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Thurs.,  Oct. 21

• The Great California Shakeout is today: at 10:21 AM, drop, cover, and hold for 21 seconds.

Fri., Oct. 22

• The Altadena Library, 600 E. Mariposa celebrates the end of Teen Read Week with the 

Pictured: Michelle Huneven (center) talks about the writing life at the Altadena Library Tuesday night.
 

by Erika McCarden

Altadena-based novelist Michelle Huneven made a hometown appearance Tuesday night, sharing her insights with local book lovers on how reading makes a better writer as part of the Altadena Library’s writer’s workshops.

A popular freelance writer for the Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly,

• Pasadena Weekly’s Bliss has a feature on Altadena jazz artist James Raymond, who we discovered is also the son of rock legend David Crosby.  Raymond plays the Coffee Gallery Backstage at 8 PM today.
• The Cleveland Plain Dealer, of all places, has a picture of kids at the Altadena Christian Children’s Center doing the duck-and-cover thing at the Great California Shakeout yesterday.
• John Jones of Altadena received third place in his age group at the Western Justice Center’s Southern California Poetry contest,

Tarnie Fulloon, movement teacher and mind/body therapist, will be holding healing movement classes in Altadena in a new studio: Thurs. mornings from 9-10:30 AM (for women only) and Saturdays from 11 AM-12:30 PM.   For more information and venue address:www.bodyfreedom.com  - visit classes page.  Call 626 296 2002, or e-mail tarnie@bodyfreedom.com 

Typepad, our internet provider, has made some changes to to the way it works that we don't fully agree with or understand.  We're going to be working with a 500 px format for awhile (rather than fluid pixel format) on the main copy while we work some things out!

by Michele Zack

Many of us are puzzled and disappointed by Altadena’s sparse commercial life. We love the place, wouldn’t live anywhere else, but feel aggrieved at the dearth of places to locally and enjoyably spend our money. We can’t will restaurants and interesting shops and services into existence, even though when it comes to food,

Carolyn Seitz, our conduit to the sheriff's department, sent us this:

In response to some residents who have expressed concerns about Trick or Treaters having a potential to case our homes in preparation for a return visit as a burglar, Captain Steve McLean offers the following thoughts:

• Most criminals know that lots of families will be out trick or treating and will leave family members at home to hand out treats. 

lots of technical problems with the website today, which we're trying to get a handle on.  Thank you for your patience!

Five years in the making, the Altadena Town and Country Club book is a detailed history of the club’s first one hundred years. The book includes hundred of photos (many from the Altadena Historical Society collection) and stories about the club and surrounding community including struggles during the great depression, post war growth and current times.

St. Mark’s School held its annual Country Fair this weekend, with rides, games, and broken confetti-filled eggs.

Rosie did enjoy riding the ponies.

… we're still trying to iron out our technical problems, but bear with us  …

(Pictured: Annie Sprinkle processes down the steps of Farnsworth Park amphitheater Saturday night)

Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephen’s “eco-sexual purple wedding to the moon” went off with nary a hitch Saturday night at Farnsworth Park Amphitheater.  True, one of the three brides didn’t show (the Moon, which was under the horizon the whole time), but it was an interesting mix of neo-paganism, performance, satire, music, burlesque, and probably half a dozen other things. 

Friday:  Webster’s Fine Stationers, Anton Anderson MC’s a great workshop on digital networking.

Sunday: Mother Betsy Hooper-Rosebrook blesses Boo the dog  at the Blessing of the Animals service at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on Sunday.

Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday: RAIN (thanks to reader Steve Gerow for the photo).

Thursday: Children’s librarian Cassandra Stearns reads Ezra Jack Keats’ A Snowy Day at Read for the Record at the Altadena Main Library.

One from reader Brett Hunter who said:

[Friday] a friend and I spotted a bobcat on Mendocino Lane between Allen and Midlothian.  We actually watched it jump a wall to get into my neighbor’s yard.  By the way…It was spotted at 11 AM.  Walkers and animal owners beware.

And another sighting on Friday, from the newsgroups, of a red fox on Craig just south of Midwick. 

• Inland News Today reports that Judy Noiron, supervisor of the Angeles National Forest during the Station Fire (and lighting rod for criticism of her handling of the fire), will be laterally moving to become supervisor of the San Bernardino National Forest.  Noiron was supervisor of the Angeles for ten years.
• Beverly Quaye of Altadena has filed a $2 million claim against the city of Santa Cruz in the death of her son. 

However, there’s an asterisk:  according to committee vice chair Ken Roberts, the recommendation to close Burbank was with the contingency that the property be used to house Norma Coombs Alternative School, now located in Pasadena.

What that would mean, Roberts said,

Just a reminder that we're in the last stretch of Five Acres' clothing and shoe drive.  They're looking for unwanted clothing and shoes of any size and condition, which will be used by a recycler as part of their job development program for disabled young adults, training them in the areas of sorting,

On Oct. 16 at 9 AM, auditions will be held for the “We Got the Beat” talent show to be held Friday. 

On Mon., Oct. 18, teens can play “Beat the Odds,” a game show, starting at 3:30 PM.

On Wed., Oct. 20, it’s “Film Beat” with a music-themed film,

The group is loosely led by Virginia White, vocalist and member of the Jubilee Singers.  Bring your own hand drum or other percussive instrument (e.g., tambourines, gourd rattles) or use one of Virginia’s instruments. 

The Drumming Circle meets in Heicher Hall, just off the upper level parking lot,

The Altadena Chamber of Commerce's monthly mixer will be Oct. 26, 5:30-7:30 PM at Health Advantage, 1450 N. Lake Ave. in Pasadena (park in rear off Rio Grande).  Host is Gina Haber.

Altadena Crest Trail Restoration Working Group (ACTRWG) meets tonight at 7 PM at the Altadena Community Center, 730 East Altadena Dr.

The LA County Sheriff's have put out a press release on the seizure of fireworks Monday morning:

Altadena Sheriff's Station deputies responded to the intersection of Fair Oaks Avenue and Mariposa Street, Altadena, regarding a "Fireworks / Juvenile Disturbance" call. They saw the suspects place three long objects, which were tied together, in one of the turn lanes and attempt to light them.

Alta-artist Heather Morrow is leading two workshops at Kat Scrap Studio, 2455 N. Lake Ave.:

“Behind the Mask,” Sat., Oct. 16, 2-4 PM

Just in time for Halloween, in this Creative Souls Workshop you will be decoupaging and embellishing a mask. Artist Heather Morrow will guide you to create a work of art, inspired by your own vision.

• Rep. Adam Schiff is convening  a congressional panel today to investigate the Station Fire, at the Chambers Court of Appeals Building, 125 S. Grand Ave., Pasadena.  It starts at 9 AM and will go on until about noon. His panel will supplement a separate investigation by the General Accounting Office called for by Schiff.
• Also on today’s calendar: the interfaith “Daniel Pearl Harmony for Humanity” interfaith concert, 11 AM at the Weizmann Day School,

Leah Leddy, who hosts a weekly nondenominational silent meditation, is offering a monthly gathering to support the midlife journey. It starts this Sun., Oct. 17, and continues the third Sunday of every month.  For more information:

www.simpleordinarypresence.com/Monthly.html 

• PSN’s Brian Charles takes a look at the process of Altadena schools hiving off from PUSD.  It will be long, complicated, and colored by the the district’s tendency to shutter Altadena schools (like the three chosen to close down in the present go-round).
• While we’re looking at today’s PSN, former Altadena son Larry Wilson listens to Rev. George Van Alstine’s research on the crazy Rev. Fred “God Hates Fags”

The Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) will host an After-School Resource Fair to inform families about free academic tutoring and enrichment programs available under the federal Supplemental Educational Services (SES) program.

Patch is a subsidiary of New York-based AOL, which is launching about 500 plug-and-play local sites this year — each one looking like the other, yet each one promising to reflect its unique community. 

What do we like about it? 

The "Purple Wedding to the Moon" has been eclipsed.

The "eco-sexual Purple Wedding to the Moon," an event by performance artists Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens scheduled for Oct. 23 at Farnsworth Park amphitheater, has been cancelled by LA County.

According to Savitri Durkee, one of the producers, they were notified on Friday that the LA County Dept.

Let's help out the newbies: what Altadena story needs to be told, but isn't?