are legitimate.  If you have doubts, call the company or utility they claim to represent.

If you see any suspicious behavior, call the Altadena Sheriff's Station at 626-798-1131.  For emergencies call 911.

 

Caltech Jazz Festival this Saturday

The Caltech Jazz Bands will be hosting their annual jazz festival this Saturday at Gates Patio on the Caltech campus.   Gates patio is located in the center of the campus.    The music goes from 1-6 PM and features both big bands and small groups.   Headlining this year is the Chuck Manning Quartet.   Admission is free.  

Caltech director of bands William Bing says there will be chairs for people to use, but it's also a great location to set up a blanket and picnic.   For further information, please visit the bands webpage at: thttp://bands.caltech.edu, or call the music office at 626 395-3295.

Hahamongna walkabout explained

Found this video of Altadena historian (and Altadenablog columnist) Michele Zack, giving a history of Hahamongna at the March 5 walkabout.

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Fifty years of mankind in space

Since we pride ourselves as the only local news site that we know of whose neighborhood includes space, it was a treat to be at the California Science Center yesterday on a jaunt with Spawn 2.  The center announced that Space Shuttle Endeavor will make her permanent home there after her final mission, set to launch April 29 under the command of Capt. Mark Kelly (who is the husband of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, but you knew that).

And since yesterday was also the 50th anniversary of the flight of Yuri Gagarin, first man in space, we're showing the sequel to our recent video:  Astronaut Cady Coleman (now in the International Space Station) duetting from orbit with Ian Anderson of the group Jethro Tull (who gave Cady the flute she's playing, by the way).   Excelsior!

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Soroptimists honor outstanding women

The Altadena/Pasadena branch of Soroptimists International recently honored three extraordinary women at its annual “Live Your Dream” luncheon, which was held at Beckham’s Grill in Pasadena.

Pictured: three Altadena women at the Soroptomist luncheon: honoree Monica Hubbard, Alyce McCarroll, and Sandra Thomas of the Quality of Life Center.

Every year, the Soroptimist Women’s Opportunity Award (WOA) assists women with primary financial responsibility for their families to obtain the skills and education necessary to improve their employment status and standard of living for themselves and their families.

The recipient of this year’s WOA award, Nadine Nguena, is a refugee of Cameroon. Although higher education for women is rare in that region, Nguena received her Master’s Degree and had started a PhD program when she was forced to flee to avoid persecution. She came to the U.S. leaving behind her entire family, including a young son. Since then, she’s undergone a difficult process of obtaining legal status for herself and her son, who has recently been allowed to join her here. She attends school at night to ultimately become a nurse practitioner while working during the daytime to support her family. Altadena/Pasadena Soroptimists gave Nguena $2,000 to help with her educational expenses. In her acceptance speech, Nguena noted that while coming to this country was very difficult to begin with, “This money will really help, in addition to your generosity and friendship.”

Big Night Out for AIDS Service Center is coming April 30

The AIDS Service Center Pasadena presents the 14th Annual Big Night Out on Sat., April 30. This unique affair explores the charm and elegance of Pasadena and surrounding area by hosting approximately twenty exclusive dinner parties in some of the region’s most distinguished and historic settings benefiting AIDS Service Center (ASC).

BIG NIGHT OUT has become one of the region’s most enthusiastically anticipated events and ASC’s premiere fund raising event. The concept is simple: 700 guests gather at a central location for a gala reception, which precedes the evening’s activities.  This year’s gala reception is being hosted at the Keating Residence, a stunning contemporary home in the heart of San Marino, California, adjacent to The Huntington.  The kick off gala includes auctions, hors-d'oeuvres, and hosted bars.  The auctions include a range of must-have items which include travel, home décor, fine dining and luxury goods.  Some of the featured auction items this year include a one week stay at Mi Besito, a B & B in San Miguel De Allende, Mexico, a vintage Vespa and over 40 Asian Fine Art Antiquities. 

Following the gala reception you will make your way to one of 20 privately themes dinner parties, including A Tribute to MGM Musicals Under the Stars, a Night of Mad Men, A Rocky Horror Picture Show, A Night on the Kasbah, A Taste of California, and Dance! Dance! Dance! among many other unique, dinner parties. 

Three of the dinner parties are in Altadena locations:

Fresh blood ... and ice cream!

Emergency Medical Techician Dan Page gives up a pint to RN Leonora Lozarda for the Altadena Sheriff's Station first annual blood drive.  The bloodmobile from Huntington Memorial Hospital will be at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr. until 3 PM today to collect blood.  You get a pint of ice cream for your trouble, so it's worth it!

 

Holy Week coming

We're coming up on Holy Week, the period from Palm Sunday through Easter that is the highlight of the Christian church year.

If your church is planning special events or services for this week (Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, or Easter itself), we'd like to know about them. Please contact us at altadenablog @ gmail.com so we can spread the word.

 

County arts internships available

The Los Angeles County Arts Commission will be offering 74 paid summer internships to college undergraduates this summer.

To develop business skills that can be put to use in their future careers, interns are paid $350 per week for a ten-week program participating in educational and arts networking activities learning about nonprofit arts administration and the role of the arts in the community. 

General information on the program is available on the Arts Commission’s web site at www.lacountyarts.org/internship.html. 

 

Local composer to premiere Good Friday work at Altadena Baptist Church

Glenn R. Molina, Director of Worship Arts at Altadena Baptist Church and emerging composer of contemporary church music, will lead the church's choir, musicians, soloists and visual artists in the first performance of his original composition Stations: The Way of the Cross, on Good Friday, April 22, beginning at 7 PM, in the church sanctuary, at 791 East Calaveras Street, Altadena.   This meditative experience of Jesus' suffering and death by crucifixion will be open to the public and free of charge.

Molina, with his wife and two foster children, is an Altadena resident.   He studied music at Azusa Pacific University and Cal State University Los Angeles.   In 2005 he began his studies at Fuller Theological Seminary, collaborating with the seminary’s Brehm Center and graduating in 2009 with a Master of Arts degree in Worship, Theology and the Arts.   As part of his degree work, he took many musical spiritual themes he had developed over the previous years and wove them into what became Stations.   

In his work, Molina strives to bring together classical and contemporary elements, liturgical traditions and modern worship music.   His major inspirations are very diverse, ranging from Handel's Messiah to John Williams’ motif-driven scores for films such as the Star Wars and the Indiana Jones sagas.  Clearly influenced by the ancient practice of praying before the “Stations of the Cross,” he tries to reintroduce this experience to modern Americans, who may have lost meditative skills because of their over-stimulation by all sorts of media.

Among the featured musicians will be oboe player Amanda Domen; soloists Robert DeVaughn, Bill Fiala, Ruthi Hoffman Hanchett, Brenda Mitchell and Amy Gustafson Oden.  Local artists Matt Lumpkin and Sarah Fiala will provide real-time visual art interpretations accompanying the music.