The Altadena Sheriff Station will be sponsoring the local National Night Out at Loma Alta Park tonight, from 5-8 PM.

The deputies will provide drinks, hot dogs, hamburgers, and other fun food, but please bring a potluck dish to share.  There will be a bounce house, activities for the children, and information booths from the sheriffs, the Sheriff Support Group, CERT, and other community groups.  

Probably one of the most influential Altadenans ever was Jon Postel, who was born on this day in 1943 (he died in 1998).  Postel was one of the “fathers of the Internet,” inventing and administering its address system for 30 years, and coming up with the current administration system where addresses are managed by several non-governmental organizations.

He was born in Altadena and raised and educated in Southern California.

Altadena’s favorite island party band comes back to the Sheriff Support Group Summer Concert Series on Saturday, Aug. 10 as Upstream returns to Farnsworth Park Amphitheater.

Welcome to the Upstream experience, please leave your inhibitions and other real world concerns at the door, we’re here to party!  It’s been quite a wild ride for the members of Upstream, formed in the republic of Trinidad and Tobago in the late 1980’s and reformed in southern California in the early 1990’s,

Altadena Sheriff Station Capt. John S. Benedict taunts the crowd before getting his just desserts in the dunk tank at National Night Out at Loma Alta Park Tuesday night.

 

by Timothy Rutt Altadena’s National Night Out at Loma Alta Park Tuesday, Aug. 6, was part neighborhood picnic and part public safety fair.  The picnic part consisted of potluck grub with the deputies cooking up hot dogs and hamburgers on their big portable grill.  

 Members of the Altadena Town Council say that the current chair is hard to reach and disengaged — but at the same time, she is working to keep her seat despite lack of support

by Timothy Rutt

Town Council Chair Bernardean Broadous, at a 2011 sheriff”s department town hall. Photo by Laura Monteros.

Some current and former councilmembers have said they’ve lost confidence in Chair Bernardean Broadous because she has been hard to reach,

• Contract: Altadena-based contractor Mallcraft Inc. just won a $34.6 million contract to build a new structure on the Glendale Community College campus, to be the college’s largest.  Burbank Leader has the deets.
• Eat: The Montreal Gazette has a trend article highlighted by Joseph Shuldiner’s “Pure Vegan” cookbook: it’s vegan cookbooks that aren’t so lecture-y.
• Scholars:  Miles Croonquist of Altadena earned a BS in Aeronautical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in May;

But first, what are members of the Altadenablog sponsor team up to?

Fancy Food Truck Friday:  The monthly event, sponsored by Webster’s Community Pharmacy, Webster’s Liquors, and Danny’s Farm, welcomes five new trucks today:  Tainamite Truck, The Lobos Truck, Crepe’N Around, The Sushi Pirate and Wings On Wheels.  

A Southern California Edison lineman is being removed from an electrical tower adjacent to the Sam Merrill Trail in this photo by community correspondent Paul Ayers.

by TImothy Rutt

Edison is using a bit of derring-do during construction of its new lines just north of Altadena this summer.

The Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project will deliver electricity from windfarms to the California electrical grid.

Former assemblyman Anthony Portantino, who recently declared his intent to run for state senate, is hosting a new talk show on Charter Communication’s California Channel.

The half hour ” The Question Is with Anthony Portantino” premiered this month, where Portantino discuss curent issues and problems facing California.

“We are extremely excited to have Anthony’s expertise, wit and political knowledge featured on Charter Communications.

Senator Carol Liu (D- La Cañada) announces that an estimated $450 million will be available to fund energy efficiency and clean energy projects, including roughly $47 million for schools in the 25th Senate District. Additionally, nearly $50 million will be provided to fund energy projects at California’s 112 community colleges.  These projects provide a triple benefit by reducing energy bills,

The folks behind the Fork in the Road will be collecting donations this weekend on behalf of the families of the 19 Prescott, Arizona hotshot firefighters who perished fighting the Yarnell fire last month.

The Fork Foundation with the cooperation of the Pasadena Fire Department, City of Pasadena, Los Angeles Firefighters and The Pasadena Foothills magazine will be collecting donations on Friday,

The event is an effort to distribute information about state and local programs and services available to residents of the district.

The fair includes rides, entertainment, a car show, and state and federal government informational displays.  Pasadena Fire Fighters will be cooking up free hot dogs.

• Finding her balls: Altadena’s Emily Green usually writes about gardening and such, but her recent LA Weekly article talks about her vintage balls …. BASEBALLS!  And how they weren’t so vintage, after all.
• Water fall: Pasadena Magazine’s Matthew Fleischer looks at Eaton Canyon’s killer waterfall.
• For the lost: Altadena photographer Sarah Allegra, whom we profiled on these pages, is donating 75% of the profits from sales of her newest photo,

Friday, July 19

Library Summer Movie Extravaganza: “Escape from Planet Earth” (rated PG), 3 PM at the  Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa Street.  Free admission and refreshments.

Hotshots Fundraiser at the Fork:  The Fork in the Road will be the place to make donations to the families of the 19 Prescott,

Sunday, July 7

12:50 AM – A vehicle burglary occurred in the 900 block of Kent Street. Loss: purse, ID, credit cards. 

7:00 AM – A suspect (male/20 years old) was cited/released for possession of illegal fireworks in the area of Lake Avenue/Loma Alta Drive after a citizen reported hearing fireworks in the area. 

Give yourself a reward and celebrate the end of the program with a delicious ice cream treat!  

Social goes from 2-3 PM at the Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa St. The reading program is sponsored by the Friends of the Altadena Library.

The Town Council is the government we have. Many people are torn between working to improve it by showing up, asking questions, applying pressure when needed — and giving up on it. But not having a Town Council (or a dysfunctional one that does actual harm) would mean the loss of a great conduit to the “real” government,