• Home-grown: PSN has this great picture of Altadena’s Casey Cousineau of Flintridge Prep making the save at a recent game against LaSalle (she had seven saves in the game, which ended in a tie).  Read about “Coach Casey” in our story here.
• Hometown: Speaking of Altadenans on the move.

Freyja is a great dane mix rescue doggy. She is white/black/brindle and about 100 pounds. She has a blue collar with her yellow microchip tag. Freyja is about 6 years old.

Last seen around 2 PM Friday December 14. She normally is sleeping on the couch inside our home.

We are not sure how she got out of the house. Freyja can run very fast and is not very street smart.

The Los Angeles Parks and Recreation department will hold its annual holiday party and toy giveaway next Friday, Dec. 21, but there’s one problem:

No toys.

Because of tight budgets, Parks can’t buy toys themselves, and have relied on donations from the public to help make Christmas happy for children in the area.

But this year, not so much.  

Farnsworth Park put out an appeal for donations around Thanksgiving,

This year is the 92nd lighting of Christmas Tree Lane.  On behalf of AHS and the community, thank you to Tony and Maureen Ward along with all the volunteers who tirelessly spent the year rebuilding lines, replacing bulbs, and maintaining trees.  Merry Christmas to all.

The Altadena Historical Society article on Santa Rosa Park follows the jump.

At 7 PM on Thursday Dec. 20, Pastor Joe McGowan leads a small group in the chapel for centering prayer.  Enter the chapel door from the west driveway, at 943 E. Altadena Drive.

On Sunday, Dec. 23, the adult class continues to explore the themes of Advent through the art of Vincent Van Gogh.  The class includes discussion,

NOTE: We ran the wrong address earlier — it’s fixed now!

by Timothy Rutt

Multiple Los Angeles County law enforcement agencies are involved in a holiday season crackdown on drunk drivers.

The campaign, called "Avoid the 100" for the number of agencies involved, arrested 456 individuals last weekend (December 14-16) for driving under the inflience of alcohol or drugs.

It's all about education today:

• Open enrollment ends: Today (Dec. 18) is the last day for families with students already enrolled in a school of choice to register siblings at that school. Children of current PUSD full-time employees and Willard Elementary fifth grade students who wish to continue in the IB program at Blair Middle School are also part of priority OE.

by Timothy Rutt

The Altadena Mountain Rescue Team has been very busy rescuing errant hikers this year, and this time of year is a great time to give back to them.

According to a press release, during an average year AMRT assists approximately 100 lost or injured hikers and conducts almost 40 search and rescue operations every year.

The Altadena Town Council agreed Tuesday night to create a committee to look at revising community standards, the regulations that govern businesses and residential planning in Altadena.

And they hope to finish the job within six months.

Council vice-chair Jamie Bissner said that the last time the community-wide standards district had been revised was in the mid-1980’s.  One of the outcomes of the recent Altadena community visioning process was that it was felt the current community standards —

Every spring, the Altadena Library celebrates poets and poetry with the “Poetry and Cookies” festival, which includes the annual anthology.

Principal Libriarian Pauline Dutton says that now is the time to submit your poems to the 2013 anthology.  If you’d like to submit your work, please do so before Jan. 22, 2013.

Poets should also be available to read their work at the library’s Poetry and Cookies celebration which will take place at 2 PM on Saturday,

The combination of wind, rain, and late autumn light has made for some fantastic sunsets this week. Above, Deb Halberstadt captures sundown on the peaks, while Steve Gerow captures the light against the clouds.

Well, it’s here: Mayan Apocalypse Day!  If you haven’t finished your Christmas shopping yet … well, why bother now?

Mendocino Street is blocked off Friday morning for an accident investigation. The Altadena Sheriff’s station said that a call came in about a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle at 6:45 AM.

UPDATE 11:15 AM: California Highway Patrol confirmed that it was a fatal accident, but not much more at this time.  Investigators are still on the scene.

UPDATE:  Victim was identified as a 54-year-old Altadena man jogging eastbound on Mendocino, and was clipped by a Chevrolet that then ran into a Mercedes-Benz.  

Chris Larson at the Rancho Bar tells us that the bar and “A Piece of Peace Carolers” will be making the yuletide brighter for charity this Saturday, December 22.

Reservations can be made at The Rancho Bar all day Friday through Saturday afternoon for carolers to appear at your home or place of business Saturday.  Spaces are limited for home/business reservations so sign-up quick! 

The Pasadena Master Chorale, under the direction of conductor Jeffrey Bernstein of Altadena, will perform with the Los Angeles Daiku Orchestra on Jan. 5, 2013, in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony at the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse in San Gabriel.

Featured performers include Krystle Casey, soprano; Hiromi Morota, mezzo; Timothy Gonzales, tenor; and Dean Elzinga, bass.

Tickets are $25, $20 for seniors ant $15 for students.  

by Timothy Rutt

Toys are lined up, above, for Farnsworth Park’s holiday toy giveaway Friday night.  Just six days before, Farnsworth Park recreation supervisor Angie Calleros said that there were no toys to give away — but the community pulled through.  Calleros said that the Altadena Rotary Club, two film production companies, and many individuals donated toys for the park’s annual giveaway.  Before the toys went to deserving homes,

The Altadena Historical Society’s quarterly meeting and lecture features Altadena artist Ian White.

White is the son of Charles White, a major African American artist of the mid-20th century and Altadena resident.  The elder White created socially-conscious art in a time of great social upheaval,   Ian White will talk about growing up in Altadena with parents who inspired social responsibility and creativity.

The gnome who took up residence in our hollow tree in January.

by TImothy Rutt

It was probably in mid-January when we first noticed the gnome had moved in.

There’s a sycamore tree in our front yard, facing the street, that has a hollow in the base. And one day, as we were leaving the house and drove past it,

Former Pasadena City Councilman Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) was sworn in Monday as assemblyman for the new 41st Assembly District.

Holden was also named Majority Whip of the California Democratic Caucus.

Holdn started his first day by introducing a bill addressing economic development and jobs creation, according to a release from his office.

“We need jobs here and we need jobs now.