Just wanted to let you know that there is no water on Skywood Circle. Probably none on Holliston either. I called Las Flores Water Co. and finally got through. The answering service said there was a leak that was being repaired and water should be back on in two hours, about 9PM. Las Flores must be getting a lot of calls because it took several tries to finally get through. Anyway, I thought I'd pass this info along so you could share it with others.
There is water on the section of Holliston serviced by Rubio Canyon Land & Water, so this may not be widespread, but worth knowing.
Cuts in the Sheriff’s Department budget are putting the squeeze on Altadena’s sheriff station.
Altadena Sheriff Capt. John S. Benedict said that Altadena still has full patrol coverage, but at the cost of shifting detectives, lieutenants, and community relations officers -- and the captain himself -- into patrol cars.
Sheriff Lee Baca clashed with the county Board of Supervisors last week over charges that he was, according to the LA Times, “iignoring the needs of unincorporated parts of the county in favor of cities that contract with his department for police services.” Due to budget constraints, the Sheriff’s Department has cut deputy overtime.
The LA Times reports that the sheriff's department, with a budget of $2.8 billion, had its budget cut by the supervisors by $128 million in 2010, $96 million in 2011 and $140 million in 2012.
A county audit released this week showed that deputies in unincorporated parts of the county took a minute longer to respond to emergency calls in unincorporated parts of the county than from contract cities. The sheriff’s department contracts for police services in more than 40 cities in LA County that do not maintain their own police force. The contracts specify a minimum level of enforcement. Baca’s critics are saying that he is hewing to these contracts at the cost of reducing services to unincorporated county areas.
In unincorporated Altadena, Benedict said that they’ve maintained having three patrol vehicles per shift, but without overtime, it means that higher ranking officers or officers with other duties now have to pull patrol at least one day a week. “Not only my detectives, but my lieutenants, community relations officers, deputy administrators, sergeants -- even the captain,” Benedict said.
What this means is that some other tasks will feel the pain, Benedict said -- detectives will have one less day a week to investigate crimes, and community relations officers will have one less day a week to work on graffiti abatement and other quality-of-life issues.
“We’re looking at creative ways to maximize resources is what it comes down to -- but it won’t be easy,” Benedict said.
Benedict said that the manpower is so stretched, there’s not much left. “We’re not talking about vacations, sickness, or if a deputy is injured on duty,” Benedict said. “I don’t even have time to think of that right now.”
From left: moderator Marge Nichols and PUSD board candidates Kim Kenne and Hermond Dean Cooper answer questions from the audience at the Jan. 30 ACONA/League of Women Voters forum at the Altadena Senior Center.
by Timothy Rutt
The Altadena Coalition of Neighborhood Associations (ACONA) departed from its usual meeting format Wednesday night to co-host a forum for the two Pasadena Unifeid School District candidates for the new District 1.
ACONA and the Pasadena League of Women Voters co-sponsored the forum, held at the Altadena Senior Center. Incumbent Kim Kenne and challenger Hermond Dean Cooper are vying to represent the new district, which largely comprises west Altadena.
Forum moderator Marge NIchols relayed questions submitted by audience members. Nothing earthshaking or surprising came out of the event, althought both candidates said that they would not just represent the interests of their elected district. As Cooper said, “I am for every student.”
In honor of Altadena's Business of the Year (which will be recognized at the Chamber of Commerce dinner Friday), Gloriana Casey has composed something for the occasion. Her ode to the Citizen of the Year will be tomorrow.
"ALTADENA HARDWARE--Business of the Year"
from gloriana casey
The ALTADENA HARDWARE STORE in Altadena town is found on Mariposa Street; connection---so profound!
For Mariposa, in Spanish, it means the butterfly. And like that "Butterfly Effect," will bring change by and by!
They're Business of the year, this year two thousand and thirteen! A Vision of what business does to build the city's Dream!
For small business---the very best it bonds with help and care. Supporting good works, causes too when help is needed there!
More than 1,100 people have applied for the 65 positions that will open in the Altadena Walmart Neighborhood Market, the firm announced today.
“We’ve been impressed with the quantity and quality of applicants so far,” said Jennifer Gonzales, Altadena store manager, in a press release. “Many of the folks we’ve talked to are local and have a background in retail and grocery. They’ve been pleasantly surprised to learn about our offerings and the opportunity for advancement at Walmart.”
The 28,000 square-foot Walmart Neighborhood Market is located at 2408 Lincoln Avenue at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Figueroa Street. A temporary hiring center was opened across the street for potential employees to apply via computer kiosk, as well as a location for interviews.
The press release quotes Mark Harris, owner of Spin-Off Records on Lincoln Avenue as saying, “The hiring center has already brought foot traffic to the block; I can’t wait to see what happens when the store opens ... This is a good thing for Altadena.”
According to Walmart, the average wage for full-time hourly associates in California is about $12.89 per hour. Walmart offers a variety of health care plans, including a plan that starts at $17 per pay period available to both full- and part-time associates, as well as matching 401(k) contributions of up to 6 percent of pay, discounts on general merchandise for store associates, an Associate Stock Purchase Program, company-paid life insurance, and quarterly bonuses for both full- and part-time eligible associates based on the performance of their store.
Walmart is still accepting applications at the hiring center or online at http://careers.walmart.com, The hiring center at 2369 Lincoln Avenue is open Monday through Friday, from 8 AM-5 PM. Applicants can also find a list of positions still available at www.DenaJobs.org.
Yes, it's time to be thinking about spring break already: Farnsworth Park will hold a spring camp for ages 5-13 on March 25-29. Activities include arts and crafts, dancing, sports and games, computer club, hiking, movies, and video game club.
The camp runs from 8 AM-6 PM, and cost is $70 per child for the week (must bring lunch and snack). Registration starts Friday, Feb. 1. For more information, contact the park at 798-6335.
Go Zags:Ross Wiggins of Altadena has been selected to participate in Gonzaga University's Comprehensive Leadership Program (CLP) newest student cohort from the undergraduate class of 2016. After a selective admissions process that evaluated 120 applicants, the class was established with forty-two students, from around the country and world. This group, with its numerous talents and wealth of experiences, will continue the tradition of studying leadership imbued with an intellectual and ethical fervor for the common good in an interdisciplinary, academic setting.
Dental clinic: Qualifying students who are between the ages of 6-18 and live in Altadena, Pasadena or Sierra Madre can get free dental care when the USC Mobile Dental Clinic returns to PUSD March 1. This year the clinic will be at Jefferson Elementary School. Uninsured and underinsured children who are income eligible and have dental cavities will receive free comprehensive dental care March 1 – 8. Space is limited to the first 120 students who pre-register. To register, contact Young & Healthy at (626) 795-5166.
There are a lot of lost critters in the past few days, and here they are:
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Found rabbit: Zia writes: "We found a brown baby rabbit, about 4 weeks old in our backyard at Loma Alta and Olive. Its been living in our backyard since Jan 19. It could possibly be wild but it is very tame and the neighborhood cat has been hunting it so we took it in." 818-414-9254 call or text.
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Found chihuahua: Last Thursday (1/24) morning, I found tiny female chihuahua on Ventura, about a block west of the school, toward JPL. She's tan, friendly, multicolored collar but no tag or chip. She was dodging cars, and came right to me when I called her. If she's yours, please pick her up at Pasadena Humane Society.
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Moco
Lost dog at Henninger Flats: "We were hiking Eaton Canyon sunday night to Henninger Flats. After we arrived at Henninger Flats camping grounds where the Ranger station is located, our dog was sniffing around looking around while we were busy setting up camp. At approximately 6:30pm, we discovered that Moco was missing."
Moco is described as "black and white. with black eye patch and one black front leg that looks like a sock. He has a black back with a spot on his left shoulder and a white chest. He is small approx 12 inches+ long with a black tail that has a white tip. He has long legs that look long for his body."
Update 1/30: Moco's an adventurous dog! Owner Bernard writes:
We received a call this morning 1/30/2013 that he was sighted on Allen in Altadena. We headed there right away. It took a few rounds, but we found him! He climbed down all the way from Henninger Flats back up through the back of Eaton Canyon and to the street, on his way back home. We found him, and thank you for all your help with the blog. Special thanks to the people of Altadena who were really empathetic and actually physically helped us search. Thank you very very much!
Crime blotter provided by the Altadena Sheriff's Station.
Thursday, January 17
Between 4:30 PM and 7:00 AM (Friday) – A petty theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 3000 block of La Corona Avenue. Loss: purse, wallet, personal documents.
Monday, January 21
Between 8:30 PM and 10:00 AM (Tuesday) – A vehicle vandalism occurred in the 2300 block of E. Washington Boulevard. Damage: vehicle keyed and dented.
Wednesday, January 23
Between 12:00 PM and 2:54 PM (Thursday) – A residential burglary occurred in the 100 block of W. Loma Alta Drive. Loss: unknown at this time.
Thursday, January 24th
Between 12:30 PM and 3:20 PM – A vehicle burglary occurred in the 300 block of W. Altadena Drive. Suspect(s) entered the vehicle by shattering the rear passenger window. Loss: purse, black iPhone, currency, personal documents.
Between 6:00 PM and 8:30 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 3200 block of N. Lincoln Avenue. Suspect(s) entered the residence by shattering the bedroom window. Loss: computer equipment.
Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park and Levitt Pavilion Pasadena are holding their first ever Summer Concert Program Cover Design Art Contest.
There will be 2 winners - one for each Pavilion. The winning pieces of artwork for each venue will be the face of their respective venue and 2013 Summer Concert Program and marketing campaign.
Deadline: February 14th, 2013 5pm (PST)
The 2013 Summer Concert Program Cover Design Contest is open to all amateur and professional artists.
The winning submissions will be used as the cover design on our 100,000+ printed 2013 Summer Concert Programs. Concert Programs will be distributed throughout the cities of Los Angeles and Pasadena, in the surrounding communities, and throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Summer Concert Programs are distributed as newspaper inserts, at local businesses and retail establishments, at local schools and universities, and at the Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park and the Levitt Pavilion Pasadena.
Levitt Pavilion MacArthur Park and Pasadena put on 50 (100 total) free concerts every summer. The concerts feature a diverse lineup of artists from acclaimed, emerging talent to seasoned, award-winning performers. Programming is designed to appeal to all tastes, bringing people from all walks of life together to share a summer of great music.
For more info and submission guidelines please visit each Pavilion's website:
The Altadena Community Garden and Pasadena Learning Gardens offer a free workshop on cultivating roses through planting, pruning, and propagating on Saturday, February 2.
Master Gardener Mark Rice and local rose expert Elvira Smith will lead the hands-on workshop. Bring gloves and clippers -- if you want to start some roses from clippings, a couple of one or five gallong plant containers filled with garden soil.
The workshop will start at 11 AM at the Altadena Community Garden, Lincoln Avenue and Palm Street at Loma Alta Park.
The Garden is looking for more rose experts to lead future workshops. If you're a knowledgeable rose person and want to get involved please contact Mark.Rice@alumni.usc.edu or 626 272-2752 and show up at 10:30.
Is is that time already? Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 2889 N. Lincoln Avenue, will hold its Mardi Gras celebration on Saturday, Feb. 9, starting with mass at 5 PM.
Tickets are $20 which incudes dinner, a door prize raffle, costume contest, beads and dancing until midnight with zydeco, New Orleans jazz, R&B, cumbia, salsa, and line dancing. No host bar, and babystitter available for a small fee.
Leave a message for Angela Brisco at 626-794-4026.
The new owner of Amy’s Patio Café has a feeling that buying the Altadena business was just meant to be. It’s not just that as a trained chef, she had been looking for a business to buy for the past 15 years when the restaurant became available. It has to do with something more coincidental: Amie Moore was born an Amy, and her mother’s maiden name is Clark, the same last name as previous owner Lauren Clark.
Since taking over on Oct. 8, Moore has kept the menu pretty much the same because “the regulars like it,” but has added dinner hours and lengthened the breakfast and lunch hours to accommodate early commuters and late lunchers. The café is also open on Mondays now.
“One of things told to me by the old owner and customers was that there is a real need for another dinner place,” she says. In December, she started serving dinner on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. “It’s pretty slow right now, I think people are just discovering it.”
Moore also bakes up made-from-scratch desserts, including tempting sweets such as apple crisp, Grand Marnier cake, blueberry chiffon cake, mud pie and mocha Kahlua layer cake. “I do whatever comes to mind when I feel like it,” she says.
There’s also a new soup special, and as a former sous chef with a certificate in Advanced Food Management from the Pacific School of Restaurant Management, Moore makes everything from scratch. Cappuccino and lattes are now served and the café is wired for Wi-Fi.
The Altadena Coalition of Neighborhood Associations (ACONA) and the League of Women Voters Pasadena Area (LWV-PA) will jointly present a forum for Pasadena Unified School Board candidates District 1 candidates Hermond Dean Cooper and incumbent Kim Kenne from 7-8:30 PM on Wednesday, January 30.
Marge Nichols of the League will moderate the forum and present questions, including questions from the audience, to the candidates, who will be given equal time to respond.
In addition to the questions, each candidate will present a brief statement both at the start and the conclusion of the forum.
This will be the first election where PUSD board members run by district, rather than at large. West Altadena comprises 87% of the voters in District 1, who will vote on March 5.
The forum will be held at the Altadena Senior Center, 530 E. Mariposa Street.
Pasadena city officials and the Jackie Robinson Center present Pasadena's 31st annual Black History Parade and Festival February 16, starting with the parade at 10 AM Saturday at Charles White Park, 77 Mountain View St., Altadena, and ending at Robinson Park, 1081 N. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena.
RAIN OR SHINE.
The festival will be held from noon to 4 p.m.
Special entertainment performance by the "DELFONICS"at the festival.
A county coroner's vehicle at the gates of the Cobb Estate Saturday afternoon during the investigation of a suspected suicide.
By Timothy Rutt
County coroner's staff are at the Cobb Estate now (5:30 PM) investigating a suspected suicide, according to a deputy on the scene. A body was found in place about a 30 minute hike on one of the trails. More info as we get it.
UPDATE: As of 8:30 this evening: At this point, all the sheriff's department is saying that a call came in from a hiker at 11:44 AM this morning, reporting a man hanging from the electrical towers near a hiking trail.
Altadenan Arthur Ronnie spent a lifetime accumulating books and meeting the people in them -- now, it's time to let it all go
by Timothy Rutt
Former Herald Examiner reporter Arthur Ronnie holds an autographed book by Amelia Earhart, one of the pieces of his lifetime book collection that will be up for auction Feb. 10.
Even as a child, more than 70 years ago, Art Ronnie loved two things with a fierce fire: aviation and books. He would spend his odd job money at bookstores and thrift shops, buying books about flyers and aircraft. When he was 14, he managed to get a job washing aircraft for a flying school at an airfield in central Los Angeles -- 50 cents an hour, an extra dollar if he had to clean up some hapless flying student’s vomit. He would plow the money into his hobby, watching his collection grow.
Since post-World War II Los Angeles was a hotbed of the aviation industry, for a little more effort he could get his books signed by the men who wrote them or who were mentioned in them. He also began collecting autographed books from flyers he never met -- Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh. Sometimes they were bought as autographed books, sometimes they were thrift store finds -- he had an Anne Morrow Lindbergh book he bought for cheap in his collection unopened for years, before finally looking inside and finding Morrow and Charles Lindbergh had both signed it.
When Ronnie grew up, he became a reporter for the Los Angeles Herald-Express, later the Herald Examiner. Now, he was interviewing politicians and movie stars -- and he’d usually take a book with him to be signed. So his collection grew to include Hollywood figures, and Presidents. Later, he left journalism and worked as a studio publicist for film, television, and cable, continuing to add to his collection.
A lifetime of books, and stories Now 82, Arthur Ronnie is still a lean man with a sharp mind and street-smart reporter’s instincts. He and Sharon, his wife of over 50 years, have lived in Altadena since 1976. Many years retired, Ronnie is now in the process of selling his lifetime accumulation -- over 10,000 books, most first editions, many signed. Next month, about 200 of his rarest items will go on the auction block.
Ronnie showed some of the highlights of his collection at a nondescript warehouse in Sunland. The warehouse belongs to Blacksparrow Auctions, run by Fong Sam, which specializes in showbiz memorabilia -- in fact, there are racks of costumes from “The Hunger Games” currently occupying a large part of the floor. Blacksparrow is planning to auction “The Arthur Ronnie Collection: Books and Autographs” on Sunday, February 10, at the James Gray Gallery at Bergamot Station Art Center in Santa Monica.
You are invited to see a filmed reenactment of the oral arguments for Brown v. Board of Education at a program at Altadena Library on Saturday, February 23 beginning at 2 PM. The Honorable Terry J. Hatter, Jr., Senior United States District Judge (Chief Judge Emeritus) Central District of California, will appear in person to introduce this important event. In the video Hatter presents his views of the case and its effect on his own life. Other speakers in the film include Cheryl Brown Henderson, who describes how her father, Oliver Brown, became the named plaintiff, and Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, Irvine School of Law, who gives a background of the events leading up to the case and its aftermath.
Brown v. Board of Education was a United States Supreme Court Case (1954) in which the Court declared state laws of separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional and overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which allowed state-sponsored segregation with its standard of “separate but equal.”
This riveting presentation which features actual lawyers and judges arguing the case was originally given in 2011 as part of the Justice John G. Gabbert Historical Oral Argument and Lecture series presided by Justice Manuel A. Ramirez, Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division Two.
Speaking about this historic reenactment Justice Hatter had this to say, “Brown v. Board was the jumping off point of the civil rights movement." Hatter added the Brown ruling, in terms of jurisprudence, was not Warren's best-written decision. "But in terms of moral responsibility for this nation, it has no match."
Judge Hatter, a third generation lawyer, is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School; his undergraduate degree is from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. He has served as a United States District Judge for the Central District of California since his appointment in December, 1979. On March l, 1998, he became the Chief Judge of the Central District, which is the largest federal district in the nation, serving some 18 million people. Prior to his appointment to the federal bench, Judge Hatter sat on the California Superior Court for Los Angeles County. He served as a Special Assistant and Executive Assistant to Mayor Tom Bradley, directing Urban Development and Criminal Justice Planning for the City of Los Angeles. He has been a professor of law at Loyola Law School and at the University of Southern California Law School and has served as the Executive Director of the Western Center on Law and Poverty.
This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Altadena Library. The main Altadena Library is located at 600 East Mariposa Street, Altadena, CA 91001. For more information please call 626-798-0833 or visit the library on the web at http://www.altadenalibrary.org.
The Altadena Community Arts Center presents "The Art of A People," commemorating Black History Month, starting February 2.
The event features works by contemporary artists Michael Massenburg, Cedric Adams, Ben Sakoguchi, Timothy Washington, and Richard Wyatt, Jr., as well as sculptures from WAJ Collectibles.
The exhibit will open with an artist's reception on Saturday, February 2, from 5-7 PM. The public is invited at no charge. Showings continue Wednesday - Saturday, 12 Noon - 4 PM, thru Thursday, February 28.
The Community Center is especially pleased to present, part of the exhibition, a series of Friday symposia on "The Art of Creating Art" by three of the artists featured in the exhibition:
Friday, February 8, 7 PM: Cedric Adams, Muralist
Friday, February 15, 7 PM: Michael Massenburg, Fine Artist/Muralist
Friday, February 22, 7 PM: Richard Wyatt, Jr: Fine Artist/Muralist
Two weeks' worth of crime for you. Crime blotter provided by the Altadena Sheriff Station.
Sunday, January 6
Between 5:00 PM and 11:00 AM (Tuesday) – A residential burglary occurred in the 2700 block of N. Lincoln Avenue. Suspect(s) entered the residence via unknown means. Residence is currently under renovation.
Monday, January 7
Between 2:00 PM and 7:30 AM (Tuesday) – A petty theft occurred in the 1500 block of N. Altadena Drive. Loss: green steamer trunk.
Tuesday, January 8
Between 7:30 AM and 7:18 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 100 block of W. Harriet Street. Suspect(s) entered the residence by kicking in the front door. Loss: none. ***Residence equipped with alarm system***
Between 10:30 AM and 8:15 PM – A petty theft of a delivery package occurred in the 100 block of E. Altadena Drive. Loss: medication.
Thursday, January 10
Between 12/23/12, 11:20 AM and 6:40 PM (1/10/13) – A motorcycle was reported stolen from the 4500 block of Rising Hill Drive. Loss: black 1976 BMW R756 motorcycle.
8:10 PM and 10:30 AM (Sunday) – An attempted residential burglary occurred in the 1300 block of New York Drive. Suspect attempted to enter the residence by prying the door.
Friday, January 11
Between 5:00 PM and 10:00 (Friday, January 18th) – A residential burglary occurred in the 2200 block of Kinclair Drive. Suspect(s) entered the residence by shattering the rear bathroom window and prying the rear glass slider. Loss: dark gray metal safe containing personal documents.
Monday, January 14
Between 4:30 PM and 8:00 AM (Tuesday) – A grand theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 200 block of W. Harriet Street. Loss: gray HP laptop, white Xbox, jewelry, gray tote bag, wallet containing credit cards.
Between 6:30 PM and 7:35 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 300 block of W. Loma Alta Drive. Suspect(s) entered the residence by shattering the bedroom window. Loss: watch, Nintendo DS3, gym bag.
Got lots of messages about sheriff helicopter and police activity on the west side (thank you all for writing/calling! We love this!). Chopper is gone now (approx. 2:45 PM). Dispatcher at Altadena Station says it was a burglar alarm that was fired off, but not sure how it's been resolved yet.
At the January 18 kickoff of the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, "Carnival" was announced as the theme this year.
According to an email from event chair Heather Morrow, last year's top fundraisers were the Darling Divas. Other top fundraisers included St. Elizabeth's Spartan Heroes, Curves Altadena, and Altadena Community Church.
The kickoff was held at the Davies Building in Farnsworth Park, which will be the site of this year's relay on June 1. Organizers are still looking for the following committee chairs:
Survivor Chair
Caregiver Chair
Sponsorship Chair
Food Chair
Publicity Chair
A few housekeeping notes from Morrow, after the jump:
Justice: David de Csepel is an Altadena resident who is on a quest to reclaim his family's art collection, which was looted by the Nazis and is now scattered to museums all over the world. Jori Finkel at the LA Times looks at the story.
Scholar: Samuel Nemati of Altadena, Calif., was recognized for outstanding academic accomplishments by being named to the LeTourneau University Dean's List for the Fall 2012 semester. Nemati achieved a grade point average between 3.50 and 3.99 for the semester.
Political news: From our friend John Crawford at the Sierre Madre Tattler: does Pasadena City Council candidate Ishmael Trone actually live in Altadena? Trone is in line to take Chris Holden's seat now that Holden is in the assembly, and political operative/private eye Jan B. Tucker has been rooting through Trone's Altadena trash. Something's brewing that might be worth watching.
Local whirlwind Ellen Snortland's one-woman show, “Now That She’s Gone,” will have two performances in February. If you haven't seen it yet, now's your chance:
One will be at the Coffee Gallery Backstge on Sat., Feb. 9, at 2 PM; and the second will be Sunday, February 24, at 7 PM at the WhiteFire Theater in Sherman Oaks. Tickets are $10-$20 at Brown Paper Tickets:
Now That She’s Gone is a play that explores Ellen Snortland’s often hilarious, irreverent and sometimes torturous relationship with her Norwegian-American mother.Now That She’s Gone has been described as a Lily Tomlin / Garrison Keillor / Eve Ensler hybrid… passionate, poignant and funny in turns. A memoir piece with Eleanor Roosevelt, sex, drugs and lutefisk, the play and performance has received rave reviews and standing ovations in California, New York, and Washington, D.C. Not just for women, there’s even a chase scene!
Tickets also available at the door subject to availability.
The January meeting of the Pasadena Unified School District/SELPA Special Education Dept. Community Advisory Committee will meet Monday, January 28, at Burbank Early Education Center (formerly Burbank Elementary), 2045 N. Allen Avenue, Altadena from 6:15-8:30 PM.
Topic is School Transitions: a converstion with PUSD Special Education Department, for students entering pre-K, moving to elementary, middle or high school or graduating.
Southern California Edison and our community correspondants are reporting outages in East Altadena along the President Streets neighborhood. Edison says about 730 customers are without power from weather damage and fallen lines. They are saying that power may be up by 2 PM today.
We have a pretty strong constitution, but one thing we've learned is, if we're sick, rest is the best medicine. So we've spent the past couple of days trying not to do much, and feeling a lot better now. Lots of updates today!
For the natural, organic vibe that is part of the Altadena Farmer's Market, you think they would eschew plastic in all its forms.
But not anymore -- especially when it helps out those who need assistance with their food budget, which we like. According to the market's Facebook page:
Starting this Wednesday, January 23, any CalFresh participant can use their EBT card to shop at the Altadena Farmers' Market. Here’s how it works: EBT cardholders transfer their food benefits into Altadena Farmers’ Market EBT scrip in any dollar amount of their choosing. That scrip can then be used to shop the farmers' market for eligible products with any farmers’ market vendor.
In addition, Market Match will double dollars spent at the market, up to $10, for any CalFresh, WIC, SSI and SSDI participant. Special guest Frank Tamborello from Hunger Action Los Angeles will be with us to help administer Market Match on our first day.
All EBT and Market Match transactions will take place at the information booth at the front of the market.
And:
Along with EBT and Market Match, we will unveil our own new currency this week. Our Market Money can be purchased and spent with any of our farmers' market vendors. It will essentially function as our own little ATM machine. Great for when you are short on cash or want to get someone the gift of shopping at the Altadena Farmers' Market.
New Vendor Salsa Poblanos will join the market today, promising: "a wonderful and delicious collection of handmade, preservative free salsas, for every spice palette. They will also bring ceviche, tortillas, tortilla chips, and frozen tamales. "
The Altadena Farmers' Market is every Wednesday from 3-7 PM at Loma Alta Park, Lincoln Avenue and Palm Street.
The sickness is on its way out, so we've been covering a bunch of things and haven't had time to write anything! Entries will be light today, but they'll be there!
Martin Luther King Day holiday today: Pasadena Unified School District and government offices are closed (except, notably, anything having to do with today's inaugural celebration, one manifestation of the dream realized).
One of the best ways to celebrate and remember is through the Reverend's words.
Here's a public domain version of his "Letter from a Birmingham Jail":
Most respondants to an informal survey reject having a Walmart Neighborhood Market at Lake Avenue and Calavaras Street, and are more likely to want a restaurant or mixed retail use at the location.
They are also not willing to accept a Walmart Neighborhood Market at that location if it closes down the Ralphs market and opens up the site for other retail
That was the results of an informal SurveyMonkey poll from Altadena Town Councilman and Altadena Chamber of Commerce board member Ed Meyers. Meyers said he was conducting the unscientific survey outside of his official positions, as a "one man wants to know what you think".
Meyers said that he wanted to see what people thought of having a second Walmart Neighborhod Market at what is now a vacant lot. While Walmart is opening up a Neighborhood Market, its small-format grocery store, at Lincoln Avenue and Figueroa Street, unconfirmed rumors are swirling about Walmart showing interest in the "Calavaras Crater," which is also owned by Arman and Mark Gabay, who own the Walmart property.
Meyers said that he received 380 responses to the survey: "I don't know if they were all unique, possibly some took the survey twice," Meyers wrote in an email. "I set it up so you could take it only once per IP address, but who knows?"
Question 1, "Would you live to see a Walmart Neighborhood Market at Lake/Calavaras," was "overwhelming," Meyers said, with almost 86% of the respondants saying "no." (Respondents could also pass on questions, which is why there are fewer than 380 responses in the chart above).
Altadena artist Ian White will discuss the legacy of his father, Charles White, at the Altadena Historical Society Quarterly Meeting and Lecture this Thursday, January 24, at 7:30 PM.
Charles White was one of the greatest socially conscious figurative painters of the 20th century. Like musician Woody Guthrie and photographer Dorthea Lange, who used art to paint vivid pictures of poverty in America during the depression, White used his powerful imagery to challenge the systems responsible for racial injustice. Ian will talk about growing up in Altadena during the1950s and 60s in a mixed race family, and what it was like to have loving parents who inspired social responsibility and creativity.
The Altadena Rotary Club has distributed over 30 "mini-grants" of $300 to teachers in the Pasadena Unifeid School District.
The mini-grants, which are given every year, help pay for special programs and projects of the teachers who apply. According to Rotary Club Mini-grant Chairman Ed Jasnow, it's a difficult decision to decide among som many excellent programs submitted each year.
The application period for 2013-2014 Open Enrollment begins January 23, 2012. Open Enrollment is PUSD’s school of choice program. Applications will be accepted for admission to popular specialized programs such as:
Dual Language Immersion
Spanish (now offered on two campuses)
Dual Language Immersion
Mandarin Chinese
Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) middle school magnet
International Baccalaureate schools
·
College & Career Pathways in themed academies such as the App Academy, Engineering & Environmental Science, Culinary and Hospitality and Business & Entrepreneurship
Sky is our beautiful German Shepherd who we just adopted today [Jan. 19]. She jumped the fence in our yard when we went to buy her food and supplies to welcome her to her new home. We're told her former name was "Gretch." Even though we haven't had her very long, she's already a special member of our family, and my wife and I miss her very much. We are really anxious to get her back as soon as possible.
Sky is a pure breed German Shepherd, around 70 pounds. She's mostly black with some brown markings. She's wearing a brand new red collar and has a dog tag that asks anyone who finds her to call the Pasadena Humane Society.
Apparently she got out around noon and was last seen around Eaton Canyon on Altadena Drive at around 4pm Saturday.
UPDATE 1/22: Will writes back to say that Sky was killed by a car sometime Sunday. Our sympathies go out to them.
From left: Ed Jasnow of the Altadena Rotary Club; Elizabeth Claire Lambert; Dr. Jane Lambert, and Eliot Principal Lorena Martinez. The Rotary Club gave a $300 grant toward Elizabeth's project, creating a dedicated counseling room.
by TImothy Rutt
Elizabeth Claire Lambert may be one her way to being one of those movers and shakers.
Elizabeth Lambert chooses paint colors for her counseling room rehab project.
The 17-year-old Ambassador Scout was looking for project for her Gold Award, to reach the highest level in Girl Scouting. Her mother, Eliot Middle School math teacher Dr. Jane Lambert, steered her in the right direction: a large number of Eliot students live in group homes, or come from families struggling with poverty or abuse, or have other issues, and counseling is a constant need. Unfortunately, counseling sessions had to take place in a quiet corner of the library, without any sense of privacy for the child. What the school really needed was a designated private room for counseling.
Elizabeth met with Principal Lorena Martinez, who approved the project and pointed her to a vacant, unused room on campus.
"It was completely empty," Elizabeth said. "No furniture, and it hadn't been painted in 30 years."
Elizabeth estimated that it would take somewhere between $2,500-$4,000 to rehab it into a counseling room. She said she felt the project was "ambitious enough, but not overly so."
And then she started making phone calls and knocking on doors.
Her father Hank Lambert said that he told her that the hardest part would be getting people and businesses to donate money and materials. But, he said, she's proven him wrong.
The project is now expected to be completed by her Feb. 28, 2013 deadline and -- at least as of last week -- she hadn't yet spent a dime on it. Everything to date has been donated.
Elizabeth and her Partnership Painting crew (with owner Scott Penn in the jacket) at Eliot Middle School.
Among the donations: Vista Paint, which donated $125 of paint for the room; Partnership Painting, which donated a three-man crew to paint the room; Altadena Hardware, which donated blinds; and labor and materials donated by volunteers, parents, Girl Scouts, the Eliot PTA, Ikea, Scholastic Books, Crest Furniture of Burbank, and many others. About $700 of books and games have been donated to the room.
"I'm accumulating funds, and will use them for a lot of things -- I can do more now than I anticipated," she said.
UPDATE: Elizabeth's father Hank Lambert emails that there were two other significant donations: First United Methodist Church's men's group gave $200; and Learning Works donated $500.
Webster's Fine Stationers gave $512 to the Christmas Tree Lane Association for sales of the Association's merchandise. From left, Steve Elliot, CTALA treasurer; Scott and Lori Webster from Webster's Fine Stationers: CTLA vice-president Tony Ward, with President Maureen Ward receiving the check; and CTLA board member Gordon Seyffert.
by Timothy Rutt
The Christmas Tree Lane Association is a little closer to its goal of replacing the old incandescent bulbs with energy-saving LEDs, thanks to sales from Webster's Fine Stationers.
Webster's Fine Stationers, 2450 N. Lake Avenue, had record holiday sales of Christmas Tree Lane's proprietary memorabilia, which they carry all year long. Webster's give 75 percent of proceeds of Christmas Tree Lane items to the Lane, which is an Altadena holiday institution.
On Saturday, WFS gave a $512 check to the Association from the sales of Christmas Tree Lane merchandise.
"It's something we can do to help keep Altadena's premier holiday destination going", says Lori Webster, "and we're proud we can do that! Of course, the props go to the residents of Altadena, who bought their adorable products in droves!"
An Author Night with Michael Patris and Steve Crise, two of the foremost chroniclers of the fascinating history of Mount Lowe, will be the centerpiece of the Annual Meeting of the Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library on January 31, at 7 PM. The public is invited to the lively event which will include a presentation by the authors featuring a PowerPoint of captivating images from their latest book, Mount Lowe Then and Now.
Michael Patris and Steve Crise are researchers for the Mount Lowe Preservation Society, a nonprofit organization working to permanently preserve one of the most important chapters of the history of the San Gabriel Valley. Although it’s their third of three titles on Mount Lowe, it was actually their first book idea. For their latest, Patris, and Crise juxtaposed historical Mount Lowe photos side-by-side with similar shots recently taken by Crise, a talented photographer. Special care was taken to accompany the photos with illuminating descriptions, and to honor the historic images by using the same camera angles, times of day and locations as seen in the earlier photos.
The Mount Lowe story began in 1888 when Thaddeus S. C. Lowe decided to retire as the founder of Citizen’s Bank after inventing more than 200 patented devices. He decided to move to Southern California to create the Mount Lowe Incline Railway, a world class resort on the top of the mountain. Neither Lowe nor David J. Mac Pherson, the engineer of the project, knew they were building into a national forest that was barely a year old. But when a decision from Washington D. C. finally arrived, they were allowed to continue their project, with the provision that if the railway ever ceased to operate it would revert back to the federal government.
When the Mount Lowe Incline Railway opened on July 4, 1893, it was called “Earth’s Grandest Mountain Ride.” It transported both local visitors and international tourists alike to a fantastic destination that included lavish accommodations, an alpine tavern, and incredible views. Mount Lowe soon became one of Southern California’s most popular tourist attractions. But unfortunately, by 1897 Lowe had lost control of his railway and was in financial ruin. The Mount Lowe Railway went into receivership and did not obtain a new owner until Henry Huntington purchased it in 1902 and for his Pacific Electric Railway system. But then devastating fires and floods destroyed Mount Lowe’s most prominent buildings, including the Echo Mountain House, the Chalet, Rubio Pavilion, and the Mount Lowe Tavern.
By 1936, the last of the structures succumbed to fire. The right of way was abandoned in 1941, at which time the land reverted to the U.S. Forest Service. The railway itself was scrapped for a meager $800. Almost everything else had already burned to the ground, including stables and railroad cars, which were wooden. Beginning in 1959, the Forest Service blew up whatever remained. By 1962, the Mount Lowe Incline Railway and its fantastic resort were a thing of the past. Although Mount Lowe itself still looms high above the San Gabriel Valley, the history of the railway and the resort can only be found in fading human memories, works by authors such as Patris and Crise, and the relatively few remaining artifacts, many of which have been collected and preserved by the Mount Lowe Preservation Society.
The Author Night is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served and no tickets or reservations are necessary. Autographed copies of the authors’ books will be available for purchase. The Community Room is located at 1115 El Centro Street and doors will open at 6:30 p.m.
Altadena yoga teacher Anne Bosi will soon start a series of yoga classes at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr. All levels are welcome, but Bosi says she is tailoring the classes for the beginning student.
The classes are in four week sessions on Wednesdays from 5:30-6:30 PM and Thursdays from 1-2 PM. Each session is $45, or $14 per individual class.
For more information or to register, call 626-798-1527 or email: anne_at_aum@netzero.net. Click on the graphic for more details.
Webster's Community Pharmacy, 2450 N. Lake Avenue, is holding a second and final flu shot clinic on Saturday, January 19, from 1-5 PM.
Pharmacy co-owner Meredith Miller says that they administered over 50 shots last weekend and "IWe still have vaccine available, but it will probably run out when this clinic ends (or before!)."
There will be an RN available during these hours exclusively for vaccinations, as long as the supply lasts. The pharmacy also offers flu shot and other vaccinations by appointment and walk-in every day (there seems to be a run on shingles, too).
A few details:
Flu vaccines are available for adults 18 and over without a prescription
Prescription needed for children 4 years -17 years old.
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Be ready to use all of your senses when Altadena library serves up Impressions of China, a feast of film, art, music, poetry, and discussion with artist Susan Dobay on Saturday, February 9, from 2-5 PM.
See: a display of artist Susan Dobay's most recent work, Impressions of China, a series of digital collages mixing paintings and photographs from a recent trip to this changing country.
Watch: A film by Lance Mungia on this amazing woman, her art, and personal views on China.
Listen: After the film Susan will share more of her insights of this fascinating country. Poets on Site will perform poems inspired by the images. Rick Wilson will accompany the poets on xiao, a traditional Chinese bamboo flute.
Taste: Refreshments will be served.
Artist Susan Dobay
The art of Susan Dobay can be seen around the world. She is the owner of the Scenic Drive Gallery in Monrovia. Thedocumentary film Interview with Susan Dobay by Lance Mungia was part of Monrovia’s 2012 Film Festival.
Kathabela Wilson is the creator and leader of the band of “Poets on Site,” a poetry performance group where poets collaborate with dancers, artists and scientists to perform on site of their inspirations. Poets on Site has produced 14 books and performances at museums, galleries and gardens in Southern California.
This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Altadena Library. The main Altadena Library is located at 600 East Mariposa Street, Altadena, CA 91011. For more information please call 626-798-0833 or visit the library on the web at http://www.altadenalibrary.org.
Daycare center continued: The county planning department has a website with documentation for the proposed child care center on 3311 Canyon Crest Drive (it will come up for a hearing with Altadena's Land Use Committee on Feb. 5 and town council on Feb. 19). Documents are right here.
A gem: Altadena jewelry artist Jill Morrison has set up a new website for her work at sterlingdesigns.com. Morrison also jewelry making classes at the Farrin-O'Connor Studio in Pasadena. She can be reached at 626-798-6588.
Polly Frost may not use her Altadena riding training in Manhattan, but she uses other lessons she learned there every day.
The New York City writer and former Altadena resident returns to the scene of the crime Feb. 10 with a one-woman show about her bad role models
by Timothy Rutt
One-woman autobiographical shows aren’t unusual to find: a performer telling stories of her life, who influenced her for good or ill, and how it all turned her into the person she is today. You can see these performances in libraries, “black box” theaters, at festivals, in small performance venues. So far, so good, so what?
What IS unusual is for the performer to tell her story to her audience in the exact place where it happened -- which is what Polly Frost will do in Altadena next month.
Frost, a New York City-based writer, is coming back home to Altadena to perform her show, “Bad Role Models and What I Learned From Them” on Feb. 10. And she’ll be performing it on in the same horse stable on Mariposa Street where learned so much -- good, bad, and ugly.
Bad role models “I started thinking about the whole question of role models in our lives,” Frost said. “Really and true, the people who had the biggest impact on me weren’t always the people who were the best role models -- in fact four of the people that I talk about in my show, and I pay tribute to them, could be seen as bad role models. in fact, they taught me so much about life, more than I learned from any good role model.”
Three of these bad role models were in Altadena, Frost said, “and it’s very exciting to get a chance to do my show in Altadena ... and I’m doing it in the stable of one of my bad role models, my riding teacher Aloha Robinson.”
Aloha (pronounced “Uh-low-uh”) was a “fantastic character, an amazing woman,” Frost said. A former starlet in the movies, “Aloha was an amazing survivor,” Frost said. “she was very ladylike, but she always had a cigarette, and never saw a glass of Scotch she didn’t like.” Frost said she kept her home open to all kinds of animals, including a mynah bird that learned to mimic Aloha’s smoker’s cough.
The Altadena Chamber of Commerce 89th annual Awards and Installation Dinner will take place on Friday, Feb. 1, and RSVPs must be in by next Friday, Jan. 25.
Honorees include Citizen of the Year Michele Zack and Business of the Year Altadena Hardware.
Cost is $75 per ticket or $140 for a pair. The dinner will take place at the Altadena Town & Country Club, 2290 Country Club Drive, starting at 6 PM. Purchase tickets online at www.altadenachamber.org or call 626-794-3988. Cocktail attire requested.
