Just a reminder that the Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa St., is having its monthly Friday Fun Flick this afternoon: "Hotel Transylvania," rated PG, at the Main Library Community Room. Free popcorn and drinks and spooky fun! Starts at 3:30 PM.
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by Timothy Rutt
The Altadena branch of the NAACP will honor slain youth worker Victor McClinton as part of its annual Tony Stewart Freedom Fund Luncheon on Sunday, March 10.
Other honorees include Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, Dr. Gwendolyn Bishop, Dr. George McKenna, and William Syms.
Former assemblyman Anthony Portantino will be the master of ceremonies at the luncheon, which starts at noon at Castaway Restaurant, 1250 Harvard Road in Burbank. Cost is $100 per person. For more information: naacpaltadena@gmail.com or (818) 517-2099
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by Timothy Rutt
The Institude of Domestic Technology will devote a day to the fine art of coffeemaking Sunday, Feb. 24, with local master micro-roaster Daniel Kent at the Zane Grey Estate.
The all-day package includes a morning spent learning how to roast your coffee beans, followed by an afternoon workshop in coffee extraction. All day package is $190, afternoon workshop alone is $95.
Instructor Kent is the proprietor of Plow & Gun Coffee, a seasonal micro-roastery from Altadena. The afternoon workshop, which is new, includes:
THE GRIND:
Explore the importance of the grind with an Institute favorite: a hands-on coffee cupping focused on the necessity of grind size uniformity.
COLD-BREW IS THE NEW ICED COFFEE:
Iced coffee is so 5 minutes ago. Hot coffee poured over stale freezer ice is gross. Assemble a cold-brew coffee kit to take home and enjoy the sweet benefits of cold-water coffee brewing.
PAGING DR. SCHLUMBOHM:
In 1941 Dr. Peter Schlumbohm invented the iconic and unsurpassed Chemex Brewer. Learn the pour-over method to brew the simplest and best coffee using his device which is in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art as well as in use in coffee shops around the world.
KAHLUA-DOMESTICA:
We at the Institute decided it was time to upscale the White Russian. We've deconstructed that infamous coffee liqueur we all used to sneak from our parents liqueur cabinet, only now we will be using better ingredients. Start a batch of your own Kahlua-Domestica to take home and toast your hard work with a cocktail. Cheers!
The all-day option includes the Home Coffee Roasting morning workshop, a catered coffee-inspired lunch, and the afternoon Coffee Extraction Lab workshop.
For more information or to sign up, check out the Institute of Domestic Technology's website.
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Reader Cate says she's got some free dirt for you -- about 25 cubic yards, in fact:
I'm re-landscaping my front yard. With the water shortage this week, my plans are delayed, so I can afford the time it takes for people to haul bits away at a time.
I'm at McNally Ave near Fair Oaks and Mariposa. However, I don't want people shoveling without first arranging with me. I'm a t818-425-9085 or cate2@heneghan.org. They can take the dirt between 6:00 AM and 9:00 PM while I'm around between now and Tuesday.
I will have extra dirt hauled off on Wednesday and mulch hauled in on Thursday/Friday.
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Westsiders: let us know if you see them installing the signs on the Walmart Neighborhood Market -- it will happen soon, and we want pictures when it does! Call/text 626-201-1023!
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by TImothy Rutt
Altadena deputies arrested a 33-year-old Norwalk man Tuesday who was driving a stolen vehicle, according to a press release.
The Sheriff's Department reported that Cesar Antonio Soto, a parolee, was found driving a 1995 Honda Civic that was reported stolen. According to the press release, a deputy noticed that the vehicle Soto was driving had an inoperable tail light. According to the press release, "As the deputy drove toward the suspect’s vehicle, the suspect suddenly pulled over on his own. When contacted, the suspect told the deputy that he was on parole for burglary. When the deputy ran the vehicle’s license plate, the vehicle returned as stolen out of the city of Whittier. Suspect Soto was arrested without incident and booked for driving a stolen vehicle and for a violation of parole."
Soto has previous convictions for burglary, narcotics, and robbery, according to the sheriff's department. The case will be presented to the district attorney today.
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Sunday, February 10
Between 10:00 AM and 4:30 AM (Monday) – A vehicle burglary occurred in the 3300 block of Laurice Avenue. Loss: credit cards, currency.
Monday, February 11
Between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM – A grand theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred at Waldorf School, 209 E. Mariposa Street. Loss: laptop.
Tuesday, February 12
Between 10:00 PM and 8:00 AM (Wednesday) – A petty theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 600 block of Deodara Drive. Loss: wallet, keys.
Wednesday, February 13
Between 7:30 AM and 10:30 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 900 block of Athens Street. Loss: laptop.
3:50 PM – A commercial burglary (shoplift) occurred at Rite Aid, 735 E. Altadena Drive. Suspect was taken into custody.
Between 4:00 PM and 11:00 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 900 block of Athens Street. Loss: checkbook.
Between 5:40 PM and 5:50 PM – A petty theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 700 block of W. Mountain View Street. Suspects described as (2) male, Hispanics, 18-20 yrs, 5’08-5’11, 140-150, short dark hair, wearing dark stripe uniform, driving a white mid-size truck. Loss: purse, and two cellphones.
5:45 PM – A vehicle burglary occurred in the 700 block of W. Mountain View Street. Loss: purse.
Continue reading "Crime blotter: bad week to be a vehicle" »
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by Timothy Rutt
Richard Meyer, orchestra teacher at Temple City's Oak Avenue Intermediate School, had been teaching almost three decades when he thought, "I've done all the other stuff -- it's time to do this, it's very important."
Giving Bach started because Meyer said that he "just got to the point where I wanted to build character in my students using music." For his student performers, "especially in middle school, they're socially learning -- many of these kids are shy and quet, and it's a little confidence booster."
For their audience, it's often a revelation: the concerts are interactive, meaning at different points the audience can mingle with the musicians as they play, even try out an instrument themselves.
"It's informative, we explain different kinds of instruments," Meyer said. "They get to play percussion, and ultimately thye sit in -- they sit right next to our kids -- and they'll let them hold (the instrument)."
The audience also gets a chance to form an orchestra of its own, putting on hard hats and playing "boomwhackers" against their heads.
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by Timothy Rutt
The Altadena Sheriff Station has distributed an information flyer in light of the uptick in local vehicle burglaries.
Full flyer after the jump.
Continue reading "Altadena Sheriff Station releases vehicle burglary tips" »
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by Timothy Rutt
The Altadena Farmer's Market is today, 3-7 PM at lower Loma Alta Park on Lincoln Avenue and Palm Street. Among the new delights:
Our list of delicious dinner options expands with Mama Musubi! Mama Musubi specializes in musubi - Japanese rice balls stuffed with vegetables, meat, or fish. They will also offer miso soup with fresh farmers' market vegetables. We are Mama Musubi's first and only farmers' market for now, so don't be shy about showing them the love of the farmer's market community.
The Claremont Forum & the Prison Library Project will be at the market again today. Their bookstore and children's corner are open to all and book donations (especially cookbooks!) are encouraged.
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by Timothy Rutt
Altadena-based filmmaker Laura Kraning will screen her film, "Devil's Gate," as part of an international program of experimental film and video work, presented by MIA at the Armory.
DEVIL’S GATE explores the metaphysical undercurrents of a Southern California landscape scarred by fire. The film lyrically depicts the physical and mythological terrain of Devil’s Gate Dam, located at the nexus of Pasadena’s historical relationship with technology and the occult, and intertwining with its central figure, Jack Parsons, who some believe to have opened a dark portal in this place. The film merges an observational portrait of a landscape transformed by fire, ash and water with a fragmentary textual narrative, providing a view into man’s obsession with controlling and transcending the forces of nature and spirit. It can be seen as unearthing a subconscious of the landscape, as the echoes of the past reverberate in the present and infect our perception and experience of place. (2011, 20 min, HD)
"Using Parson’s notes as an enticing Ariadne’s thread, Laura Kraning returns to Devil’s Gate. From the inextricable union between the exuberance of the environment and the equally massive anthropic intervention, she seeks to grasp the spirit of the place. Earth, water, air and fire are the major actors in an expanse in which the time allotted to man seems prescribed. Geometric figures drawn by the highways, stains on the concrete and the noise of the river in the background create a symphony in which one can easily get lost. Filmed in sharp black and white to the rhythm of Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2, Devil’s Gate emerges as a sample of esoteric archeology." – Carlo Chatrian, Visions du Réel
Laura Kraning’s experimental documentaries are portraits of secret worlds hidden beneath the surface of the everyday that traverse the border between the objective and the subjective, the real and the imaginary. Her early work as an abstract painter infused her filmmaking process in which she makes visible the textural and symbolic layers inherent in landscapes filmed over time. Her work has screened widely at international festivals and venues including the New York Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Visions du Réel, Edinburgh International Film Festival, Ann Arbor Film Festival, Rencontres Internationales, and the National Gallery of Art. She is a recipient of the 2010 Princess Grace Foundation John H. Johnson Film Award, The City is Cinema Jury Award at the 2010 Ann Arbor Film Festival, and was nominated for a New Visions Golden Gate Award at the 2012 San Francisco International Film Festival. Laura currently resides in Altadena, CA.
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Smart Garden Workshops
Free County workshop on composting and smart gardening techniques, such as water conservation. No reservation needed. Beginners workshop teaches you backyard/worm composting, and water-wise gardening. Advanced workshops teaches organic gardening and pest control and landscaping. www.smartgardening.com
Beginners Workshops:
March 9, 2013
9:30 am—11:00 am
Eaton Canyon Nature Center
1750 N. Altadena Dr, Pasadena
May 11, 2013
9:30 am—11:00 am
Crescenta Valley Water District
3730 Glenwood Ave, La Crescenta
Advanced Workshops:
May 18, 2013
9:30 am—11:00 am
Garvey Ranch Park
781 S Orange Ave, Monterey Park
April 13, 2013
9:30 am—11:00 am
Arboretum ($8 entrance fee)
301 N Baldwin Ave, Arcadia
Quantities limited. 2 bins per household. To reserve your bins, call (626) 458-3516 or email bjones@dpw.lacounty.gov. Expires 12/31/13.
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by Tiffany Kelly
Pasadena Sun
Caltech President Jean-Lou Chameau will leave his position at the end of the school year to head up a science and tech-focused university in Saudi Arabia, the institute announced Tuesday.
Chameau, who will be leading King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, said in a statement that he was proud of the students and faculty he will leave behind in Pasadena.
"The discoveries, recognition, and impact of the Caltechfaculty in a typical year are the envy of our peers," he said. "The opportunity to interact with such a special group, and to support their endeavors, is a reward in itself."
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by Timothy Rutt
The Altadena Town Council said “no” to a six month moratorium on development on Lake Avenue, or anywhere else, at Tuesday night’s town council meeting.
Following about a total hour and a half of public comments and discussion, where the council members sometimes exchanged tart words among themselves, the council turned down a motion by councilman Jamie Bissner to impose a six month, townwide moratorium on commercial development while new community standards are being drawn up. Despite Bissner adding the proviso that the moratorium could be superceded by the Land Use Committee or Town Council as they desire, the measure went down to defeat.
The council then passed a follow-up motion by councilmember Diane Marcussen to specifically NOT request a moratorium from the county Board of Supervisors.
Councilmembers opposed to the moratorium pointed out that it would be ineffective, anyway -- community standards are currently being updated by a town council committee, and are probably two years away from being put into action. Any development until then would have to be governed by the current community standards.
They also pointed out that, in practical fact, the moratorium would only be imposed on development of the empty lot at Lake Avenue and Calaveras Street. That lot is owned by the same company that owns the Walmart Neighborhood Market lot on Lincoln Avenue. Local anti-Walmart activistis have been pushing for the moratorium, fearing that the lot will be developed into another Neighborhood Market.
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by TImothy Rutt
Altadena's Walmart Neighborhood Market will open for business on Friday, March 1, according to a Walmart spokeswoman.
Rachel Wall, Walmart's senior manager of community affairs, said that it would be a "celebration weekend, opening the store to the Altadena community," with product giveaways and sample for customers.
Wall said the store will host a grand-opening celebration at 7:30 AM on Friday, March 1. Store associates and local dignitaries will participate in a brief ceremony, followed by a ribbon cutting where the doors to the new store will be opened to the public at 8 AM, Wall said in a press release. Local representatives including those from the Altadena Town Council and the Altadena Chamber of Commerce have been invited to attend.
According to the press release:
The grand-opening day celebrations will include product samplings and giveaways from companies including Wonderful Pistachios, Pepsi, Bimbo Bakeries, Monster, 7UP, Frito-Lay, Kellogg’s, Nabisco and more. Other activities scheduled include face painting and a character appearance by the Bimbo Bear. The grand-opening activities will continue through Sunday, March 3, including more character appearances, vendor samples and events. All events are family-friendly, free and open to the public.
As part of Walmart’s commitment to the communities in which it operates, $6,500 in grants from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation will be presented to local organizations, including John Muir High School, Andrew Jackson Elementary School, Mentoring and Partnership for Youth Development (MPYD) and Neighbors Acting Together Helping All (NATHA).
The new Walmart Neighborhood Market is tailored for the Altadena community, featuring a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, fresh cakes and bread, as well as meats, cheeses and prepared foods. The deli will feature a Grab-and-Go section with rotisserie chicken, fresh-baked pizza and standard deli sides. In addition to the fresh produce, bakery and deli items, the store will carry a full line of groceries, including frozen foods, meat and dairy products and organic items.
The approximately 28,000-square-foot store will be open from 6 AM to 10 PM, seven days a week. The store will offer Site-to-Store, a free service that allows customers to ship online orders from www.walmart.com free to any Walmart store for pickup.
Wall said that the store will also offer Site-to-Store, where cusomers can order items from Walmart's website and they will be shipped for free to the Neighborhood Market. It is located at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Figueroa Drive.
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... and a bleg is a beg on a blog!
One of the "good works" group we're in contact with wants to acquire iPads for educational programs for the children it serves. If any of our readers would have some connections on (1) funding sources, and/or (2) acquiring iPads at a price below standard retail, we'd like to get something hooked up. (This can even be a service group project). Email us at altadenablog@gmail.com or call us at 626-201-1023 and we can give you details.
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Parents and interested others are invited to attend the February Pasadena Unified School District/SELPA Special Education Dept. Community Advisory Committee general meeting in Altadena on Monday, Feb. 25.
Join us for a cup of coffee and some conversation with candidates in the 2013 Election for PUSD’s Board of Education.
Questions and comments can be sent to: joycac1@gmail.com
Free childcare and translation is available.
The meeting will be held from 6:15-8:30 PM at the Burbank Early Education Center (formerly Luther Burbank Elementary), 2046 N. Allen Avenue, Altadena.
More details are available at: http://cac.pasadenausd.org
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Muir Ranch, the working farm behind John Muir High School, is hosting a work party Saturday, Feb. 23. They will be transplanting summer vegetables, building rose beds, completing a hoop-house, turning compost, and more!
The work party is from 8 AM-noon; snacks will be served. If you are a member of the Arroyo TimeBank, you will earn time dollars for your work. If you aren't a member of the TimeBank, you will earn a sense of satisfaction and probably make some new friends. So come on out and get your hands dirty and help to build something beautiful!
Please enter via Circle Drive, off Canada Avenue.
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from the South Pasadena Friends of the Library
The Community Room, the original 1907 main reading room of South Pasadena’s original Carnegie Library, retains its historic hand-painted beam ceilings, leaded glass windows, and wrought iron and glass main doors. It is now ADA compliant as well, with a new wheelchair ramp. The concert will be a fundraiser for the Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library who will also provide refreshments.
As so many know, Van Dyke Parks is a legendary composer, arranger, producer, musician, singer, author and actor who is probably best known for his collaborations with Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys, including the famed SMiLE album, finally released in 2012 to critical and popular raves. Van Dyke Parks is also an established solo act and during his extraordinary 40+ year career, he has collaborated with such artists as Phil Ochs, The Byrds, U2, Rufus Wainwright, Harry Nilsson, Ry Cooder, Bonnie Raitt, Randy Newman, Fleet Foxes, Keith Moon, Frank Zappa, and Ringo Starr. He has also released six acclaimed studio albums, as well as a distinguished live album. For the concert Van Dyke will be singing and playing the piano and accompanied by his stellar band comprised of harpist Amy Shulman Kent, cellist Cameron Stone, Dave Stone on standup bass, and percussionist Don Heffington. They will be joined by very special guest artists, Inara George, Joe Henry, and David Plenn.
Tickets can be purchased for $20 each at http://vandykeparks.eventbrite.com. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. At the conclusion of the concert, autographed Van Dyke Parks CDs, 45s, and LPs will be available for purchase. Ample free parking for concertgoers will be available across the street from the Community Room at 1020 El Centro Street, thanks to generous support of the South Pasadena Unified School District. Audience members are asked to enter the parking lot on the west side of Fairview Avenue, just north of El Centro. It is not known at press time if any tickets will still be available at the door on the night of the event. Special thanks are due to Bob McClain and S & B Sound, Scott Gandell and Anneline De Croos/South Pasadena Mercantile, Bob Stane/Coffee Gallery Backstage, and the Restoration Concert Committee of the Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library.
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"Shuggie Comes Home"
from gloriana casey
A lost cat then is found again,
and neighbors, they do laugh.
For Shuggie is a courtyard cat,
so cute, yet also daft!
For curiosity is said
to be cats' nemesis.
But neighbors make the difference then,
when kitty cat is missed.
Behold the hero, Zach his name
this cottage courtyard man.
His eagle eye and tuned in ears
found Shuggie on the lam.
For in his back yard he did spy,
as Shuggie pawed the glass.
A locked in cat on summer porch,
Behold! She's found at last!
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from the City of Pasadena
Pasadena City Clerk Mark Jomsky reminds the public that Tuesday, February 19 is the deadline to register to vote in the March 5, 2013 City Council and Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) Primary Nominating Election.
Eligible individuals wishing to participate in the March 5 election for City Council Districts 3, 5 and 7 and PUSD Board of Education Districts 1, 3, 5 and 7 must complete a voter registration application and mail it by the Feb. 19 registration deadline to the Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters.
Registration forms are available at the City’s public counters, community centers and U.S. Post Offices. Individuals needing registration assistance can visit City Hall, the Jackie Robinson and Villa-Parke Community Centers, La Pintoresca and Santa Catalina Branch Libraries and the Public Health Building during regular business hours where City staff is also available to assist in completing registration materials.
For more election and voter registration information, call the City Clerk’s Office at (626) 744-4124. Additional information is also available online at www.cityofpasadena.net/CityClerk/Election.
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by Timothy Rutt
The Altadena Sheriff's Station is reporting that there is a rescue currently underway before 9 PM) in Eaton Canyon.
Rescuers from the Altadena Mountain Rescue Team, assisted by Sierra Madre Search & Rescue, made voice contact with a mother and son stranded in the dark near the first waterfall of Eaton Canyon. According to the station, search and rescue deputies reached the victims around 8:15 PM -- they are not injured, but the rescue team is determining if it is safe to perform a technical rescue or spend the night and helicopter everyone out in the morning. The predicted onset of rain probably won't help anything.
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by Timothy Rutt
Angeles National Forest roads will be closed about 3 AM tomorrow as the National Weather Service predicts rain, snow, possible thunder for the next few days.
NWS is predicting a 20 percent chance of showers after 10 PM tonight, with a low of around 42. By Tuesday, 80 percent chance of precipitation is predicted. Snow is predicted as low as 3,900 foot elevation. Tuesday night, more rain and snow showers are predicted, with some thunder possible and low around 34. Chance of preciptation is 100 percent, with new snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches in the mountains.
With a storm on the way, the LA County public works department is planning to close the following roads early Tuesday morning:
-- Angeles Forest Highway from Aliso Canyon Road to Angeles Crest Highway
-- Big Tujunga Canyon Road from Angeles Forest Highway to Vogel Flats
-- Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road from Angeles Forest Highway to Angeles Crest Highway
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by Timothy Rutt
Altadena customers of Las Flores Water Company are being asked cut back on water use from Feb. 18 through March 1. Altadena residents who are supplied by the City of Pasadena are being asked to restrict water use from Feb. 21 through Feb. 28.
The Foothill Municipal Water District, which supplies Las Flores, is beginning upgrades that are scheduled to end March 1. The Metropolitan Water District, which supplies Pasadena and FMWD, will refurbish an older pipeline during ithe February dates.
Customers of Rubio Canyon Land and Water Assn. and Lincoln Avenue Water, which are also supplied by FMWD, are not on such restrictions, as their water companies say they will have adequate supply through the repair period.
The City of Pasadena has already declared a Level 4 water shortage during the duration, which bans outdoor watering and requires other water use restrictions throughout the city.
Businesses are being asked to do their part to ensure adequate wage levels. Such water conservation steps include no outdoor watering, hand-washing vehicles, filling swimming pools or spas, or hosing down driveways and sidewalks.
Gardeners are being asked to delay new landscaping -- which typically requires continual watering to establish plants, shrubs, and trees -- until after the shut down. If the weather warms prior to the shutdown, residents may want to deep-root water plants to keep them healthy. Deep-root watering should be done before the shutdown begins Feb. 21.
Residents can visit www. mwdh2o.com and www.bewaterwise.com for the latest information on the planned shutdown,as well as wearer-saving tips. During the shutdown, regular updates on upgrade work will be posted.
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from the City of Pasadena
Arts and Cultural Affairs
We are pleased to announce that the 2013-2014 Annual Grants Program Application and Guidelines
http ://www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/Arts/Grant_Programs/> are now available online.
All applications are due to the Cultural Affairs Division office by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, May 15.
The Annual Grants Program provides opportunities for local arts and culture organizations and individual artists to reach the Pasadena community through interesting, relevant and high quality programs. Each year, this competitive process encourages thoughtful and engaging programming in five application categories:
* Arts & Culture series (I, II and III) for organizations based on annual budget size;
* Arts Education (for California State Standards based programs);
* Festivals and Parades; and
* Individual Artists
In anticipation of the May 15, 2013 application deadline (for all categories), the Cultural Affairs Division of the Planning & Community Development Department will present free Technical Assistance Workshops. Workshopsreview important aspects of the application process and provide general grant writing skills as well as a focused "Question and Answer" format for each application category. Proposed projects must comply with Program Guidelines and new applicants are required to attend an appropriate Workshop before submission of an application.
For more information about the Annual Grants Program Application, Guidelines and free Technical AssistanceWorkshops, please visit the Cultural Affairs Division online at www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/Arts/Grant_Programs/http://www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/Arts/Grant_Programs/ > or call (626) 744-7062.
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The Altadena Chamber of Commerce is looking for feedback from local businesses as part of the revision process for the Altadena Community Standards District.
The CSD, last revised in 1986, is being updated by a committee of the Altadena Town Council. The chamber is interested in comments from local businesses as to the current standards and how they can be improved. Other groups will be holding meetings about residential standards later in the process.
The meeting will run from 7:30-9 PM at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr. To register, go to this website. To decline, please go here.
The current community standards are available here.
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Sorry we didn't get to this sooner, but between illness and website problems, everything's fallen behind!
But you still have time today to transport yourself over to 370 Ventura Street for The Geek's Garage Sale! Myra promises board games, DVDs, furniture, clothing, toys, housewares, Magic the Gathering cards, etc. Romulan Ginger Ale will be available! Try your hand at Tribble Croquet!
That's today, Sunday, from until 3 PM.
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Our weekly column is up at the Pasadena Sun, looking at the Library's program for Black History Month.
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by Reggie Wilkins
I got up this morning at about 5 or so.
The house was completely silent and the sky was Altadena dark. My goal was to use this particular alarm clock consequence of a 10 year old realizing he needed mom to remove a sleeping cat from his foot to mine the night sky. To bring into focus an image the ringed planet, that old god of time, abundance and wealth we call Saturn:
Saturnius Mons was seen as a god of generation, dissolution, plenty, wealth, agriculture, periodical renewal and liberation. Under Saturn's rule, humans enjoyed the spontaneous bounty of the earth without labor in a state of social egalitarianism.
Colleagues and residents of Altadena:
We are all here because we see things of value in this place astride the mountains. Gene, Monica, Council and audience. On this particular night, we are here because we wish to see an Altadena that offers generation, wealth, plenty renewal and liberation. We are also here because we seek some form of social equality – just as we are equal before the chronos – before time – and before the majesty of San Gabriel.
Continue reading "Imagining Altadena: searching for Saturn" »
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The Altadena Library presents "Hotel Transylvania" as this month's Friday Fun Flick on Feb. 22, starting at 3:30 PM.
Welcome to the Hotel Transylvania, Dracula's lavish five-stake resort, where monsters and their families can life it up, free from meddling from the human world. Needless to say, that won't last long.
Rated PG, and 91 minutes long, admission is free. The Altadena Main Library is at 600 E. Mariposa St.
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At the Board of Supervisors meeting, Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich presents “Calie,” a 4-month-old St. Bernard – one of many pets available for adoption now. For more information about adopting a pet, please call the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control at 562-728-4610.
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by TImothy Rutt
The 31st annual Black History Parade and Festival for Altadena and Pasadena kicked off this morning from Charles White Park, where 77 units marched down Fair Oaks to the festival site at Jackie Robinson Park in Pasadena.
Marching bands, fraternal organizations, first responders, and many community groups fielded marching units on a perfect parade day.
More photos and a video after the jump. See even more photos via Facebook here.
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by TImothy Rutt
Homicide detectives are on the scene in northeast Altadena following the discovery of a man's body with a gunshot wound this morning.
According to the LA Sheriff's Department, a man was found along a horse trail in the neighborhood of 3800 Canon Boulevard at 8:10 AM this morning. Initial reports described the man as in his 20's, suffering a gunshot wound to the head.
No other information is available at this point in the investigation.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
UPDATE: The Sheriff has sent the following update at 5:07 PM:
Detectives have learned that deputies from the Altadena Sheriff's Station responded to a call regarding an unresponsive man lying on a horse trail in the area.
The male Hispanic adult was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
There is no suspect information and no further information at this time.
UPDATE 2-17: PSN is reporting that the man was identified as Marcus Anthony Nieto, 26. Brian Day has the details.
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There will be a hands-on preparedness fair on Saturday, March 9, from 1-5 PM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at 770 N. Siera Madre Villa, Pasadena.
Try for yourself how to set a camp fire, set up a tent, use a fire extinguisher and more. Classroom sessions include communications, food storage, etc.
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by Timothy Rutt
The Altadena Town Council has only one action item on the agenda for Tuesday: considering a temporary moratorium for commercial development in the Lake Avenue business district.
Accordingly, expect the meeting to be crowded: the Land Use Committee also heard public comment about the idea last week, and sent it to the Town Council without making a decision itself.
This moratorium is being pushed by Neighbors Building a Better Altadena, an anti-Walmart group. It calls for declaring a moratorium on property development of over 15,000 square feet along the Lake Avenue business district while new community standards are being drawn up. In practice, this would only affect the "Calavaras Crater" on Lake Avenue and Calavaras Street. The property, after many years lying empty, is now going through the county processes to put a commercial building on the site. The site owners also own the property where the Walmart Neighborhood Market is about to open on Lincoln Avenue and Figueroa Street, and NBBA fears that the Calavaras project may be another Walmart market coming in under the radar.
Another anti-Walmart group, SaveAltadena, is also pushing for a moratorium, but county-wide, rather than local.
The Altadena Town Council meets at 7 PM Feb. 19 at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Drive.
Agenda after the jump.
Continue reading "Town council to mull over Lake Avenue moratorium Tuesday" »
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from FIve Acres
The Five Acres Children’s Guild, a service group dedicated to advancing Five Acres’ mission and vision, will host an informational meeting on Thursday, Mar. 7, 6 PM at Five Acres’ Zeilstra Research and Training Center.
Established in 1990, the Five Acres Children’s Guild consists of volunteers committed to being positive role models for children living in residential care while raising public awareness of Five Acres in the greater Los Angeles area. This event is open to all individuals interested in learning more about or joining this vital service group.
Members of the Children’s Guild develop and implement programs targeted at supporting the children of Five Acres and increasing the agency’s volunteer and financial support. Guild volunteers work directly with the children living in residential care at Five Acres, forming consistent and meaningful relationships. The Children’s Guild is seeking additional members with the goal of supporting a greater number of children.
Guild members meet once monthly to discuss upcoming events, cottage activity schedules, Birthday Angels program and introduce new members. They host a monthly on-campus cottage activity, such as playing sports, arts and crafts projects, cooking meals, jewelry making and dance parties, to name a few. The Guild also treats the children to a quarterly off-campus outing; past venues have included Kidspace Museum, Griffith Park Observatory, the California Science Center and a local Halloween carnival.
Five Acres, a pioneer in providing successful solutions that ensure safety, well-being and permanent homes for children and their families proudly celebrates 125 years of service. Throughout its history, Five Acres has continued to provide programs that have a measurable impact on the nearly 5,500 children, members of their families and support networks who are served each year. Since 1888, Five Acres has touched the lives of nearly 100,000 children and families.
For more information about the Five Acres Children’s Guild or to learn how to become a part of this vital service group visit www.fiveacres.org or contact Susan Lowe at 626-773-3751 or slowe@5acres.org.
Five Acres is a pioneer in providing successful solutions that ensure safety, well-being and permanent homes for children and their families. Founded in 1888 as one of Los Angeles County’s first orphanages, Five Acres has been committed to preserving effective programs and developing more effective prevention services for children and families in crisis. Services include: residential care and education, a non-public WASC accredited school, mental health services in homes and schools, foster care and adoptions and domestic violence prevention. For more information on ways to help, visit www.fiveacres.org or contact Kristina Sarenas at ksarenas@5acres.org or 626-773-3779.
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Come join us at our beautiful backyard for a RIE and Waldorf inspired Mommy and Me class. We'll discuss a parenting topic each week such as potty training/EC, Educaring, nutrition, nurturing environment, age appropriate toys, discipline, and school options.
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The crime blotter is provided by the Altadena Sheriff's Station.
Wednesday, February 6
Between 1:20 PM and 2:30 PM – A petty theft occurred at Eliot Middle School, 2184 N. Lake Avenue. Loss: iPhone.
Thursday, February 7
6:45 AM – A petty theft occurred in the 900 block of E. Altadena Drive. Loss: cell phone.
10:30 AM and 11:00 AM – A grand theft of an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 1000 block of E. Calaveras Street. Loss: purse, wallet, sunglasses, (2) iPhones, personal documents.
Friday, February 8
Between 1:30 AM and 8:00 PM – A vehicle burglary occurred in the 4100 block of Aralia Road. Suspect(s) entered the vehicle by shattering the rear window. Loss: silver/blue audio mixer, audio recorder, MacBook Pro, iPad, and miscellaneous recording items.
11:35 PM – A residential vandalism occurred in the 400 block of Alberta Street. Suspect(s) threw an unknown object at the front window causing it to shatter.
Continue reading "Crime blotter: burglaries (of course), petty thefts, vandalism" »
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from NASA
NASA Television will provide commentary starting at 11 AM. PST on Friday, Feb. 15, during the close, but safe, flyby of a small near-Earth asteroid named 2012 DA14. NASA places a high priority on tracking asteroids and protecting our home planet from them. This flyby will provide a unique opportunity for researchers to study a near-Earth object up close.
The half-hour broadcast from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., will incorporate real-time animation to show the location of the asteroid in relation to Earth, along with live or near real-time views of the asteroid from observatories in Australia, weather permitting.
At the time of its closest approach to Earth at approximately 11:25 a.m. PST (2:25 p.m. EST / 19:25 UTC), the asteroid will be about 17,150 miles (27,600 kilometers) above Earth's surface.
The commentary will be available via NASA TV and streamed live online at:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
and
http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl2
In addition to the commentary, near real-time imagery of the asteroid's flyby before and after closest approach, made available to NASA by astronomers in Australia and Europe, weather permitting, will be streamed beginning at about 9 a.m. PST (noon EST) and continuing through the afternoon at the following website:
http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl2
A Ustream feed of the flyby from a telescope at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., will be streamed for three hours starting at 6 p.m. PST (8 p.m. CST / 9 p.m. EST). To view the feed and ask researchers questions about the flyby via Twitter, visit:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasa-msfc
The NASA Near Earth Objects (NEO) Program at the agency's headquarters in Washington manages and funds the search, study and monitoring of NEOs, or asteroids and comets, whose orbits periodically bring them close to the Earth. NASA's study of NEOs provides important clues to understanding the origin of our solar system. The objects also are a repository of natural resources and could become waystations for future exploration. In collaboration with other external organizations, one of the program's key goals is to search and hopefully mitigate potential NEO impacts on Earth. JPL conducts the NEO program's technical and scientific activities.
For more information, including graphics and animations showing the flyby of 2012 DA14, visit:
www.nasa.gov/asteroidflyby
For more information about asteroids and near-Earth objects, visit:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroidwatch
UPDATE 2/15: OK, maybe we were a little premature about that caption!
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by Timothy Rutt
TreePeople and the US Forest Service are looking for volunteers to plant seedlings within the Station Fire burn area, to help restore burned areas that can’t recover on their own.
About 15,000 trees are to be planted: a mix of Jeffrey pine, Coulter pine, and Douglas-fir seedlings grown from native seeds harvested on the Angeles National Forest.
Plantings will be Thursdays through Sundays (9:00 AM. – 1 PM), from Feb. 23 until the middle or end of April.
You’ll need to pre-register for this event, so that TreePeople can coordinate crew sizes and other planting details. Follow this link to find and register for the planting day(s) that work for you: http://www.treepeople.org/volunteer-search
TreePeople says:
We encourage you to wear long pants, dress in layers, and bring a jacket. All volunteers must wear closed-toe shoes (hard sole boots strongly recommended). Also, bring sunscreen, a full water bottle, your own snacks and a sack lunch. Forest Aid recommends that you bring a day pack to make sure you have all the necessary items for mountain planting. Bulk water will be available to refill your water bottle. Please remember: Tree planting at high elevations can be rigorous work, so enjoy a hearty breakfast before you arrive.
If you are under the age of 16, you must have a parent or guardian attend the event with you. If you are over 16 but under 18, you must have the attached parent consent form completed and turned in at the beginning of the event.
Because of the dynamic nature of wilderness plantings and tree care, please check our Mountain Forestry Hotline for event location and last minute changes due to rain, fire, etc.(818) 623-4871.
There will be locked gates so please be on time to get into the planting site! Also, remember to fill your gas tanks for the round trip up and down the mountain.
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Just received word from Lori Webster at Webster's Fine Stationers, which had scheduled a book signing for Valerie Jackson's The Chocolate Princess In The Land Of Plenty" on Saturday, Feb. 16:
Dear friends, we received some terrible news this morning from Valerie Jackson. Her young niece, the daughter of the sister this lovely book is dedicated to, suffered a brain aneurism yesterday and is currently undergoing treatment, which might involve brain surgery, at Huntington Memorial Hospital. Understandably, the book signing will be postponed to a future date. Please join with WFS in praying for her full recovery and we'll keep you updated on a new date.
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There still may be a chance to get in on the Valentine's Day Dinner at the Altadena Ale & Wine House tonight,. Dinner starts at 6:30 PM, $85 per person,. Call in advance to make reservation and purchase tickets:626.794.4577 or email: info@altadenaalehouse.com
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"Wherefore Art Thou Valentine?"
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Some animal activity in recent days:
FOUND: A golden adult Corgi with an orange and green collar wandered into a yard at Alta Pine Feb. 11. LA tag #S22610. Also a blue bone tag. Contact mardesilva@att.net or 626-826-6147.
LOST: Junie B. Jones, a year-old pug, got out of her yard around Woodbury and Los Robles on Feb. 8. Call Lori at (626) 356-9433.
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Bill Westphal shared this picture of the Holly Slope Road mountain lion, captured Wednesday morning on his crittercam. Reports are several of the local dogwalkers had some agitated hounds, but no reports of the kitty making off with a meal.
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Mary's cat has gone missing:
Lost Cat: "Shuggie" left the house at 11 AM on Monday February 11, and hasn't come back yet. She is not prone to wandering off for too long and stays close to home.
Shuggie is medium-hair grey and white cat with a big fluffy tail.
UPDATE: Shuggie has been found and is back home!
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by Timothy Rutt
The Board of Supervisors has approved a $4.1 million project to construct new street lights in east Altadena.
The Layton Vista Ara Street Lighting Improvements Phase 2 project is scheduled to start in June, 2013, to be completed within 60 working days, or September, 2013, according to the project approved by the supervisors Tuesday.
Bids will be open on the project March 12. Streets to be improved include:
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