altadenablog

Sunny day, keepin' the clouds away ...

Paco the chihuahua (yes, that Paco) takes in some rays Friday morning at the Rancho Bar on a break from his patrol of North Lake Avenue.  Temperatures will remain unseasonably warm today.

Paco: the legend continues at National Geographic Kids

by Timothy Rutt

Yes, we have children and we subscribe to the National Geographic Kids magazine. Our son was very happy to see his copy after our sudden journey to Sacramento and back, and he pointed this out to us:  a feature on Altadena's favorite crime-fighting Chihuahua.

Now, we know it was a robbery, not a burglary, but that doesn't dull the thrill of seeing one of our own in an unexpected place. It's in the new NatGeo Kids out this month.

 

 

Morning jolt: selling, and The Way of Paco

 

• The government wants your bag of gold: The county has been pretty quiet on the code-bombing front lately -- would it be too much to say that going after murals of muffins, kid's pictures on a fence, bohemians playing the guitar in a coffee shop has finally reached the level of instiutional embarassement?  (Probably not.)  At any rate, The Atlantic has come out with an article by Conor Friedersdorf that says "Americans Should Be Able to Sell Stuff Without a Permit" that's worth your read.
• Clash of the Titans:  Well, not really a clash, but Ellen Snortland, Altadena whirlwind and self-defense expert just back from Edinborough, tells us to look at a technique that you could call The Way of Paco.

Living La Vida Paco at Fancy Food Truck Friday

by Timothy Rutt

Paco the Crimefighting Chihuhua, Altadena's fiercest domestic dog, met with his public Friday night.  Paco was the featured attraction at Fancy Food Truck Friday sponsored by Webster's Community Pharmacy, Webster's Fine Stationers, and Webster's Liquor, and he met and greeted many fans.  There were also plentiful TV cameras around to record the event. Oh, and there were food trucks.  Here, Paco and his impresario Eric Knight handle paw-tograph requests. More after the jump.

The Daily Paco: it was just a matter of time, wasn't it?

by Timothy Rutt

You could say that good reporting comes from experience, instincts, daring ... and it would all be true ... but it also comes from dumb luck.

Which is how we got the the scoop on last night's narcotics raid from Altadena Sheriff Capt. McLean and Sgt. John Stanley -- who just happened to be on patrol and came across us walking the dog! (THAT's hyperlocal for ya!)

Anyway, Sgt. Stanley relays this picture from later in the evening, when a particular famous Alta-doggie wanted to hitch a ride from his base at Ace's Smoke Shop:

Paco was ever vigilant and seemed eager to venture out to keep the streets of Altadena safe.

 

Fancy Food Truck Fridays returns Aug. 12 -- now with more Paco!

The Websters companies (Fine Stationers, Community Pharmacy, and Liquor) are promising a treat for the next Fancy Food Truck Friday gathering on Aug. 12. 

Participating trucks are:

Grill 'em All

India Jones

Greenz On Wheelz

Hungry Nomad

Shrimp Pimp
A Rockin Ice

And -- according to WFS's Lori Webster in her latest email -- special guest for the evening will be Paco the crime-fighting chihuahua.  If you've always wanted to meet a superhero face to, uh, muzzle, this will be the time!  Fancy Food Truck Fridays runs from 5-9 PM.

Paco-watch: now the website, soon swag!

We were tweeted by Paco the crime-fighting chihuahua yesterday -- he's on Twitter, on Facebook, and now has his own website (with music, and you KNOW how much we love websites with music!).  The website promises to have Paco merchandise, too -- Paco's having a good ride!

Your daily dose of Paco

This time, Fox News does a piece on Altadena's canine superhero.

Meet Paco the Robber-Chasing Chihuahua: MyFoxLA.com

 

It's Paco's world, we just live in it

Paco the Wonder Dog is now moving into big celebrity territory:  he's on Facebook, and he's got a Twitter feed (#BravePaco).  (Our Twitter feed, which picks up any mention of #Altadena, has been nothing but Paco-Paco-Paco for days now.).

After his appearance on Good Morning America Monday, he was on the George Lopez show last night (George Lopez voiced "Papi," the Beverly Hills Chihuahua, but you knew that!)

And the Washington Post blog picked it up.  No word on the NY Times yet ("Will crime-fighting dogs mean less government stimulus?  How hard will this affect women and the poor?" -- Paul Krugman.  Sorry, went off into a little fantasy there).

What's next?  Well, don't forget, Paco, election season's coming up, the GOP's wide open, and you're DEFINITELY not soft on crime  (Paco/Palin 2012? Or maybe Paco/Bachmann, it's got a ring to it ...)

 

 

Morning jolt: Paco gets his cape

• Altadena's man (or dog) of the hour, Paco the crime-fighting chihuahua, was on Good Morning American Monday, and is no doubt tendering Hollywood offers now.  Also a reminder that this crime is still unsolved, so if you have any information, call Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Detective Binder at 626-296-2114 or 626-798-1131. If you prefer to provide information ANONYMOUSLY, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
• A timely reminder: another hiker rescue Sunday from Eaton Canyon.  Be careful out there!

Paco the chihuahua becomes a local hero

Security cam video of the July 7 armed robbery at Ace's Smoke Shop has been made public, and now the hero of the event comes to light: Paco, the feisty chihuahua who wasn't scared by two toughs with a rifle. ABC7's Rudabeh Shahbazi gives us the scoop:

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Now, if somebody could only spread the word to the coyotes that Altadena's dogs are not to be messed with ...

Update on armed robbery at Ace's Smoke Shop

Altadena sheriffs are still looking for two suspects in the armed robbery of Ace's Smoke Shop last night on the 2500 block of Lake Ave.

According to Sheriff Lt. Joe Dempsey, witnesses have identified the suspects as two male Latinos. Initial reports said that the robbers were African American. The suspects were wearing masks while robbing the shop, but shed the masks in front of witnesses while making their escape. The suspects were armed with a rifle.

One Altadenablog reader, who witnessed the suspects running out of the shop, said that the suspects dropped the masks they were wearing and a backpack as they ran across Lake Avenue.  The reader identified them as two Latino men in their 20's.

If you have any information, please call the Altadena Sheriff's Staton at 626-798-1131 or anonymously at Crimestoppers:

Phone: 800-222-TIPS (8477)
Text: TIPLA plus your tip to 275637 or CRIMES
Online: go to http://lacrimestoppers.org and click the link to submit a tip.

 

Armed robbery tonight at Ace Smoke Shop

UPDATE: An updated story and a corrected description of the suspects is located here.

Altadena Sheriff Lt. Marjory Jacobs said that there was a call about an armed robbery at Ace Smoke Shop, 2501 N Lake Ave., at 7:44 PM tonight (Thursday). 

Suspects were described as two black male juveniles, who took about $200 in cash. 

There's a containment area set up right now (10 PM), and deputies are actively searching for the suspects.