A planning and zoning consultant who has worked on many projects in Altadena for over 25 years, Carolyn has been a resident since early 2000 and is a well-known activist in community safety in Altadena.

Seitz was appointed to the Altadena Sheriff’s Advisory Community Advisory Committee (CAC) in 2007,

• The Altadena Sheriff’s Station tells us that in the month of November, the station received 15 reports of residential burglaries and 16 reports of larcenies (petty thefts, grand thefts, and vehicle burglaries):  “While these numbers are greatly reduced from our high in May, 2010 (39 – residential burglaries and 38 – larcenies), there is still a cause for concern.  Please stay diligent and aware of the activity in your neighborhood.  As always call the Altadena Sheriff’s Station if you see any suspicious activity.”

The pub is hosting Wednesday Night Wine Flight Specials, with $12 flights that include four wines with a taste of cheese, from 5 PM-12 AM.

They are also Sunday holiday wine tastings on Dec. 12 and 19, from 4-6 PM. 

On Dec.

Free Restoration Supervisor training teaches how to supervise volunteers during TreePeople’s restoration efforts in the Angeles National Forest this Spring 2011. Participants will learn how to teach the planting of native tree seedlings, proper safety and tool use, and how to ensure that everyone has a great time.

Please leave your items at the sheriff’s station,

Are you a writer looking for ways to improve your work or just interested in hearing some fascinating stories? If so, come hear authors Thelma Reyna and Gregory Ellis, who will be featured at the main Altadena Library, 600 E. Mariposa,  on Sat.,

We received word of the death of Mandi Antonovich, sister of Supv. Michael Antonovich, last week.  Burial was Dec. 4 at Forest Lawn.  Her obituary follows the jump.

Join Webster’s Fine Stationers (Altadenablog sponsor)  this Friday, Nov. 19, for “A Night at the (Rock) Opera with HB3″ as we present local author Hugh Bonar and his book Avalon.

A riveting adventure centering around 1930’s Catalina Island, Avalon recounts the life of its protagonist, Bill Livingstone, and his relationship with the island and his father.

Avalon incorporates humor and insight;

• The Man, Frank Girardot, interviews ‘Dena author Miles Corwin. Corwin, who’s written several true crime books, just released Kind of Blue, his first book of crime fiction.  This former reporter’s quote, on covering crime: “If you are really covering it, it’s all about suffering, not just a vehicle to titillate.”
• The Altadena Chamber of Commerce has announced that they’ve extended the deadline for citizen of the year,

Pictured: the flyer for the Thanksgiving Festival, the 1986 precursor of the Pasadena Waldorf School’s Elves’ Faire.

The Pasadena Waldorf School — which is in Altadena despite its name — holds its annual Elves’ Faire on Sat., Nov. 20, and it’s a special event: the faire is celebrating its 25th year bringing magic to children of all ages.

“It’s our greatest friend-raiser and fundraiser,”

• Plastic bags banned?  It sure looks that way — the LA TImes reports that the board of supervisors (Antonovich dissenting) voted to approve one of the most stringent bans in the nation on plastic grocery bags, to affect all unincorporated areas of LA County.  It has very simple language: “No store shall provide to any customer a plastic carryout bag.”  A paper bag will cost you at least 10 cents. 

• Chair Gino Sund said that they were in conversation with the people who hoped to hold a farmer’s market at Farnsworth Park.  Based on the conversation, it was felt that Farnsworth — a walk-in park with little space for automobile parking — was not a good location.  They will be looking at Loma Alta Park and Equestrian Center to see if there is a good space there.

Despite some fiery online rhetoric this week about the changes, they were approved wiithout much discussion, with no public comment, and in an almost-empty chamber, and almost unanimously (Okorie Eizieme and Greg Middleton abstained).

Besides some changes in language, the four major revisions were:

1. A candidate must be a registered voter to run for office as a census tract representative;

Above, Los Angeles County deputies and firefighters pay tribute in Palmdale Monday at the dedication of the “Captain Ted Hall and Engineer Arnie Quinones Memorial Highway.” A stretch of the Angeles Forest Highway between the 2 and the 14 was named after the firefighters, who lost their lives fighting the Station Fire Aug. 30, 2009.
Photos courtesy Supv. Michael D. Antonovich.

• What was all that police activity around Bank of America around noon Wednesday?  Fortunately, a false alarm, sheriffs say.
• This one isn’t a false alarm: a woman at the bus stop on East Washington and North Altadena Drive was pushed, kicked, and had her purse snatched Tuesday night, say the sheriffs.  PSN has sketchy details.
• Michelle Huneven’s Blame was put on the long list for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. 

Fri., Nov. 19

• Fun and Games Friday at the Altadena Library.  Teens and tweens are invited to come on over and enjoy traditional and video games, with some snacks just for you.  Come and hang out, have fun, snack and socialize.  3:30-5 PM at the Library, 600 E. Mariposa.
• Webster’s Fine Stationers,

For the second year (and hopefully not rained out this time), the merchants of North Lake Ave. are holding their North (Lake) Pole Celebration on Sat., Dec. 4, at Galloway Alley (just north of Mariposa on Lake).

There will be food and live music at this family-friendly event, many vendors, and some businesses will remain open.  Danny’s Farm will bring some of their animals for a petting zoo,

Me and Dr. Jones … we got a thing, goin’ on … (sorry, we’re having another flashback moment)

Caltech’s disaster superstar Dr. Lucy Jones will deliver a free public lecture at Pasadena City College tomorrow:

California’s winter storms, fed by “atmospheric rivers” above the Pacific, rival hurricanes in their potential for rainfall and damage by flooding. In the winter of 1861-1862, a series of storms caused such extensive flooding that one-third of the taxable land in California was considered destroyed.

Don't forget that TONIGHT at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr., a panel of health providers will discuss nourishing your mind, body and spirit to prepare for the holiday season, and any time.

Panelists include:

Gina Haber, Licensed Acupuncturist – "Demystifying Energy Medicine"
 

The performances will be Sat., Dec. 4, 7:30 PM, and Sun., Dec. 5, 4:30 PM. Tickets are $5/person – Presale (go to http://selahgospelchoir.weebly.com/ for information) or $7 at the door.

Selah Gospel Choir is joined by Broadway performer extraordinaire Harrison White as emcee, and their fantastic band (Zachary Provost on keys,

UCLA, the Watershed Council, and the US Forest Service have released more details on their Dec. 16 symposium, "The Station Fire: One Year Later: Post-Fire Habitat Restoration and Recovery."

The symposium will be held at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr., from 9 AM-4:30 PM:

Join the Watershed Council,

We've removed the story previously here because some ethical issues were raised.  We're keeping this placeholder until we finish our investigation.

The school site at 183-205 Palm St. is expected to change hands today.

If all goes as planned, the site of the former Bienvenidos Children’s Center on Palm St. will be sold today to the president and principal of a private Arcadia prep school.

But, says Arroyo Pacific Academy president Philip Clarke, he does not intend to repeat the mistakes made by the previous owner,

Apparently a bus or some other vehicle clipped off a fire hydrant at the corner of Lake and Orange Grove in Pasadena this afternoon at about 1 PM.  We do NOT want the job of shutting it off.

National Weather Service is putting into effect a flash flood watch for Station Fire burn areas, from 6 AM Saturday through Saturday afternoon.  They say rainfall rates of between one half and one inch per hour will be possible with the next wave of rain, and that flash flooding and debris flows will be a threat in and below the recent burn areas.

Gail Casburn at (Altadenablog sponsor) The Altadena Ale & Wine House, 2329 N. Fair Oaks, says that they are giving away 10-15 bottles of wine and sparkling wine on Thanksgiving eve (Wed., Nov. 24) for those who purchase a glass or bottle of wine.  Each glass will receive one ticket, and each bottle will receive four tickets.  Snacks will also be provided.

The Pasadena Arts League (PAL) is now accepting applications for its 2011 grants to non-profit arts organizations in the Pasadena area. Awards will be announced in May and will be presented at PAL's annual meeting in June.

All arts-related requests will be considered, with preference given to projects and programs benefiting youth. An application should be in the form of a letter providing information about the organization and the specific purpose of the grant request.

These young knights are bringing back the manly art of cudgel fighting.

A young maiden tries her hand at jousting in our annual John C. Reilly-doing-Dad-duty picture.

Pictured: Steve Rudicel, Gloria Putnam, and the goats of the Zane Grey Estate.

Steve Rudicel and his fiancee, Gloria Putnam, are in their back yard showing off their pride and joy: their herd of goats, and the new flock of chickens. 

Alta-troubador Bill Burnett and friends will be holding court at the Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake Ave., on Thanksgiving Eve (Wed., Nov. 24):

I feel thankful in so many directions I wanted to just let my voice fly free on Thanksgiving Eve, the day before we all gather with our loved ones and overeat. 

Been fighting a cold, and will spend the morning doing good deeds (really!).  But lots of updates to come — let's just say the Dec. 3-4 weekend is going to be really busy around these parts …

We were very concerned about the helicopter orbiting around about 4:30, but not much scanner traffic  — sheriff's station says it's part of a filming going on.

UPDATE: Check the comments — apparently the pilots are not being good neighbors.