by Timothy Rutt

As if there weren't enough to do today, the Pasadena Scots are holding a pipe and drum concert tonight at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1757 N. Lake Ave.  The concert follows an afternoon of workshops in the "Pipes and Sticks on Route 66" event.  Tickets are $25 at the door, and more information is here.

The Altadena Library Board of Trustees will have its monthly meeting on Mon., April 23, starting at 5 PM in the Altadena Main Library Community Room, 600 E. Mariposa St.  The agenda is available here.

Our column for the Sunday Valley Sun is up (and was rather weirdly edited), but it's  rundown of the top stories of the week, so do check it out.

We will be in transit today and tomorrow for family reasons — we'll keep things going as best we can from our out-of-town location, but look forward to coming back to Altadena Monday night.

Westminster Presbyterian Church, just across the border, wrapped up a busy day with a pipe and drum concert in their sanctuary.  The Pasadena Scots hosted “Pipes and Sticks on Route 66,” kind of a touring supergroup of bagpipers.

Local poet Betty Ford reads her work at the Altadena Senior Center Saturday afternoon for “Poetry and Cookies,” the annual poetry festival sponsored by Friends of the Altadena Library.  The event included the crowning of Altadena’s new poet laureate, Linda Dove, who here shows off a recent acquisition — tattoos (of doves, of course).

The Altadena flag was officially unveiled Saturday afternoon at the community center and captured in this Bill Westphal photo. More after the jump.

Aveson Charter School celebrated Earth Day with a festival on campus. Here, a mandala is being formed from recycled materials. More after the jump.

by TImothy Rutt

On Wednesday, the "Altadena visioning process" continues with the second meeting at Loma Alta Park gym, starting at 7 PM.  After a couple of weeks of reflection after the first meeting, what do you see as your vision for Altadena's future?  Has it changed, or evolved?  Or if you can't make the next meeting,

by Timothy Rutt

This is a fun volunteer opportunity in Pasadena that crossed over our virtual transom and we thought it was worth sharing:

The city’s Adaptive Recreation Program works with AbilityFirst to provide programs and services that help children and adults with physical and developmental disabilities reach their potential. 

Eliot Middle School will be collecting e-waste in a fundraiser next Sat., April 28, from 9 AM to 3 PM at the school parking lot, 2184 N. Lake Ave.

Bring your old computers, monitors, laptops, printers, scanners, VCR/DVD players, rechargeable batteries, and more.  For more information, call 909-591-8408 or visit attanrecyclingcorp.com.

It’s going to be a summer of music in Altadena as the concert series are releasing their schedules.

Bob and Marie Mann of Big Hat Promotions have announced their summer series of house concerts featuring some of the best of cowboy and Western music:

The lineup and sponsors for the Sheriff Support Group’s Summer Concert Series has been finalized, with some returnees and some new blood in both categories.

There’s even some new wrinkles (“Those Manning Bhoys” changed their spelling), and not one, but two tribute bands (Sgt. Pepper doing the Beatles, and the Walking Phoenixes tribute to Johnny Cash and others in the grand finale).

New to the sponsor roster are MonteCedro and Athens Services.  

by Adolfo Flores
Pasadena Sun

La Cañada High School will host the next local meeting on the controversial proposal to extend the Long Beach (710) Freeway, and local activists are hoping for a strong turnout as the planning for the project enters a new phase.

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is embarking this year on a three-year environmental review of plans to close the so-called 710 gap between Alhambra and Pasadena.

As the warm weather returns, humans are not the only species coming out to enjoy the sun. Snakes, too, can be found basking in the sun’s rays. Although most snakes in the state are harmless, the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) reminds the public to steer clear of the venomous rattlesnake and know what to do if one strikes.

All of California,

by Timothy Rutt

Tomorrow, April 25, is the second of the three "visioning meetings" to look at a new Altadena community plan.  The meeting will be held at 7 PM at the Loma Alta Park gymnasium.

Mina Brown of RBF Consulting, which is running this process, has made available the Post-It notes and group notes from the previous meeting on April 4. 

We just looked at today's weather report:  86 degree high, with precipitation and  chance of thunderstorms.  Somebody at the National Weather Service is just throwing at a dartboard:

A LATE SEASON STORM…LOCATED A FEW HUNDRED MILES WEST OF LOS  ANGELES… IS EXPECTED TO SPREAD RAIN AND LOCALLY GUSTY SOUTH WINDS INTO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TODAY INTO EARLY THURSDAY.

by Timothy Rutt

We're trying to get back in the saddle this week after a busy weekend.  It's public knowledge that our son Jacob has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, part of the interesting genetic mix that is our family.  Jake recently qualified for a trial for a promising new drug treatment,

Tonight is the second of three Altadena Community Visioning Workshops conducted by the county to help Altadena’s future direction.

The workshop will take place at the Loma Alta Park gym, 3300 N. Lincoln Ave., starting at 7 PM.

A Los Angeles Times best-seller for over a year, this award-winning book is filled with life-changing,

Altadena residents gathered to discuss ideas for the future at the community visioning workshop April 25, 2012 in the Loma Alta Park gym.

by Timothy Rutt

About 75 Altadena residents attended Wednesday night’s second of three Altadena Community Visioning workshops, where the wide-ranging Post-it note-driven ideas generated from the first meeting were refined into lively table discussion on some key topics.

 A visit to the Apple Store Genius Bar will throw off one’s schedule, but at least the computer is working again ….

• Salsa!  There will be free salsa dance lessons offered the next two Thursdays, April 26 and May 3, at the Westminster Presbyterian Church Music Room, 1757 N Lake Ave,: “Come and learn a little salsa in a fun and friendly environment.

The Altadena Historical Society will meet at the historic Chamberlain House on Sun., June 3, for a presentation on arts & crafts in patchwork and embroidery.

Barbara Brackman will show examples of Arts & Crafts designs adapted for modern techniques and reproduction cottons. She’ll discuss quilts for walls, beds and tables adapted from London and Glasgow to Paris and Vienna.

Barbara writes about quilt history online and in books.

I saw a woman driving a black Honda without license plates stopping at several homes near Fair Oaks and Manor and Terrace making snapshots of homes and even driveways. I called the Altadena sheriff to let them know that this was going on, but I was wondering if you’ve heard of similar activity elsewhere,

from gloriana casey

Sad Isabella, four years old,
who lives in Wichita.
Those TSA are scary guys,
imagine what she saw!

Her school, it had just taught to kids
not all adults are kind.
To keep away from strangers then,
those of the evil mind.

Poor Isabella, yes we learned
the TSA is blind.

Another "too much to do Saturday" in Altadena.  What's on today's calendar:

• Eliot Middle School E-Waste roundup, 9 AM-3 PM at the school, 2184 N. Lake Ave.
• Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy Rubio Cañon Trail Hike, 9 AM, meet at  1101 E. Loma Alta Drive.
• Intermediate Victory Garden Classes start,

Our weekly column is up at the Pasadena Sun.  When we turned it in, "Those Manning Bhoys" was spelled correctly!

On Thurs., May 10, starting at 4 PM, there will be an all-ages family program where you’ll create a handmade bouquet for your Mom — made from Hershey’s Kisses. 

The craft workshop will be at the Altadena Library Community Room, 600 E. Mariposa St..

MOMS Club activities include play groups, group outings, a book club, and service projects.

The club will hold an open house on Thurs., May 10 (yes, the poster says Wednesday, it’s a misprint) from 10 AM-noon with raffles, children’s activities, and free child IDs.  Please contact the MOMS club for location information at altadenamomsclub@gmail.com

St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church is holding its annual parish fiesta this weekend, a rare chance for Altadena residens to enjoy some carnival rides close to home.  The carnival rides always look a little better at night, so here are some choice views.

Three students from Westridge School for Girls in Pasadena work on a mural in a rural school in El Salvador.

 by Erika McCarden

 Many high school students spend spring break free of books, with lots of beach time — but not all students spent the break catching rays. Five students from Westridge School for Girls in Pasadena traveled to El Salvador in March, where they volunteered to work with local children,

The Bob Lucas Branch Library and LIteracy Center at  2659 N. Lincoln Ave. celebrated its 20th anniversary and re-opening celebration Sunday (the library had been closed several weeks for renovations).  

Correspondant Deb Halberstadt says the above picture shows the entire gathering, including members of the Bob Lucas family, some of whom traveled from far away to come to the celebration.

Pictured below from left are Bob Lucas’s son, Bob Lucas Jr. (who came in from St.