… between Crest and Porter this morning, says a reader:

in my backyard at about 6a. My name is Jason Chuan and I live on East Altadena Drive between Porter and Crest/Page. He/She was a big one. Seems pretty low for such a big bear. I locked my pitbull/boxer mix in the house so that he wouldn’t try and fight,

• PSN reports that LA County Parks and Recreation will provide free lunches and snacks for children 18 and younger at local parks, starting today, including Farnsworth and Charles White Park.  Details here.
• Christ the Shepherd Lutheran Church (185 W. Altadena Drive)  will be having a Recovery Mass on Sun, July 4th at 10 AM to coincide with the CA Marathon that weekend. 

A list of displays in the county is available at this link. 

Thx to the scanneriffic Alice Wessen for the graphic.

Altadena Heritage’s 7th Golden Poppy Awards yesterday was held in the backyard courtyard and gardens of Pat Corcoran’s beautiful home on Altadena Drive. Sixty members and guests arrived to the lovely strains of the Diego Miralles String Quartet wafting down the long driveway, shaded by a most unusual “avocado marriage tree.”

These two large,

From Altadena Sheriff Sgt. Marsha Williams:

Altadena Sheriff’s Station will be undergoing major renovations to the front of the station, lobby and entire perimeter, beginning Monday, June 28, 2010. Construction will continue through August 31, 2010. During this time, the entrance to front of the station will be closed and inaccessible.

And —

• Northwestern University sophomore diver Felicitas Lenz of Altadena did very well at a meet in Berlin, so much so that the German national team is talking to her (she was born in Tubingen). 
• Oddball Grape talks about its weekend sojourn at Webster's — we're really sorry we missed the wine tasting!
• Metropolitan News-Enterprise (a Los Angeles area online law publication) has a story by Kenneth Ofgang about the California Supreme Court upholding the death sentence for David Earl Williams,

“To ensure that we are prepared for fire season, these vital aircraft have been requested to supplement our Fire Department’s water-dropping helicopters,” said Antonovich. 

Pictured: this morning’s view from the Mt. Wilson Towercam

From Mt. Wilson Observatory:

Visitors to the world-famous Mt. Wilson Observatory can once again enjoy a memorable lunch among the telescope domes and Ponderosa pines up in the clear air overlooking the Los Angeles Basin.

The Mt. Wilson Institute today announced the opening of the “Cosmic Café” where visitors to this historic site can purchase fresh-made sandwiches,

Via our compadre Bikinginla, news of an upcoming county bicycle plan workshop in Altadena (note: not listed in the graphic)

Hello,

This is just a reminder regarding the upcoming workshops for the County of Los Angeles Bicycle Master Plan.  We need your input on bicycle infrastructure and programs that increase bicycling in your community.  Please join us at the Altadena Community Center on July 12 to share your ideas on the Plan. 

Bubble Mania: Join us as Bubble Mania’s Bubbleologist brings the amazing world of bubbles to Altadena!  Experience the science of bubble magic!  Audience members can volunteer to get placed inside a bubble!

2 PM at the Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa, and 4:30 PM at the Bob Lucas Branch Library, 2659 N. Lincoln Ave.

There've been some interesting reactions to an item in Michele Zack's Golden Poppy awards story.

Winner Michael Gregory told the story of receiving a letter from State Sen. Carol Liu, complaining about a lack of front yard maintenance (Gregory and Michael Howard tore out their lawn to replace it with a drought-tolerant landscape of succulents and decomposed granite). 

• Altadena Library Teen Program: make “Candy Sushi” at the Altadena Library: Drop by the library and show us your sushi making skills. We will also show an Anime Feature and if you haven’t already you can sign up for the Teen Summer Reading Program!
• Chaney Trail gate will be closing nightly at 6 PM, beginning Thursday,

We want to take some time out to welcome new members of Altadenablog/Altadena Online's sponsor team:

The Rancho Bar, 2485 N. Lake

Michael Baietti and Linda Seyffert from Dickson Podley Realtors

and returning Christ the Shepherd Lutheran Church, 185 W. Altadena Drive.

American Cowboy magazine calls singer, songwriter, and harmonica virtuoso Gary Allegretto’s unique brand of music “Amazing. You’ve never seen – or heard anything like it.” True West Magazine declares he’s “sure to impress the Cowboy hat off your head”! Indeed, Allegretto recently received a “Best of the West Award,” two WMA nominations, and two Grammy Award considerations for his music.

On Thursday, July 1, 2010, a crow collected from the City of Covina tested positive for WNV.  West Nile virus is endemic to California, and its reemergence serves as a strong reminder to the public of its potential danger.

• Food GPS blog has some details and compliments on the Altadena Ale House.
• Shirlee Smith — who recently resigned from the Altadena Library District board of trustees — give a few vague reasons in this weeks PSN column.

Last night, a speeding car coming down Fair Oaks hit a Chihuahua, leaving it in the street bleeding and crying for help. Neighbors on the La Corona-Palm St.- Upside-Down-T rescued the dog and had it transported by the L.A. Animal Control to a vet in El Monte.

We were informed this morning that due to extreme injuries and multiple fractures, the dog had to be put down.

If you know whose dog it is,

… in a concert of patriotic music at Farnsworth Park, starting at 7 PM and brought to you by the Sheriff's Support Group of Altadena and its sponsors.

Don't forget that you can order a boxed dinner from Amy's Patio Cafe to enjoy as well!  This is the big time now!

The Altadena Library’s teen reading program is underway, and they’re offering another craft project this week:

On Thursday, July 8 from 4-5 PM, teens (13-17) can get a little dirty while they are being creative! We will play in the sand to create cool looking beach inspired sand candles.  Make sure you register for the Teen Summer Reading Program to participate in all of our fun,

The Sheriff's Support Group of Altadena's annual summer concert series in Farnsworth Park kicked off last night with music by the Elks 99 Concert Band, in a program of popular and patriotic music.  Here, the band plays a medley of Henry Mancini music, and concertgoers Ingrid Meadows and Brian Biedebach were inspired to trip the light fantastic.

——–

He currently resides in San Francisco and is the San Francisco Bureau Chief for television station KTVU Channel 2.

Stevenson and several colleagues from KTVU were honored at the recent Associated Press Television and Radio Association (APTRA) “58th Annual Mark Twain Awards Celebration Honoring Excellence”

Sgt. Yolanda Palomo of the Altadena Sheriff’s Station said that two burglaries took place on Layton St. and one on New York Dr.  On one of the Layton burglaries, the burglar broke glass to gain access to the house; in the other two, the doors were kicked in.

Items stolen were electronics, camera equipment,