What was all that helicoptering about last night?  The overnight crew at Pasadena Star-News says it was a missing hiker, found about 10 PM at the Cobb estate.

by Timothy Rutt

Last Saturday, March 31, was the annual Hahamongna Watershed Walkabout, and the Arroyo Seco Foundation has made available some videos of the event.

Here, our own Michele Zack talks about the history of the area:

N

And here's a visit with Mr.

from the City of Pasadena

Celebrate a world of nature, art and live music at the Pasadena Earth and Arts Festival, Saturday, April 14, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Memorial Park and the Armory Center for the Arts, 145 N. Raymond Ave.  This year’s master of ceremonies is noted author,

Living Loom, Threads of Life Woven into a Spiritual Tapestry is a book of poetry and prose that seeks to connect us to God and one another. Poems include Haitian Train (the 2010 Haiti earthquake),

by TImothy Rutt

After a winter lull, Webster’s Community Pharmacy, Webster’s Fine Stationers, and Webster’s Liquor will once again host Fancy Food Truck Fridays next week, on Fri., April 13.

Fancy Food Truck Fridays happens on the second Friday of the month,

The Altadena Town Council will formally premiere its new Altadena flag on Sat., April 21, from 1-3 PM at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr.

Council chair Dr. Sandra Thomas will raise the flag, which was the winner of a poll at the Altadena Town Council website.  The designer’s identity has not been publicly revealed.

by TImothy Rutt

Two big items today:

1. The county Planning Commission will hold a hearing at 9 AM today to consider Arroyo Pacific Academy's application for a conditional use permit to operate a school at 183 E.

Palm Street Area Residents Association members Coleen Sterritt, left,  and Nancy Rothwell testify at the county Planning Commission meeting this morning, from county video feed.

UPDATES: We have new comments from PSARA and Arroyo Pacific at the end of the story.

by Timothy Rutt

By a 3-2 vote, the county Planning Commission turned down the Arroyo Pacific Academy’s (APA) application for a conditional use permit to open a school on Palm Street.

Congressman Adam Schiff has named two Altadenans “Women of the Year”  in honor of Women’s History Month in March.

Every March, Schiff honors an outstanding woman from each of the communities in the 29th Congressional District.   This year, there were two from Altadena: community safety maven Carolyn Ingram Seitz and author/playwright/activist Ellen Snortland.

“Recipients of the ‘Woman of the Year award’ come from all walks of life and represent the thousands of women who make a positive impact in our region,” Rep.

Altadena residents gather for the first of three “visioning workshops” on April 4, 2012 at the Loma Alta Park gymnasium.

by Timothy Rutt

About 130 Altadena residents gathered for the first of three Altadena Community Visioning Workshops Wednesday night at the Loma Alta Park gymnasium.

Susan Harden, vice-president for planning and design at RBF Consulting, the county’s consultant for the project,

by Timothy Rutt

Close on the heels of Arroyo Pacific Academy floating a $2.8 million dollar SBA loan, the Bisnow website says that the school has purchased property at the 400 block of Rolyn Place in Arcadia for approximately $1.6 million (scroll down).  According to the website, the school "plans to use the property as a secondary site for arts,

by Timothy Rutt

Don't forget that the Easter season begins with egg hunts in the local parks today, sponsored by the county Parks and Recreation Department:

Charles White Park Easter Egg Hunt, 3-5 PM.

Farnsworth Park twilight Easter egg hunt, 6-8 PM (bring your flashlight!) at the field near the corner of Lake and Concha.

Aveson Charter Schools, the "greenest schools in California" as winner of the Green Campus Award at the 2011 Green Schools Summit, will celebrate Earth Day at the 1919 E. Pinecrest Dr. campus on Sat., April 21.

There will be eco-friendly exhibits, family fun (including recycled crafts, horse rides, and animals); local food and refreshments.

Speakers include Eugene Cook and Waste Less Living's Christine Hinkel.

• Tracy Granger, 56, who spent the night injured in the Angeles National Forest after her truck slid off the road and plunged 350 feet, got to meet her rescuers last week: the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Montrose Search and Rescue Team and Antelope Valley Search and Rescue. Bill Kisliuk at the Pasadena Sun has details.
• Hardy Martel of Altadena, a professor emeritus of electrical engineering at Caltech, died March 29 in his home. 

$34 includes tea with a glass of Placere Brut NV Champagne; $28 includes a glass of Gerard Bertrand Brut or Rose Brut.

There will be a selection of finger sandwiches, fresh tart, a pot of tea, and a scone.

Check the graphic for the full menu.

Our new column is up at the Sunday Valley Sun, a rundown of the past week and some things to look forward to ahead.

Club 21, the support group for people with Down Syndrome and their families, held their annual Easter egg hunt and picnic on the grounds of the Green Carriage House on Santa Rosa Saturday morning.  Here, an enthusiastic group plays with the parachute.  More pictures after the jump.

The newly-formed Altadena Bicycle Club seems to be going great guns: they will have another ride Thurs., April 12, departing from Steve’s Bike Shop, 859 E. Mariposa St.  Meetup is at 5, clip-on at 5:30, reconvene at 7 PM for food and drinks.

Leticia Montanez writes: “Both a mountain and a road bike ride will be conducted with food and drinks at the conclusion –

• Reforesting after the fire: Louis Sahagan at the LA Times looks at how reforestation efforts are going at the site of the Station Fire.  And the answer is: not well.
• Face-off: Congressman Adam Schiff is facing six opponents in the June 5 primary.  Mark Kellam has the details in the Pasadena Sun.
• Five Acres: Some board members coming on, some coming off,

Classes are open for students from age six to 14 in painting, drawing, arts & crafts, drumming, jewelry making and design, hip-hop and break dancing, creative dramatics, and lots more.

Classes will be held at the art’s center’s location at the Loma Alta School building.  Check the flyer for more information.

Rep. Adam Schiff will host the annual Congressional Arts Competition Forum & Exhibit for the 29th District, featuring high school student artwork from the region, on Sunday April 15. The Congressional Art Competition is an annual contest, with submissions from across the country. The winner from each Congressional District has their work displayed in the U.S.

“Mary of the Avenue” was co-written by Greg Wood and Neil Scanlan, and is a light hearted musical about street people living in New York City. The play is about a woman, Mary, who graces the streets of Manhattan, wearing Broadway Playbills in the lining of her weathered coat to keep her warm.

Dr. Michael Jason, the new Executive Director of Special Education, will be introduced.

Topic will be “Transitions – What to Expect & How to Prepare”:

I watched a handsome coyote trot across Holliston early this morning.  It reminded me to remind you to remind Altadenablog readers that coyote pups are being weaned about now and papa coyote is out scouting for food.  

In our area, most coyotes mate in January/February.

We now have a date: after a hard birthing process, the Altadena Farmers’ Market plans to launch on Wed., May 30 at Loma Alta Park.

Market manager Joseph Shuldiner said that “I’m super excited about putting this inaugural group of sellers together. They will firmly establish Altadena as the epicenter of the burgeoning urban food movement.”

The proposed market has had more ups and downs than a ride at Magic Mountain,

by Timothy Rutt

There's been some helicopter traffic in the northwest side of town this morning — we've been monitoring the scanner, and it's not the sheriffs.  They speculate it's a news chopper because there's been a black bear sighting in the LCs (La Canada/La Crescenta) area.  We're open to other ideas!

The US Forest Service, National Forest Foundation and Los Angeles River Ranger District volunteer organizations invite everyone to meet at the Red Box parking lot  for four to six hours of trail work. Registration will be from 8-8:30 AM.  

The lesson here: don’t text without knowing what’s ahead of you! A bear was snacking on trashcans in La Crescenta yesterday, causing a media flap.

by Timothy Rutt

It’s springtime, and that means the critters are out and about.  That came home multiple times Tuesday:  Dr. Barkman told us about how the coyotes now have young to feed,

Pasadena authorities are looking for two men accused of raping a 25-year-old woman on Sunday.

The Los Angeles resident went to a party in the 1000 block of North Los Robles Avenue before partygoers went to Old Pasadena and continued drinking.

The group made their way back to the home and the victim let a 25-year-old Altadena resident drive her because she was intoxicated.

by Joe Piasecki
Pasadena Sun

A bill that would authorize the state to regulate military-style boot camps for teens is moving one step closer to becoming law.

State Sen.Carol Liu (D-La Cañada Flintridge) and Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) proposed the legislation after controversy flared around Pasadena boot camp operator Kelvin “Sgt.