altadenablog

Get out and vote today

Altadena Town Council elections are today, 9 AM-3 PM.  If you do nothing else today, come have a say in who will represent you.  Check our election page for candidates, polling places, and other information.

Town council elections tomorrow

Check out all the details on the election page.

Also, Election Chair Eric Pierce has produced this great training video for poll workers.  Voters should also have a look at it to know what to expect when they go out to vote tomorrow.

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Morning jolt

• Altadena Heritage announces that it's happy to receive $500 from the Altadena Community Chest, Russ Fega's  charitable organization to funnel a little of this Hollywood money back to the community (you can read about it here!)  
• The Altadena CERT/Pasadena PERT refresher course lat weekend made it on TV.  Nobody we recognize, but we can guess that you don't want to end up on the red tarp after triage ...
• Save the date:  the next meeting of the Altadena Coalition of Neighborhood Associations (ACONA) will be Tues., Aug. 9, 7-8:30 PM at the Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa St. 
• A little early Father's Day news: Keith "Sarge" Gibbs, who's been in the news once already this week, was named a "Father of the Community" by Nix Financial, Kinecta Federal Credit Union, and MoneyGram International Money Transfer.  The Los Angeles “Father of the Community” program was developed in 2007 by Nix Financial to pay tribute to men who are doing positive things to improve conditions in their community and who are considered role models. 

Pasadena Water & Power warns of fraudulent phone calls, possible ID theft

The Pasadena Dept. of Water and Power (PWP) is warning that in recent weeks some customers have received phone calls from people posing as PWP employees who threaten to cut off services unless they receive credit card information to make a payment for their utility bills.

PWP says that they do not make phone calls to demand utlity bill payment and do not send staff to homes or businesses to collect money.  Anyone receiving such a phone call or in-person visit should refuse to provide credit card information and terminate the call. Customers may also contact PWP’s Customer Service Center at (626) 744-4005 and/or the Pasadena Police Department at (626) 744-4241 to report the suspicious or fraudulent activity. 

These phone calls may be attempts to retrieve sensitive personal information for purposes of identity theft and using the credit card information to make unauthorized charges. PWP customers are reminded to use the secured web site to make payments online at www.pwpweb.com. 

Customers may also pay their bills by regular mail or by calling the Customer Service center at (626) 744-4005.

 

alterdena by millard chaney 6/10/11

alterdena by millard chaney 6/10/11

More on Burbank School plans

Courtesy of a reader who shares these links about plans for Burbank Elementary School from the almost-impenetrable PUSD site:

Documents are here: http://pusd.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=12&clip_id=383&meta_id=58984

Board meeting video is here: http://pusd.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=12&clip_id=383&meta_id=58983

What the school board is looking at is relocating several district programs into Burbank as follows:

• Relocating a Pasadena Mental Health program now at McKinley school due to modernization work at McKinley
• Relocating the LA Universal Preschool from Loma Alta Elementary, also slated to close at the end of the month
• Moving the Burbank preschool to another location onsite.
• Relocated the Pre-K/Special Ed programs from Hodges Children's Center.  This will free up space for other programs at Hodges, which include clinics for speech and physical therapy.
• Relocating staff development programs from Edison to Burbank
• Create an "Academy for Success Elementary Program" at Burbank.

Reconfinguring Burbank for the new uses and moving equipment will have to take place between the end of school this month and the beginning of the new school year at the end of August. Estimated moving and related costs are $150,000 to $170,000, of which $100,000 is toward paving the soccer field for staff parking.

 

Morning jolt

• Donna Barnes Roberts is opening up new watercolor class sessions Sat., June 11.  Each class meets for eight weeks and meets at the Coffee Gallery.  Complete details and signups can be found at:  http://barnesroberts.com/other1.
• Julie Anderson, who says she has been unemployed herself for the past 18 months, has created a strategy workshop for experienced professionals to help them speed up their job search process.  Her free workshop, "LA is Working," will be held at the  La Canada Presbyterian Church, 626 Foothill Boulevard, La Canada, on Thurs., June 23, 9 AM-1 PM. Check the web page at  http://conta.cc/jobseekerstrategy

 

 

Weekendin' June 9-12 ... if you can survive it!

There is more going on this weekend than should be healthy -- but keep coming back, 'cause there'll be more!

Thurs., June 9

Coffee Gallery Backstage, 2029 N. Lake: Roy Zimmerman: Live from the Starving Ear, satirical songs, 8 PM, $15.  Reservations:  626-798-6236.

Fri., June 10

Fancy Food Truck Friday at Webster's parking lot, 2450 N. Lake Ave.  This month's trucks: No Reservations, Shrimp Pimp, Pita Pusher, Knockout Taco, Barbie's Q, and Sweet E's Bake Shop.  Sponsored by Webster's Community Pharmacy, Webster's Fine Stationers, and Webster's Liquor.

Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake: Front stage, open mic night, free.

Sat., June 11

Altadena Town Council election, 9 AM-3 PM. Check out our election page for details on candidates and locations.

American Cancer Society's Relay for Life - Altadena starts at 9 AM at Farnsworth Park, and goes on for 24 hours. Details are here. If you can't make it any other time, make it to the luminaria walk at 9 PM.

E-waste collection by the Altadena Sheriffs, Eliot Middle School, 2184 N. Lake, 9 AM-3 PM.

The second annual Art on Millionaire's Row at the Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa St. , 10 AM-6 PM. Art for sale and on display, the work of local artisans available, food, music, children's art, and more!  A family-friendly way to support your local library!

Big Hat Production's cowboy concert with Juni Fisher starts with barbecue at 5 PM, concert around 7 PM. It's sold out, but there's still time to get tickets to the next concert, Gary Allegretto with Ian Espinosa on June 25. 

Coffee Gallery Backstage: Jerry Burgan (co-founder of We Five),  7 PM, $15.  Reservations:  (626) 798-6236.

Sun., June 12

Relay for Life concludes at Farnsworth Park, 9 AM.

Bluegrass jam at the Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake, noon to 3:30 PM. "Women of Substance Radio Showcase," five singer-songwriters, 7 PM, $15, Reservations:  (626) 798-6236. Open mic at the frontstage, starting 8 PM, free.

Sheriff shares ID theft tips

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept.  has published the following information on how to prevent identity theft:

1. Identity theft starts with the misuse of your personal identifying information such as your name, Social Security number, credit card numbers, or other financial account information. 

2. Check your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus every year. 

3. Open your credit card bills and bank statements right away. Review your statements and close unused accounts. Be aware if bills don't arrive on time. It may mean that someone has changed contact information to hide fraudulent charges. 

4. Don't carry your Social Security card or PIN numbers in your purse or wallet because of what can happen if they fall into the wrong hands. 

5. Avoid giving any personal information over the phone, mail, or Internet unless you know who you are dealing with. Give it to them in person instead. 

6. Criminals pretend they are collecting money for victims of a natural disaster. Sometimes they claim to be police officers and ask for donations. 

7. Elderly people are frequently targeted in money scams. Keep a helpful eye for elderly family members and vulnerable neighbors. 

Relay for Life is three days away; computer silent auction added

by John Pings
Altadena Relay for Life

Well Altadena, we are in the final stages of preparations for the 3rd Annual Relay for Life .

Our final committee and team captain meeting is tonight at Farnsworth Park, Wild Horse Picnic Area, at 6 PM, the site of our upcoming event on this Sat. June 11.

Thanks to one of our awesome Relay for Life Teams, Lockheed Martin's "Rollin for A Cure" we will again have a computer silent auction throughout the event. We want to thank Lockheed Martin, a national Relay for Life Team participant, and their team Captain  Alan Kunihiro for their generous donation of these computers to support the Fight Against Cancer.  These computer are "experienced" but well maintained by the awesome staff at Lockheed Martin. The machines come from JPL, so if you ever wanted be a "Rocket Scientist" but couldn't quite make it happen, well here's your chance to have a "Rocket Scientist Computer"!  

Here are the machines and the specs ( "scheduled to appear", as is, no warranty). The silent auction will happen through out the day, only at Relay for Life of Altadena.  Any questions please contact relayforlife.altadena.ca@gmail.com.

A tale of two Sarges: former Altadena councilman dealing with mistaken identity

Pictured: Keith "Sarge" Gibbs, who is NOT Kelvin "Sarge" McFarland.

Keith Gibbs is concerned that everybody knows he's THE Sarge  -- and he's NOT the one who's under arrest.  

Kelvin McFarland of Monrovia -- who calls himself "Sarge" -- was arrested May 27 on charges of suspicion of kidnapping, child abuse, false imprisonment, and extortion and unlawful use of a badge.  McFarland, who runs Family 1st Boot Camp in Pasadena and Altadena, allegedly handcuffed a 14-year-old girl, drove to a relative's home, and demanded money to let her go and allegedly tried to get the family to enroll her in his boot camp.  The Pasadena Star-News' Frank Girardot has the story here, which also details McFarland's record of misdemeanors:

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/marshallhighpreps/ci_18225855

Gibbs, a former Altadena town councilman, also calls himself "Sarge" and has run his own boot camp, Sarge's Community Base, Inc./ Commit II Achieve Boot Camp,  in the Altadena/Pasadena area since 2005. 

Gibbs says that McFarland began his own boot camp after being "disassociated" from Commit II Achieve in 2009.  

" I had to get rid of him because his background came back dirty," Gibbs said.  "I told him I couldn't use him -- we don't employ felons or anyone with a bad history."

In a statement, Gibbs says that "McFarland made many contacts while affiliated with CIIA and later tried to build relations with those same contacts. Many of which contacted Keith 'Sarge' Gibbs and they were informed that McFarland was no longer affiliated with CIIA and did not have the necessary documents to conduct a boot camp nor was he cleared through Live Scan for entrance onto school grounds." (Live Scan is a criminal background check service).

According to Gibbs, after leaving his boot camp program, McFarland not only started his own but adopted Gibb's persona: "Sarge," dressed in camouflage attire and drill instructor hat.

"The sad thing about this is that I went to the community and I told people this guy was bad news," Gibbs said.  He said he's spent the past few days trying to clear the air and clarify that McFarland is not him.

 

PUSD to hold meeting at Burbank the day before vote

In a rapid move, the Pasadena Unified School District will hold a community meeting to discuss the future of Burbank Elementary School the day before the school board is scheduled to vote on that future.

The school district has scheduled a community meeting for June 13 at Burbank Elementary School,  2046 N. Allen Ave, at 7 PM to discuss proposed uses for the school campus in the coming school year.

The following day, Tues., June 14, the school board is to vote on what the final uses will be, and it will likely be for multiple school district programs.

Burbank, along with Loma Alta Elementary School, are slated to close at the end of  the school year this month.  With Loma Alta likely to house a charter school next year, the Los Angeles Universal Preschool, now at Loma Alta, will likely move to Burbank.   Other uses being circulated for the Burbank site are moving the early learning program and clinics now housed at Hodges Children's Center, and the Pasadena Mental Health Center -- or all of them.

One of  the main issues facing the neighborhood is inadequate parking for staff and clients if these programs are moved to Burbank.  If the school district decides to move these programs to the Burbank site, neighbors can expect a summer of construction activity in July and August when school is out.

 

 

All about QR codes at Business Technology Center Thursday

The Social Media Club/San Gabriel Valley will present "A Crash Course in QR Codes" at its brown bag June meeting at the Business Technology Center, 2400 Lincoln Ave., from 11:30 AM-1 PM.

Speakers are Jared Smith, co-founder and CEO of Talent Evolution, a company that builds personal and business brands for job seekers and business owners by harnessing the power of social media and social networking; and Raz Cumbe, Sales and Marketing Coordinator for Woodall’s Publications. He has led efforts in web and social media strategy development at Woodall’s, as well as production of print /online publications for Robb Report.

Among the topics to be discussed: 

 

• How are QR Codes being used by advertisers, publishers, consultants,  small businesses, etc.? 
• How would you (or would you?) use QR codes in B2B marketing? 
• What is required (hardware/software) to create a QR Code for printing or use on the web?
• How easy is it for consumers to use QR codes?
• Does technology exist for all smartphones (i.e. Blackberry) or primarily iPhone and Android?
• How does the technology actually work? 
• How many formats are there? 
• What are the best practices for using QR Codes? 
• How is consumer info captured? (Or is it?) 
• How do you track success? 
• Where do QR codes fit in a social media gameplan? 
• How do Microsoft Tags differ? 
• What is next in this area?

All are welcome.

Early morning truck fire on Tola Ave.

Community correspondent Greg Baerg told us there was a lot of activity on his Tola Ave. neighborhood early this morning -- a 2 AM truck fire brought out the sheriffs and the fire engines and drove the dogs crazy.  He sent us a picture of the aftermath.

 

62 residents vote in Tuesday night pre-balloting, most in CT 4610

Sounds like Census Tract 4610 will be the one to watch during Saturday's Altadena Town Council election.

In pre-voting Tuesday night, election chair Eric Pierce said that 62 people came into the Altadena Library's community room to vote early, and 43 of them were voting in 4610.  That census tract pits local businessman Brent Musson against Gail Casburn, educator and co-owner of the Altadena Ale & Wine House.

 

Reports are that Musson has recruited several volunteers and  has been campaigning very hard in his census tract.

Following the closing of the polling place at 9 PM, Pierce said the ballot box was turned over to the Altadena Sheriff's station afterward for safekeeping until the ballot count on Sat., June 11.

Voting tallies are:

CT	Votes Cast
4601	0
4602	10
4603.01	3
4603.02	1
4610	43
4611	5
4612	0
4613	0
Total	62

Election day is Sat., June 11, from 9 AM-3 PM.   Candidates, their positions, and polling places are all on our elections page.

 

 

Altadena Schools sets new signature goal for petition

Altadena Schools, the organization seeking to form an Altadena school district distinct from Pasadena Unified to boost student performance, announced today that they are going to seek 2,500 more signatures on their petition to begin the process of splitting from PUSD.

Altadena Schools has been working for over four years to garner 7,000 signatures to begin the process of holding a special election to create the separate school district.  The organization submitted a 7,200 signature petition last fall, only to see the county registrar reject about 2,000 signatures for various reasons.

Altadena Schools audited the registrar's results and, according to Chief Proponent Bruce Wasson, "The Registrar's team took great care and did a terrific job. In the end, a little under 1,900 signatures were edited."

As there is no deadline for submitting the signatures, Wasson said in an email that petitioning will resume after "support for the [Altadena} Declaration has caught up with the petition."

The Altadena Declaration is a three-point statement of school priorities that includes teacher effectiveness, creating a longer classroom day and school year, and welcoming "every public school that sends every low-income child to college."  Altadena Schools is seeking public support for the declaration, which is available here.

The full text of the news release is at: http://www.altadenaschools.net/news.shtml

 

Webster's Fancy Food Truck Friday is this week

If it's the second Friday of the month, it must be Fancy Food Truck Fridays at Webster's, and this month they have a great lineup.

The event, which runs from 5-9 PM at the Webster's parking lot, includes No Reservations, Shrimp Pimp, Pita Pusher, Knockout Taco, Barbie's Q, and Sweet E's Bake Shop.

The shops -- Webster's Liquors, Webster's Fine Stationers, and Webster's Community Pharmacy -- will be open throughout the event for your shopping convenience.  Click on the graphic for more information.

"Missing man" formation @ 6:30 PM

Was out walking the dog and saw some vintage aircraft flying in the "missing man" formation at 6:30 tonight.  Maybe some of our aviation buffs know the story and can ID the aircraft.

"Pre-voting" for town council election tonight at the library, 5-9 PM.

Anyone who cannot participate in Saturday's Altadena Town Council election can vote early today in the community room at the Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa St., from 5-9 PM.

After today's voting, the ballot box will be sealed and held in custody in an unused cell at the Altadena Sheriff's Station until ballot count Saturday.

For up-to-date information on the town council candidates and balloting locations, takea look at our election page.

 

On July 1, Papa (and Mama)'s got a brand new bag -- and it's not plastic

Pictured: the ban on plastic shopping bags is an attempt to reduce litter, which includes bags that make it to the ocean and endanger sea life.

The new Los Angeles county ordinance banning plastic store carryout bags and imposing a 10 cent charge on paper ones starts July 1.

The ban affects only unincorporated county areas such as Altadena (altho' some cities, like Santa Monica, have imposed their own ban).  The phase that begins July 1 will affect retail stores with at least $2 million gross sales, stores of at least 10,000 square feet of retail space with a pharmacy,  or any store that sells a limited line of goods such as milk, bread, soda, and snacks, including liquor stores.  All stores will be expected to comply by Jan. 1, 2012.

The reason behind the ban?  The county estimates that, in 2007, there were 1,600 plastic carryout bags used per year per household countywide.  The ordinance is an attempt to reduce that number by half, which it also estimates will reduce litter cleanup costs by $4 million.

The downside, of course, is that it may send customers to Pasadena to avoid the bag charge.

Cowboy concert series: Juni Fisher sold out, reserve for Gary Allegretto now

The first concert in this summer's Big Hat Productions concert series -- Juni Fisher on June 11 -- is sold out,  but there's still a chance to make reservations for harmonicowboy Gary Allegretto and Ian Espinoza on June 25.

Singer, songwriter, harmonica virtuoso (and 2010 WMA nominee for both Outstanding Entertainer and Instrumentalist) Gary Allegretto joins forces with the extraordinarily talented guitarist Ian Espinoza to entertain with their own special brand of roots, blues, and cowboy music. 

American Cowboy magazine recently stated, "Amazing. It’s the word that fits the harmonica playing of Gary Allegretto. This good-natured cowboy singer-songwriter blows you away with his talent on that mouth harp. You’ve never seen - or heard anything like it."  

Gary is a 5-time Western Music Association award nominee including Outstanding Entertainer (2010) Outstanding Instrumentalist (2010, 2009) and best Collaboration/Compilation album (2010). He has been honored with a "Best of the West Award" and two Grammy Award considerations for his unique brand of song writing and music. 

Gary’s jaw-dropping performances have captivated audiences at many Western music shows and festivals and carried him to places all around the globe. He's been featured on soundtracks for major motion pictures and television and is endorsed by the world's top harmonica manufacturer. Extraordinary singer, songwriter, and guitar virtuoso, Ian Espinoza will join Gary creating a duo like you've never seen! 

Altadena artist Robert Kingston opens The Echo Mountain Project

 If you've driven past the intersection of Altadena Drive and Lake Avenue, or visited Amy's Patio Cafe or another local merchant, you've probably seen the new sign going up in the former Alfie's Appliance storefront  at 912 E. Altadena Dr. for The Echo Mountain Project.

The Echo Mountain Project is a new art studio and gallery for abstract painter Robert Kingston. Altadena resident Kingston has works hanging in several corporate offices, Las Vegas hotels, and in the private collections of such people as former Los Angeles Philharmonic director Esa-Pekka Salonen and pop singer George Michael, and has appeared in many shows around the country.

Kingston said that his original plans were to just use the storefront as a working space for his painting, but after the owner's renovations, he saw more possibilities; "It's mainly my working space, but I decided it was a good space to do some projects in ... art shows, and music, whatever -- I'm interested in jazz and other acts," Kingston said.

Kingston said that he's spent his career practicing his art and moving when the rents got too high. "It turns out it's always good for the real estate market when the arts move in," Kingston said.

After moving from Silver Lake and spending eight years in New York City and Brooklyn, Kingston wanted to get back to the Los Angeles area and "I noticed everybody was moving out to Altadena -- a lot of my friends from Silver Lake are here," Kingston said. "I've been in Altadena for about ten years."

Noting the resurgence of some of the businesses in the North Lake area such as Altadena Hardware and El Patron, Kingston says that he's happy to be part of life in that location.

UPS truck mating season?

What were these back-to-back UPS trucks doing on North Holliston Monday morning? Maybe it's mating season, making a new generation of trucks that will mature in time to deliver Christmas packages ...

 

Deputies to conduct quality-of-life survey in three neighborhoods Saturday

Adding to an already-packed Saturday, the Altadena Sheriff's Station in conjunction with the Community Oriented Policing Services Bureau will be conducting a door-to-door survey of three neighborhoods to collect residents’ concerns regarding crime, law enforcement services and quality of life issues in Altadena. "The surveys will allow the community to express their concerns regarding quality of life issues in the area," according to a sheriff's department press release.

The survey will be conducted on Sat., June 11, between 9 AM and 1 PM.  Participation in the survey will be voluntary and confidential.  Names and contact phone numbers will be collected for follow-up purposes and will remain secured for the Sheriff’s Department’s use only.  Deputies will be conducting door to door surveys which should only take a few minutes.

Deputies will be conducting surveys and contacting residents in:

AREA 1 
Royce Street between Lincoln Avenue and Casitas Avenue
Mountain View Street between Lincoln Avenue and Casitas Avenue
Ventura Street between Lincoln Avenue and Casitas Avenue

AREA 2
Harriet Street between Fair Oaks Avenue and Glenrose Avenue
Mendocino Street between Fair Oaks Avenue and Glenrose Avenue
Mariposa Street between Fair Oaks Avenue and Glenrose Avenue

AREA 3
Roosevelt Avenue between New York Drive and Crary Street
Harding Avenue between New York Drive and Crary Street
Coolidge Avenue between New York Drive and Crary Street
Grand Oaks Avenue between New York Drive and Crary Street

Sheriff's conducting e-waste collection, too

...AND the Altadena Sheriff's Station is also conducting a free e-waste recycling event at Eliot Middle School, 2184 N. Lake, from 9 AM-3 PM on the same Saturday.  Click the flyer for more details.

Altadena Town & Country Club fireworks display July 1

Get your kids (and dogs and cats) ready:  the Altadena Town & Country Club will hold its annual Independence Day fireworks display on Fri., July 1. Start time is 9:30 PM.

Heading into the home stretch: Relay for Life Sat.

Of the several events going on Sat., June 11, one of the biggest is the American Cancer Society's third annual Altadena Relay for Life at Farnsworth Park, a 24-hour event. Heather Morrow, who has been keeping track of this for us, reports on the activities and the need for volunteers:

Set-up for the event starts at about 7:00 am.  The Registration tent is set up first, and will be located in the southeast corner of the park, just up from the parking lot.  We hope that registration can begin around 8:00 AM.*

*We need volunteers thoughout the day in 2 hour shifts to help man the registration desk.  If you can help out, please let Rose West know.

Here's the very abridged version of the Program of Activities (it is truly packed full of wonderful musicians and activities):

9:00 am            Opening Ceremony -- Celebrate!
                        Survivor Lap
11:30 am           Musician Steve Creason (Classical and Jazz Guitar)
12:30 pm          Lunch, donated/sponsored by Cheffelle (Loretta Vigil)
2:30 pm            Fair Oaks Academy Jazz Band
3:30 pm            Martial Arts Demonstration by Two Dragons Martial Arts Studio
4:30 pm            Musician Nolan Shaheed (Jazz Trumpet)
6:30 pm            Dinner, donated/sponsored by Craig's Crew (Craig Tolliver)
7:00 pm            Musician Wesley Dildine (Folk Music)
9:00 pm            Luminare Ceremony -- Remember! 
11:00 pm          "Movies 'til Dawn"
8:15 am            Closing Ceremony -- Fight Back!

More after the jump.

Seriously-injured cats on Reever Way

Jessica from Reever Way gives us some disturbing news: two neighborhood feral cats have been injured -- one had to be put down with a leg wound that the vet said resembled an exit wound, and as of Sunday afternoon the neighborhood was trying to capture a cat who was "dragging an almost severed leg behind him."  The suspicion is that someone nearby is shooting and/or using a leghold trap on cats:

 

If someone is doing this on purpose, I and many others on this will do everything in our power to find who is responsible.  This kind of thing will not and cannot be tolerated in our city/community.  Forgive me for being so upset.  I just saw this cat with a mangled leg limping away in terrible pain and it just breaks my heart.

 

 

Jessica says that they'll be reporting this to the sheriff's Monday, and any help you can give is appreciated.

 

Foothill Municipal Water District looking at bioreactor to treat wastewater

The Foothill Municipal Water District (FMWD) and the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles are partnering to look at building a membrane bioreactor (MBR) plant to increase water supplies.

Such a plant would use biological means, membranes and ultraviolet light to treat wastewater before it is injected into groundwater to be further treated through natural filtering.  

“The earth recycles all water. By constructing an MBR plant, FMWD is simply helping speed up the natural processes of the earth,” said Nina Jazmadarian, General Manager of FMWD. “This small-scale plant will help reduce the District’s dependence on imported water, help meet the legislative mandate to reduce water use by 20% by year 2020 and ultimately cost less than imported water supplies,” said Richard Atwater, President of the FMWD Board.

The study has also received a $75,000 grant from the State Water Resources Control Board. “Expanding the use of recycled water supplies is of great importance to the Sanitation Districts, and we appreciate the Foothill Municipal Water District’s efforts in this regard” said Stephen R. Maguin, chief engineer and general manager of the Sanitation Districts.

Foothill Municipal Water District provides imported water to Lincoln Avenue Water Company, Las Flores Water Company and Rubio Cañon Land & Water Association serving Altadena, as well as the Crescenta Valley Water District, La Cañada Irrigation District, Mesa Crest Water Company, and Valley Water Company. Information regarding Foothill Municipal Water District can be found at www.fmwd.com.

 

The coyotes are out, and they're hungry

Another couple of reminders that coyotes are on the prowl and they're hungry:

Reader Eric tells us that his family's five-year-old, grey and white male tabby disappeared from their house on the 100 block of West Mariposa Street on Memorial Day evening, and there have been a lot of newer "missing cat" notices in the neighborhood.  He also ran into a neighbor who said he cleaned up the remains of a small animal from his lawn on Tuesday morning.

Add to that  a sighting of coyotes from another reader at the corner of Martelo and Woodlyn, over the border in Pasadena and deep in the urban area, and it seems obvious that, wherever you are, you need to keep close watch on your pets this summer.

 

Aveson's June Jubilee lights up Farnsworth Park

Aveson Charter School pretty much took over Farnsworth Park Saturday for its annual June Jubilee.  Booths, confetti eggs, music, and all kinds of things to buy, play with, and do.

The large bouncer was a favorite with the kids ...

... and it wouldn't be an Altadena event without food trucks!

 

Full crowd for the chopper cop's open house

The Pasadena Police Department opened up their Altadena-based heliport to the public Saturday, to not only show off their chopper fleet, but put in some good PR for the department, including its SWAT and K9 units.  More pictures after the jump.

Theatre Americana Festival of the Arts at Farnsworth Park June 25

Fresh off a successful 2010 season, Theatre Americana, the golden era’s community theater troupe, hosts its first ever Festival of the Arts. A fun-filled family event featuring visual arts displays, classic theatre productions, pop songs and international dance, the festival is scheduled for Sat,, June 25, 2011, from noon – 9:30 p.m. at Farnsworth Park in Altadena.  

The event is free to the public and food will be available for purchase.

Designed to present a cultural experience for the mind, body and soul, Festival of the Arts includes an impressive roster of artists, musicians and performers such as the prestigious Southern California Lyric Theatre (SCLT); the acclaimed Kim Eung Korean Dance Company, songwriter and performer Raspin Stuwart; Sue B. Dance Company; and Theatre Americana, among others. 

Festival of the Arts kicks off with a visual arts display of work from local artists in historic Davies Hall from noon –5 PM. To inspire budding artists, a large blank canvas will be hung outside the Amphitheatre for anyone who would like to express themselves with images in paint that focus on this year’s theme, “Healing The World.”  Dance performances and live music will be held in the Amphitheatre from 2- 9:30 PM.

 

"Art on Millionaire's Row" next Saturday

"Art on Millionaire's Row," the Altadena Library's second annual arts and crafts festival, will take place on Sat., June 11, from 10 AM to 6 PM at the Altadena Library, 600 East Mariposa St. The arts and crafts festival will comprise the following:

• An exhibition of art, all for sale, in the library building itself. There will be a juried competition, with prizes awarded. The twenty-five to thirty pieces include ceramics, art glass, oil, acrylic, watercolor, and pastel landscapes and nature studies, sculpture, and digital and film photography. On Friday, from 6-9 PM, an artists reception will be held in the library .  All of the artists are from Altadena or surrounding communities, including Pasadena, South Pasadena, Monrovia, LaCanada, San Marino, and Covina.
• About 40 artists and craftspeople will be selling their work in booths on the library grounds. Objects and materials include jewelry, ceramics, gourd art, art glass, clothing, paintings, sculpture, quilts and other fabric art, wood carvings, and photography.
• Live music will play all day long on the grounds. We will start with the Eliot School orchestra playing light classical music, followed by the Pasadena High School Jazz Ensemble. Other musicians will include Celtic harpists, guitar players, and singers of folk, popular standard, and torch songs. In addition, there will be "wandering minstrels" roving the grounds and playing as inspired.
• A special children's art project, with materials and instructions provided.
• An exhibition of works of art based on books, featuring actual (deaccessioned) books made into artworks. Many of the Salon exhibitors have agreed to create special pieces for this part of the show.
• Food vendors, mostly local favorites, selling fried chicken, Louisiana-style sausages, tamales (Salvadoran style), salads, sandwiches, fruit cups, pastries, cookies, cupcakes, and ice cream, and hot and cold coffee drinks and smoothies.

Art on Millionaire's Row was a name suggested by Altadena historian, Michelle Zack. Mariposa Street, where the library is located, was once lined with the mansions of families like the McNallys and the Greens (of the Hotel Green in Pasadena). Col. G.G. Green's home was located where the library is now; its cobblestone carriage house, on its own spacious grounds, can still be seen from the back of our building.

The library itself is an iconic midcentury modern building, designed by Boyd Georgi in 1967, with much of its original architect-chosen furnishings intact. Art on Millionaire's Row is a benefit for the library, which hopes to restore and expand in the next few years. Admission to all activities are free.  

 

Fruit fly quarantine is over, Agriculture Dept. says

After almost 11 months, the Oriental fruit fly quarantine in the Altadena/Pasadena area is over.

The California Dept. of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) sent out a press release Friday saying that the fruit fly infestation has been eradicated. A quarantine was declared over an 89 square mile area in July 2010 after the agricultural pest was detected in several traps.  

A combination of "male attractant" treatment (using a minute amount of pesticide in a male fruit fly attractant that was applied in small quantities to trees) and the quarantine (which required that whole fruit stay in the quarantine area -- only processed fruit could leave) led to the control and demise of the fly.

“The Oriental fruit fly poses a serious threat to California farming and our backyard gardens as well,” said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. “I would like to thank the residents of Pasadena who helped us eradicate this infestation by complying with the quarantine and cooperating with our crews.”

The "male attractant" treatment has been used by CDFA for over 30 years, and has had a 100 percent success rate in California, according to  CDFA.

Free school immunizations offered June 18

The Child Health Collaborative (CHC) will hold a free immunization clinic on Sat., June 18, at Washington Middle School, 1505 N. Marengo Ave., from 9 AM-1 PM. 

The clinic is for children up to age 18 who are uninsured, underinsured, or on MediCal or Healthy Families.

Please bring your immunization record.  if you don't have one, go to your school's health office for a copy.

For the 2011-2012 school year, all students entering grades 7-12 music show proof they have had a Tdap booster vaccine before they will be allowed to register for school -- this is a good chance to take care of all required shots before school starts.

There will also be healthy food tasting, asthma workshops, and insurance outreach as part of the clinic.

For more information, contact Young & Healthy, 626-795-5166.

 

Morning jolt

• Yolande Carson of (Altadenablog sponsor) scissors paper rock salon reports that their recent Soles4Souls shoe drive was a huge success, garnering almost 300 pairs of shoes for people who need them around the world.
• The Hollow Trees, folk music for families, will be one of the acts at Farnsworth Park Amphitheatre today as part of the Aveson June Jubilee.  They'll be appearing at 11:30 (and is probably more family friendly than the acts they had two years ago!) 

Town council election next week

The Altadena Town Council election is next week, Sat., June 11, from 9 AM-3 PM.  Chairman Eric Pierce says that he is looking for volunteers to staff polling places at Charles White Park, Farnsworth Park, Gordy's Garage, S&J Auto, and Webster's.  Shifts are from 9-11 AM, 11 AM-1 PM, and 1-3 PM.  PIerce is also looking for ballot counters for the vote count at the Davies Building in Farnsworth Park from 3-4:30 PM.  (You can volunteer for both!)  Email atcelection@yahoo.com to volunteer.

Check out our 2011 Town Council Election page for all up-to-date election information, including polling locations and candidate information.  Amy Cienfuegos and Brent Musson have just put up campaign information, and we're offering space to all candidates to make their pitch.  (Musson also has a campaign video, a first for Altadena, that we've put up on the page).

 

 

Altadena trash haul details revealed

 

Town councilwoman Alice Sarkisian Wessen, on her website and in the newsgroups, has shared  details of the upcoming trash contract with Athens Services.

Base rate is $18.06 per month, with senior discounts at $13.55 permonth.  Residents with difficult-to-access streets can expect to pay $22.57 per month, and those wanting backyard rollout-pick up service will be charged $27.09.  Rollout services for the elderly are at no additional cost by request.

In addition, Athens has commited to free services including 10 green waste pickups per year, three bulk item collections per year, and institute a cubside used oil and battery collection programs.  There will also be free mulch giveaways quarterly.

Details of the contract are after the jump, and a pdf of the full motion here.   

Still no word on when Athens will start trash collection in Altadena, although they have announced some public information meetings will take place.

Returning to normal: Angeles Crest Highway opens today

Angeles Crest Highway opened to the public today for the first time since the 2009 Station Fire.  Thanks to community correspondent Steve Gerow, who was there to take some photos of this important milestone as we head toward something resembling normal.  More photos after the jump.

Get your barbecue on at Farnsworth Park tonight for CALL

Central Altadena Little League closing ceremonies are tonight at Farnsworth Park, and there'll be a special treat: Smokin' Willies BBQ truck will be on Concha St. at the park from 5-8 tonight -- and, says CALL's Adam Bell, 10% of purchases will be going to the league.

Compost king Dundon celebrates 69th birthday at a Lincoln Heights bash

The 60's will never die: for all you countercultural types: this Sunday starting at 1 PM there will be potluck lunch and music to honor Altadenan Tim Dundon's 69th birthday.

Dundon, aka Zeke the Sheik, is of course,  Altadena's master of compost.  He lives in a rain forest of his own construction on Mountain View.  His friend Duane Thorin tells us "there is hardly an organic garden in LA that he has not supplied, including the LA Arboreteum, and many colleges, high schools, charter elementary schools and more.  A true local hero."

The event will be held at 3110 Broadway in Lincoln Heights, California Historical Monument 157, the Horace P. Dibble House, a Victorian mansion that is now a concert/art/whatever space. 

Featured artist will be local favorite Raspin Stuwart with his band, as well as the Dregs of Pele, and Zeke himself with his rhymes and reasons -- and he's bringing a truckload of poo to the party, too.

Bring not only some potluck, but a drum (you DO have a drum?) for the drum circling and other festivities.  You can also sign up to perform on the stage.

Questions or clarifications, call Duane at 323-627-0662.

Trail maintenance volunteers meet at Ale House Sat. morning

Gail Casburn at the Altadena Ale & Wine House tells us:

Angeles Forest Trail Maintenance Day tomorrow (Saturday) --meet at the front of the Ale House at 6:30 AM to carpool to trail site. The Angeles Crest Highway has been reopened. Gabor will be there to organize.

And after, Come have fun playing Bunco, eating and drinking -  Join the Altadena Ale & Wine House this Saturday from 3-5:50 PM (yes, you read that right) in a fundraiser bunco tournament to raise money for its American Cancer Society Relay for Life team.

Tickets are $20 -- your donation includes a drink (draught beer, house wine, or soda), food, and a chance to win prizes, but please  RSVP to Julie: sdsujulie@hotmail.com or call (626) 794-4577.

The Altadena Ale & Wine House is at 2329 Fair Oaks Ave, Altadena.

Morning jolt

• Pasadena Weekly's Andre Coleman updates on Patticakes (and yes, we said it was OK to use our headline.)
• Lisa Okikawa, a teacher of the visually impaired at Loma Alta Elementary, received a 2011 "League Educator Apple Award" from the Broadway League.  The awards honor local schools and community groups that support programs relating to Broadway or touring Broadway shows, promoting further development of theatre education.  Okikawa found a way that her students could experience the musical theater production of "Mary Poppins" through a "touch tour," showing the visually impaired how art could be a vital part of their lives.  Full details are here.
• JPL is having a "tweetup" Monday for a hundred lucky Twitter followers.  Details at JPL's website here. 

Found cat near La Vina gate

 

Reader Dee writes:

A wonderful, loving cat was found this afternoon on Sunset Ridge Road, around the gate of La Vina.  This is obviously someone's family pet and needs to get home!  The cat is grey/brownish in color and quite large -- approximately 15 lbs.  and very tall when standing on its hind legs. 

The cat is very sweet and is happy to be petted and scratched.  No collar.   Doesn't appear that this cat has been on the street for long as it has long hair and its coat would be quite a mess if it had been outside for any length of time. 

 

Please contact Dee at 626-797-8011 if this is your pet or you know who is missing this adorable family member!

 

UPDATE: Dee sent a picture:

 

Sheriff joins in social media networks

Yes, it's true: the LA County Sheriff's Dept. has announced that it's entering the social media networks, in addition to its other online offerings.

Facebook: The sheriff has opened a Facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/LosAngelesCountySheriffsDepartment 

Twitter: @LASD_News, or if you're not subscribed to Twitter, view at :

http://twitter.com/#!/lasd_news 


Youtube: the sheriff's headquarters bureau now has a Youtube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/LACountySheriff 


Nixle: And as always,  you can visit  www.Nixle.com  and register for "Nixle" alerts from "LASD – HQ Newsroom (SHB), Los Angeles County Sheriff" PLUS your local sheriff's station area. Or, text your zip code to 888777 to receive text alerts only. Standard text messaging rates may apply depending on your calling plan. 

If you're not subscribed to Nixle, you can view newsroom email/text messages here:

http://nixle.com/lasd----hq-newsroom-shb-los-angeles-county-sheriff/ 

Alert LACounty emergency notification system. Register your cell phone and voiceover IP phones for emergency messages from police agencies in Los Angeles County: 

http://portal.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/alertla 


LA Crimestoppers:  confidential/anonymous email/ text/ phone call crime reporting to police agencies in Los Angeles County: 

http://lacrimestoppers.com/

And there's always the website of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department: 

www.lasd.org 

George, Shepherd are June's Coffee Gallery artists

June's featured artists at the Gallery at the Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake , are Lisa R. George and Dorothy Shepherd.

George will have an opening reception on Sun., June 5,  from 5 - 7 PM. Shepherd wil not be having a reception.

 
Lisa R. George is a figurative and plein air painter who works in oils and various other media. This series of paintings was inspired by walking in the foothills, road trips, or a momentary reflective facial expression.

Designing each painting came down to how to encapsulate the moment visually with texture, tone and light. The way light shined on each subject, or didn't, created the most dynamic composition.

"Although I love painting a variety of subjects, I find I often return topainting trees or people. Their forms and moods are strangely similar and interesting. There is always a different, original story to tell."

Lisa studied at Colorado Institute of Art and Art Center College of Design. With a background in graphic design and fine art, her experience led her to work for various entertainment studios in Los Angeles, including Disney and MGM. Her artwork has been displayed locally in Altadena at The Gallery at the End of the World, The Spring Towers in Downtown LA, and La Jolla.

Dorothy Shepherd says: " Although I make other kinds of art, my preferred medium is watercolor, Chinese brush style on rice paper.

In 1996 I began studying with Nan Rae at the Huntington Library where she teaches this style of painting. I have continued to study landscape painting with Nan at her home studio in Burbank.

This small show offers a spectrum of my painting starting with "Morning Glory", an early product, to “Mountains & Mist”, 2010.

I belong to a number of local art associations and participate in both exhibits and juried shows locally, nationally and internationally.

My most recent award came from the University of Louisiana's School of Veterinary Medicine, 24th Animals in Art Juried Show. My painting, “Tiger, Tiger...”, which was on view last September here at the Coffee Gallery, was one of 75 paintings selected for the show from over 500 entries.“Tiger, Tiger...” received the Dean's Choice Award, and was purchased by the Dean as the beginning of a permanent art exhibit in the school.

I am happy to receive visitors at my studio. Please contact meat my email: dorothy.shepherd@verizon.net

KPCC hosts community forum on redistricting June 15

From the League of Women Voters:

There’s still time for voters to speak up about how their political districts will change as the groundbreaking Citizens Redistricting Commission comes down the home stretch in drawing new boundaries for state Assembly, Senate and U.S. Congressional Districts.

The League of Women Voters Pasadena Area is offering a unique opportunity to participate in a community conversation about “Dueling Maps: How Will Your District Change?” -- a free public forum on redistricting for Los Angeles County on June 15, 7-9 p.m. at the KPCC Crawford Family Forum, 474 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena.

For the first time in California history, citizens rather than politicians are redrawing the lines of political districts to assure that communities have a voice in government. This is thanks to a 2008 initiative designed to prevent gerrymandering of district boundaries to keep political parties in office.

Dr. Morgan Kousser, professor of history and social science at Caltech, will moderate the discussion centering on the latest draft maps for Los Angeles County from the Citizens Redistricting Commission and maps proposed by ethnic, business and environmental coalitions.

Participating groups will be the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, African American Redistricting Collaborative, Valley Industry and Commerce Association and Citizens for the San Gabriel Mountains.

Information also will be available about draft-map hearings in Culver City on June 16 and Whittier on June 17. The deadline for maps is August. The forum is free, but RSVPs are required because space is limited. Go to http://www.scpr.org/events/, click on the event then on the RSVP box. Or call the League office: 626-798-0965.

Sheriff's station lobby open, looking at August completion

A message from Lt. Joseph Dempsey of the Altadena Sheriff's Station:

The Altadena Sheriff’s Station has been under construction for some time now, however we are pleased to announce that the lobby portion of the station is complete and we are open for business.  Anyone needing to come to the station can now enter through the front door off of Altadena Drive and be assisted at the front desk. 

We hope to have all calls on the business line (626-798-1131) directed back to Altadena Sheriff’s Station in the next two weeks.  911 calls will continue to be routed to Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station. 

We thank everyone for their patience during this construction phase. 

The remainder of the station is expected to be completed by late August. 

 

Weekendin' June 2-5

A full weekend -- keep coming back as we add more!

Thurs., June 2

• Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake: Backstage, The Peepshow Trio, 8 PM, tickets $14. Reservations: 798-6236

Fri., June 3

• Coffee Gallery: front stage, Open Mic, starts at 8, free; backstage, The Swing Riots Qwirket, 8 PM, $15; Reservations: 798-6236

Sat., June 4

• Christmas Tree Lane maintenance, 8-noon.  Weed pulling,ivy cutting, and check the trees for fungus infections.  Donuts, coffee, and lunch thereafter.  There will be tools available, but bring your own gloves.  Starts at Altadena Dr. and Santa Rosa St.
• Pet Adoption Day at Three Dog Bakery, 36 W. Colorado, Pasadena.  Help St. Mark's Girl Scout Troop 463 with donations of old towels and blankets, food, toys and treats for dogs at the Pasadena Humane Society. There will be dogs available for adoption, too.
• Aveson School June Jubilee will be held this year at Farnsworth Park, 11 AM-5 PM.   Games, prizes, raffles, and live music to help support Aveson School.
• The Pasadena Police Heliport Open House (2175 Yucca Lane, Altadena) from 11 AM-2 PM.  Check out the choppers and other police vehicles, with SWAT and K9 demonstrations at 12 and 1 PM, many other displays and demonstrations.
• Bunco tournament at the Altadena Ale & Wine House, 2329 N. Fair Oaks, to benefit the Ale House team for the Relay for Life. A $20 donation gives you food, a drink, and a chance to win prizes, but RSVP first so there's enough food: sdsujulie@hotmail.com or call 626-794-4577.
• Coffee Gallery Backstage, SOS (Sisters of Swing), 7 PM, $18. Reservations: 798-6236

Sun., June 5

• St. Mark's School alumni and parents are invited to celebrate the school's 50th anniversary at Sunday services at St. Mark's Parish, 1014 E. Altadena Dr., 9 and 10:30 AM.
• The Pacific Asia Museum, 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena, is celebrating its 40th birthday at a free family festival from 12-4 PM. Enjoy a pan-cultural birthday party and discover how birthdays are celebrated throughout Asia with traditional food, dance, performances, demonstrations, hands-on activities and crafts. Participate in painting a giant birthday card and explore the museum galleries - all for FREE!
• The Pasadena Master Chorale presents "The Green Concert" at 4 PM at Altadena Community Church, 943 E. Altadena Dr. Tickets are $20 at the door.
• The Folly Bowl welcomes the Briton Ensemble singers with jolly choral singing to welcome in summer.  Free concert, but please bring a dish and beverage to share for the potluck party afterwards.  Doors open at 5 PM, concert at 6.  1601 E. Loma Alta Dr.
• Coffee Gallery: matinee, Olivia Brownlee & Jay Psaros, 3 PM  $15; The Perfect Gentlemen, 7 PM, $20; Olivia Brownlee & Jay Psaros.  Front stage, open mic night, starts at 8 PM, free.