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Haven't gotten anything in a while from the rambling photog who calls himself Gary Altadena, so it was a pleasure to get the above in the mail:
George's Drive in Liquor old school neon sign getting some new paint. Lincoln @ Altadena drive.
--Gary Altadena shooting from the westside.
The Altadena Comedy Festival, a fundraiser for the Blue Star Families, starts today at 6 PM with an attempt at a record-setting group hug at the Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake ($1 to charity to be part of the hug yourself).
There's a whole evening of comedy tonight to tickle your funny bone -- it's "Sketch and Improv Night," with well-known acts including Keilly & Roeters (pictured). Check the Altadena Comedy Festival website for the latest lineup and ticket information.
Autumn in Altadena officially kicks off with the annal Pumpkin Patch at Camp Mariposa, 615 E. Mariposa St. The Girl Scouts will have games, crafts, and activities for the entire family (as well as lots of pumpkins) on Sat. and Sunday from 9 AM-4 PM both days.
"October Shadows: a Celebration of Halloween in Art" is a gallery show that's going to be at probably the best place for it: the gallery at Mountain View Mausoleum, 2300 N. Marengo.
Artists from the worlds of fine art, comics, TV, animation, and film will display their Halloween-themed work starting Sunday, Oct. 2. The exhibit will be open each Sat. from 11 AM-5 PM and Sun. from 11 AM-3 PM in October.
The Altadena Library invites you to "Read for the Record" on Thurs., Oct. 6 at the Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa St.
Readers throughout the country will try to set a record for the number of people reading the same book on the same day. This year's book is "Llama Llama Red Pajama" by Anna Dewdney. Readings are at 11 AM and 4:30 PM at the community room.
There will also be readings at Perry's Joint, 2051 Lincoln Ave. While they last, participating readers will also get copies of the book for their very own.
A busy weekend this time around! Keep checking back as we add more!
Thurs., Sept. 29
Fri., Sept. 30
Sat., Oct. 1
Sun., Oct. 2
by Timothy Rutt
For aficianados, (or "TEDsters") TED is almost a way of life. TED (which stands for "Technology, Entertainment, and Design") is a series of annual conferences held in Long Beach, Palm Springs, and Edinborough, Scotland, highlighted by the "TED Talks." A typical "TED Talk" has an accomplished, innovative person (anyone from Bobby McFerrin to Jane Goodall to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown) give the "18 minute speech of their life" in front of an appreciative audience, where they can talk about their ideas and what makes them tick.
(TED talks are available for free at www.TED.com).
The TED organization also licenses the TED name for local, self-organized events that bring people together for a TED-like experience, called TEDx. The first TEDxPasadena will be held at Aveson Charter School on Oct. 22.
Altadena resident and long-time community activist Greg Apodaca is the organizer behind TEDxPasadena, and he says "TED is designed for people with big ideas, who think these ideas are worth sharing in our area."
Apodaca, who has worked with Leadership Pasadena and Community Without Walls, said he jumped at the chance to work through TED "to create a new community of global thinkers, the initiative to be a change agent, to get [people] together in a big way."
Planning for TEDxPasadena has been going on for a year, when Apodaca got the license to do it -- "the TED parameters are pretty strict," he says --- and people started coming to him with ideas and offers of help. "About four or five months ago, we got serious about it and formed a committee."
by Timothy Rutt
Street crews started work Monday preparing for a major restriping of Lake Avenue north of Altadena Drive. Crews will be removing the existing stripes before that stretch of the street is restriped to include a center turn median. The hope is to slow up traffic and increase safety for turning cars. (Big Hat tip to Bob Mann!)
UPDATE 9/29: We have a copy of the public letter that details the program after the jump (thx: Greg Middleton).
Continue reading "Work begins on Lake Avenue restriping [UPDATED]" »
by Timothy Rutt
This Friday and Saturday marks the return of the Altadena Comedy Festival, and it will be a full two days of laughs in service to a good cause: remembering those who serve.
Producer John Heinsen (who co-founded the festival with Julie Sandoval, owner of the Coffee Gallery coffee house) says that the event will be in support of the Blue Star Families, an organization that supports families of servicemen and women serving overseas.
In that spirit, the festival will present the ECHO lifetime achievement award to Bob Hope, who entertained so many troops during World War II and the wars in Korea and Vietnam. And, the Saturday night show, "Frontline Comedy," features standup comedians who have been to Iraq and Afghanistan.
All events will be at the Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake.
Continue reading "Altadena Comedy Festival brings the laughs Fri-Sat." »
A six-point buck and a doe feed in the Goss Canyon area near the 2400 block of W. Shields St. in La Crescenta on Friday, September 23, 2011. (Raul Roa/Pasadena Sun)
Staff reports
Pasadena Sun
Altadena's Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy is trying to build community support for the purchase of a 7.75-acre property in La Crescenta to preserve as open space for wildlife and outdoor recreation activities.
The parcel is located at the top of Rosemont Avenue at the mouth of Goss Canyon, a 250-acre area that is largely privately owned.
The Conservancy has an exclusive, right-to-buy agreement in place through December, giving it three months to pull together the $450,000 needed to secure the property, Executive Director John Howell told members of the Crescenta Valley Town Council last week.
“If we are not able to acquire it, [the owners] will be forced to put it on the market and that would mean in all likelihood that land builders would be looking to acquire it,” Howell said.
by Jane Brackman
President, Altadena Historical Society
If you've lived in Altadena for any length of time you've probably been curious about the history of the hauntingly beautiful house on the southeast corner of Mariposa St. and Maiden Lane. It was built in 1911 for well over $20,000, when the average US wage was 22 cents per hour and the annual income was $200 and $400 per year.
When there were only 8,000 cars in the US the owner, Mrs. Effie Neustadt, kept several (along with a chauffer who probably lived in the apartment above the garage.) At that time fuel for cars was sold mostly in drug stores and there were only 144 miles of paved roads. The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
Take a stroll back in time on October 23, from 10 AM- 4 PM. The history of this house, along with several others will be featured on Altadena Historical Society’s history tour of the 900 block of East Mariposa Street. Two other homes, the fully restored craftsman house built by the Chamberlain family and the home of our first historian Sarah Noble Ives, will be open for full docent led tours.
Tickets are $15 for members, $20 for non-members, and $25 at the door. To purchase tickets you can send a check to AHS at the address below, or order on-line:
http://altadenahistoricalsocietytour.eventbrite.com/
For more information email me or call 626-794-0700 or go to our website www.altadenahistoricalsociety.org
All tickets will be picked up at the event, to be held rain or shine.
The Altadena Mountain Rescue Team, along with Sierra Madre's team, assisted Montrose Search and Rescue Team members who were looking for two missing mountain biking brothers Sunday night and Monday morning.
According to a Los Angeles County sheriff's department release, Montrose rescuers responded to the Switzers picnic area parking lot at Angeles Crest Highway. A mountain biker said he and three companions started a trip from Red Box to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory on Sunday. Two of the bikers, brothers age 42 and 45, were lagging, so the informant told him the were left behind and were last seen at three miles south of Switzers at about 6 PM Sunday.
After the mising bikers didn't call home or return to their vehicle a tthe starting point, their companions reported them lost.
One of the brothers was described as overweight, with high blood pressure and possibly diabetic.
L.A. County Fire 16 Aero (helicopter) assisted with the search by air, and Fire 82 assisted with the ground search.
At 3:10 AM Monday, a page went out for the Sierra Madre and Altadena search & rescue teams to assist. By 3:50 AM, it was elevated to a countywide page to all search and rescue teams.
The brothers were located at 5:15 AM in good health, according to the sheriff's department.
Ticket Price: General: $15-----Student: $12
LA County Sheriff's Deputy Marcelo Ruiz used expert driving to stop a runaway vehicle in La Crescenta last week.
According to a release from the LA County Sheriff's Department, deputies on patrol Thursday morning saw a woman driving a Ford Focus frantically trying to get their attention as she drove down a hill in La Crescenta. They raced to catch up to the car as it travelled southbound on Pennsylvania Ave. from Foothill Blvd. and gained speed.
Deputy Ruiz, who was driving a patrol car with his partner, Reserve Deputy Alfred Danelian:
activated his car's red lights and siren, sped up, and eventually caught up to what he believed was a runaway vehicle.
The woman's car continued to pick up speed as it raced through five different red traffic lights with four-way intersections, and many other cars crossing through the intersection in both directions. He raced ahead of the woman's car as she continued to wave at him to get his attention and warn him that her car was out of control.
Deputy Ruiz positioned his patrol car in front of the Ford at over 50 miles per hour, then slowed down as fast as he safely could. Deputy Ruiz said that as he looked in his rear view mirror to continuously position his car correctly, he could "see the terror on her face." He was soon able to bring both cars to a stop near Mills Avenue.
Continue reading "Deputy stops runaway car in La Crescenta Thursday" »
The Folly Bowl, Altadena's outdoor venue, will hold "An Evening of Indian Classical Music and Dance" on Sun., Oct. 2, starting at 5 PM.
Performers include Alokparna Guha (katbak), Paul Livingstone (sitar), Pankaj Misra (sarangi), and Subhajyoti Guha (tabla). Suggested donation is $15/$10 for students. The Folly Bowl is at 1601 E. Loma Alta Dr.
Pictured: Sheriff Lee Baca, County Mayor Michael D. Antonovich, and Altadena Town Council Chair Sandra Thomas cut the ribbon to officially open the remodeled Altadena Sheriff's Station. To their left, Assemblyman Anthony Portantino and Altadena town councilman Greg Middleton look on.
by Timothy Rutt
After over a year of work and about $1.2 million dollars spent, Altadena's Sheriff Station was officially opened in a ribbon cutting ceremony Saturday afternoon.
The ceremonies, presided over by station Capt. Steven McLean, featured short remarks from local officials followed by public tours of the renewed station. (But you saw it first here.)
More pictures after the jump.
Continue reading "There's a new sheriff (station) in town" »
The light rainstorm and weather conditions Friday night made it a great time to capture sunsets. Here, frequent contributor Steve Gerow gives us a sky shot from last night worthy of a Maxfield Parrish painting. More after the jump.
Reader Kim is missing her cat:
The Altadena Library has three special children's events scheduled this coming month:
Read for the Record!
Thurs., Oct. 6, 2011
Altadena Main Library Community Room
11 AM and 4:30 PM
Join us as we Read for the Record! Readers throughout the country will try to set a record for the number of people reading Llama Llama Red Pajama, by Anna Dewdney, on the same day.
In-N-Out Burger Cover to Cover Club
Sat., Oct. 8 through Sat. Nov. 19
Main Library and Bob Lucas Branch
In-N-Out Burger invites children ages 4-12 to check-out and read five library books. Sign up and get details at children’s desk.
Halloween and Día de los Muertos Celebration
Fri., Oct. 28
Altadena Main Library-- Community Room
3:30 PM
Día de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, is a traditional Mexican holiday when family and friends gather to honor and remember loved ones. Halloween and Day of the Dead crafts include: trick-or-treat bags, decorations, Mexican paper flowers, and sugar-skull decorating.
The Altadena Main Library is at 600 E. Mariposa St. The Bob Lucas Branch Library is at 2659 N. Lincoln Ave.
The last-minute stuff for Saturday seems to keep rolling in: Sonja-Sophie Loeffler has organized a Walk in the Park event for Saturday afternoon. Walk or bike to the Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa St., leave at 4:15 PM and walk up to Farnsworth Park for a group photo.
It's all part of "Moving Planet, Saturday, September 24: A Day to Move Beyond Fossil Fuels"
Loeffler's "Walk in the Park" event in Altadena is here:
http://moving-planet.org/events/us/altadena/2679
There's also a related "Time to Transition!" event in Pasadena Memorial Park on Saturday morning:
http://moving-planet.org/events/us/memorial-park/926
Young & Healthy, the program that connects free health care to PUSD students in need, will hold a FREE fundraiser in October.
“It’s Possible!” will be held Thurs., Oct. 6, from 6-7 PM. at the Noor Ballroom in The Paseo Colorado, 260 East Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Appetizers and wine will be served. This is a one-hour event that begins promptly at 6 PM, and you won’t want to miss a minute! Childcare available per RSVP: call (626) 795-5166
Teens and tweens (11-17) come out to the Altadena Library and we’ll open up the Community room, set-up video games and traditional games and put out some snacks just for you. Come to the library and have fun, snack, and socialize on September 23 at 4 PM.
Assemblymember Anthony J. Portantino will hold his district office open house and food drive on Wed., Oct. 5, from 4-7 PM at Walnut Plaza, Suite 115. Portantino will also be collecting foot items that will go toward the support of the Foothill Unity Center and Friends in Deed. Click the graphic for more information.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Air 5 rescue chopper, the one you usually hear when an errant hiker is in trouble in the hills, will be replaced with a newer and more powerful model next summer.
Skip Robinson, writing in Vertical, a helicopter industry publication, says the LA County Sheriff's Department Aero Bureau has purchased three Eurocopter AS332 L1 Super Pumas, which will replace the modified Sikorsky SH-3H Sea Kings now used in rescues.
It's getting harder to find parts and support for the almost 50 year old Sea Kings, says Robinson. After looking for possible replacements, the sheriff's department found three used Super Pumas that were well-maintained and relatively little used.
According to Super Puma program manager Deputy Pat McKernan, “We carefully evaluated the AS332 L1 aircraft and found them to be the right fit for the Air Rescue 5 program. We also knew they were highly desirable on the open market and immediately began the process of obtaining approval to purchase them. Being previously owned but in excellent condition, these 18,960-pound aircraft were bought for what it would typically cost to buy medium twins. Our projected yearly operating costs look like they will be substantially lower than we currently experience with our aging fleet of rescue aircraft.”
All three choppers were flown in a three day cross country flight from Florida to Long Beach, where the sheriff's department has a flight facility.
Robinson quotes Deputy Mark Burnett, an Air Rescue 5 pilot, as saying "It’s great having a modern aircraft with full parts and engineering support from the manufacturer. We are looking forward to operating the Super Pumas in our mission profile, including hot-and-high conditions. We start at 5,600 feet from our mountain base [at Barley Flats], so the strong engines are going to be a great asset to our operations. Additionally, the 130-knot anticipated cruise speed is considerably better than the Sea King, allowing us to get on scene and transport patients faster. With its power, speed and payload, I see many advantages that the Super Pumas will bring to our mission.”
The new chopper will be refitted at Heli-One in Delta, British Columbia. Vertical magazine says the sheriff's department expects the aircraft to be operational and crews to be trained by mid-2012.
Pictured: the new rescue Super Pumas. Photo by Skip Robinson/Vertical.
by Carolyn Seitz
As you know the Altadena Sheriff's Station's Grand Re-Opening is scheduled for tomorrow from 3 to 7 pm.
One aspect of the Grand Re-Opening Celebration about which you may not know is that Altadena Mountain Rescue is also celebrating its 60th anniversary tomorrow. Plan for enough time to tour the renovated station and be sure to visit Altadena Mountain Rescue's newly renovated facilities. You'll have a good opportunity to learn more about the training they go through, the kinds of equipment they use to face the many challenges they endure in their heroic and successful efforts to get people out of the canyons and off of the cliffs safely.
And, for all who have contributed to the fund for new televisions for the Station, we've now raised $875, and had one additional television donated. Many thanks to all of you who have contributed. We have almost enough cash for 3 new TV's, plus 1 donated TV, so we're half way to the goal. All of your contributions are gratefully appreciated.
Please plan to come to the Grand Re-Opening tomorrow, for a few minutes or for a while. Meet Sheriff Baca, our Los Angeles County Supervisor, Mayor Michael D. Antonovich and many other dignitaries, as well as the leadership team from the Altadena Station and the fine men and women of the Altadena Station who work every day to protect us.
While we're all waiting for the satellite to crash sometime this afternoon, NASA has announced that sound bites from historic space missions are available for download as ringtones or on your computer for events, errors, alarms, and notifications:
The public now can hear the roar of a space shuttle launch or Neil Armstrong's, "One small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind," every time they get a phone call. A new NASA web page now has a collection of more than 35 different sounds, each approximately 20 seconds. Examples include:
- Apollo 13's John "Jack" Swigert commenting "Houston, we have a problem"
- Apollo 11: Eagle has landed!
- Apollo 8: Merry Christmas
- Crackle of the historic last launch of the space shuttle, STS-135
- Segments from President John F. Kennedy's historic moon speech
- Sputnik: Beep
- Atlas V Launch
- Sound wave conversions of the light curve waves created by stars discovered by NASA’s Kepler mission and other sounds of planets and stars
- Several versions of shuttle launches
- Saturn radio emissions
... and more.
Continue reading "E.T., phone home: NASA offers ringtones" »
Altadena Sheriff Lt. Joseph Dempsey said that one man was under arrest following a raid on a house involved in a narcotics investigation.
A joint group of LA County Sheriff's Deputies, Pasadena Police, and FBI agents raided the house on the 400 block of West Harriet at approximately 5 AM this morning. The operation was to serve a search warrant related to a narcotics investigation.
Officers arrested one man, Lorenzo Howse, no other information available, for violating parole. Dempsey said that the investigation was ongoing, and they expect additional charges will be brought.
UPDATE 9:20 AM: Just received this release from the LA County Sheriff's Office:
During a pre-dawn raid Thursday, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s gang investigators with the Sheriff's Operation Safe Streets Bureau (OSS) served search and arrest warrants at 32 locations in seven cities.
The warrants are part of several ongoing investigations into gang related murders, shootings and assaults stemming from a bitter feud between rival gangs. Although these gangs originated in the city of Compton, the warrants were served in the cities of Lancaster, Hawthorne, Lynwood, Long Beach, Los Angeles and Anaheim.
The 5:00AM operation involved over 300 L.A. Co. Sheriff's personnel as well as officers from the South Gate, Inglewood, Gardena, Whittier and Anaheim Police Departments. Officers teamed up and arrested 22 suspects who were booked on charges of murder, assault with a firearm, and illegal possession of firearms.
Seventeen males, three females and two juvenile suspects were arrested.
Deputies also seized an assortment of handguns, rifles, and shotguns which were illegally possessed by ex-felons, found to be stolen, or were guns suspected to have been used to commit crimes.
Gang related paraphernalia along with other evidence of gang membership was seized, which will be used to seek sentencing enhancements for gang related offenses.
Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services representatives took three children into protective custody.
Doesn't say this action yesterday was related to the Altadena raid, but the deputies have had a busy couple of mornings ...
by Bill Kisliuk
Pasadena Sun
In honor of National Public Lands Day, the Angeles National Forest will offer visitors free admission on Saturday, Sept. 24.
The National Adventure Pass normally required for daytime activities such as fishing and hiking will be waived. Throughout the country, volunteers will take to public lands to clean up and make improvements.
The U.S. Forest Service, in conjunction with REI, will offer a family-oriented activity in Big Tujunga Canyon Saturday, beginning at 8 a.m. Volunteers will help make trail and picnic area improvements at the Wildwood Picnic Area on Doske Road, off Big Tujunga Canyon Road. Registration is required.
For more information, visit www.rei.com.
Photo: A hiker stops at Switzer Falls in Angeles National Forest. Credit: Stephanie Ghiya/Pasadena Sun.
Three burglaries were interrupted by residents already in the house, along with some rear door entries and commercial burglaries this time around.
Wed., Sept. 7
12:50 PM - A residential burglary occurred in the 600 block of E. Mariposa Street. Suspect(s) attempted to enter the residence by prying and removing the window screen. The resident was home at the time and contacted sheriff's department. Loss: none.
Thurs., Sept. 8
Between 9:00 AM and 5:30 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 2300 block of Highland Avenue. Suspect(s) entered the residence via the rear door. Loss: gold diamond necklace w/angel medallion.
9:40 AM – A residential burglary occurred in the 100 block E. Harriet Street. The resident was home at the time and heard an unknown person knocking the door. The resident looked through the window and observed a male, Hispanic, 20-25 yrs, 5 ft. 7 ins., 140 lbs., black t-shirt, knocking on the door. Approximately two minutes later, the resident heard noise coming from the rear of the home. The resident contacted sheriff's department and exited the location. Deputies arrived on scene and observed the rear window screen to the basement and bathroom removed and windows open. Loss: none.
Fri., Sept. 9
Between 8:30 AM and 9:30 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 1500 block of N. Altadena Drive. Suspect(s) entered the residence by shattering the front door window panel. Loss: black Toshiba 15” laptop.
Sat., Sept. 10
Between 5:05 PM and 9:50 PM – A grand theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 1400 block of E. Mendocino Street. Loss: black Motorola Driod 2 and red Motorola Driod 2.
Between 6:00 PM and 1:30 PM, Sunday – A petty theft occurred in the 800 block of New York Drive. Loss: black Kawasaki leaf blower, orange Echo weeder, black skillsaw, and orange/gray hedge trimmer.
Between 7:00 PM and 9:00 AM, Sunday – A vehicle burglary occurred in the 2200 block of N. Lincoln Avenue. Suspect(s) entered the vehicle by shattering the passenger side window. Loss: white Sony camcorder, and silver Panasonic camcorder.
Mon., Sept. 12
5:42 AM – A commercial burglary occurred at Launderland, 1840 E. New York Drive. Suspect #1 described as male, Hispanic, 18-20 yrs, 510-511, 165-185, thin build, short hair, white tank top and dark baggy shorts and suspect #2 described as male, Hispanic, 18-20 yrs, 506-509, 170-185, medium build, baseball hat, gray baggy shirt and gray baggy shorts. Suspects were observed by a witnesses breaking into a coin machine possibly w/a drill. Suspects were last seen southbound Allen Av.
Tues., Sept. 13
Between 4:00 PM and 11:00 AM, Wednesday – A residential burglary occurred in the 1300 block of Sonoma Drive. Suspect(s) entered the residence by shattering the window. Loss: white Kenmore 3ft. refrigerator.
Wed., Sept. 14
11:05 AM – A residential burglary occurred in the 2500 block of N. Allen Avenue. The victim was home at the time and heard someone ring the doorbell. The victim observed suspect #1, male, Hispanic, with a blue Dodger’s baseball cap, blue shirt, standing in front of the door. The victim didn’t recognize the subject and didn’t open the door. A few minutes later, a silver 4-door sedan with (2) male, Hispanics, backed up into the driveway. The victim then heard a window being shattered and immediately exited the residence via the front door. The first suspect was then observed running northbound on Allen and the (2) other suspects entered the vehicle and fled in an unknown direction. Suspect #2 described as male, Hispanic, heavy set, black Yankees baseball cap, black t-shirt and suspect #3 described as male, Hispanic, wearing a white t-shirt. Suspect vehicle: silver or dark gray 4-door sedan, partial plate of ‘68v*7.’ Loss: black Samsung Intercept cell phone.
Thurs., Sept. 15
6:00 AM – A resident reported found property in the 700 block of Alameda St. Property found: black Sentry safe with Swisher Sweets cigar box.
Between 8:30 AM and 2:30 PM – A residential burglary occurred in the 1800 block of Kinneloa Canyon Rd. Suspect(s) entered the residence via the rear door. Loss: black leather wallet, credit cards, personal documents, and gray Sony camera.
Fri., Sept. 16
4:12 AM – A commercial burglary at House of Basturma, 2487 Washington Blvd. Deputies responded to the location due to a burglar alarm activation. Upon arrival, deputies discovered the glass doors shattered. Loss: white and gray Sharp cash drawer and misc. currency.
by Timothy Rutt
The Altadena Community Church, 943 E. Altadena Dr., re-installed its keynote stained glass window, "The Light of the World," on Wednesday. The window, which had been deteriorating from age and exposure, was removed after Easter because lead solder that held the individual glass panels together was falling off the window and into the street, said church member Chris Meadows. A new, non-rotting circular aluminum frame was set around the glass, which was taken for cleaning and restoration to Judson Studios, which created the window in 1947.
Workers put the final seal on the outside of the window Wednesday afternoon. The restoration of the "Light of the World" and other windows is part of a $350,000 refurbishment of the church, which includes repairing the roof and restoring the organ.
