• MonteCedro reaches milestone: Episcopal Communities and Services (formerly Episcopal Home Communities) announced that the MonteCedro project has reached 50 reserved residences., and construction is scheduled in begin on the property in late 2012.
• Hollywood helps the Historical Society:  The Altadena Historical Society says they’ve just received a $500 donation from the Altadena Community Chest.  The Chest, run by Russ Fega of Home Shoot Home, receives money from production companies that shoot in Altadena and returns it to the community.

Fri., Dec. 16

• Library: Fun Flick Friday:  The Smurfs, rated PG, starts at 3:30 PM.  Free drinks and popcorn, too.  Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa St.
• Farnsworth Park: “Elf”.  Podley at the Cottage Real Estate sponsors this family-friendly evening with the new holiday classic (rated PG).  Free drinks, pizza, and a craft project (make a Christmas tree from popsicle sticks).  

by Timothy Rutt

Father Greg Boyle, best-selling author Lian Dolan (Helen of Pasadena), creative writing workshops, poetry … and cookies — are all on tap at the Altadena Library in 2012.

The Library has announced its activites for January through June of 2012,  and there will be something to interest and intrigue almost every taste:

• Jan.

The Altadena Library is looking for the best local poetry for its annual Poetry and Cookies celebration, but you better hurry — the deadline is Jan. 21.

Poetry and Cookies is the library’s annual celebration of the poetic muse, which includes a poetry reading on April 21 at the Altadena Senior Center, as well as an anthology of poems.  If you have a poem or two you’ve been hoping to publish —

Bob Stane is the former owner and manager of the Ice House comedy club in Pasadena and is co-owner of the Coffee Gallery and the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena, a live music venue. His friends Ken Marshall and Philip Coombes honored Stane’s 75th birthday in 2009 by creating the Fork in the Road, a piece of public art at 200 Bellefontaine St.

I’ve found a hefty little pug with a pink collar, no tags.  A neighbor thought she was mine (I have a little dog) and put her inside my gate.  She’s got a beige gray coat with a flat black pug face and gray legs, friendly and playful.   I’m on Marathon, close to Marengo.  Please try my land line first: 626.794.4456,

Are you a poet who lives, works, or is active in the Altadena Community? Then you are eligible to apply to be the Poet Laureate for Altadena Library 2012-2014.  The laureate inauguration will take place on April 21 at the library’s annual Poetry & Cookies celebration to be held at the Altadena Senior Center. The laureate’s poetry will be featured at this event and in the library’s annual poetry anthology.

The U.S. Forest Service did not use all of the water-dropping aircraft at its disposal as the 2009 Station fire spread quickly across the Angeles National Forest the first night of the blaze, but it’s unclear whether doing so would have made a difference, according to a draft federal audit released on Friday.

The report by the Government Accountability Office — requested a year ago by members of Congress,

by Timothy Rutt
Photos by Bill Westphal

The Altadena Sheriff’s Station food and toy drive came to its conclusion this morning, as 300 area families were served before the holidays.  

Doesn’t appear to be much action to be taken, but of note are a presentation from David Ford of Southern California Edison about the utility’s response to the windstorm, and a report from the LA County Assessor’s office about tax relief related to the windstorm.

This week's column is up at the Valley Sun, mostly about celebrating the holidays in Altadena.

In 2008, Rebecca Bricker’s son moved out of their Altadena Craftsman house to go to college.  Single mom at mid-life, facing the empty nest.  You know the story.

But that’s not this story.  

Bricker, a former magazine writer and columnist for People Magazine, sold the house and moved to Italy for a year.

Bricker writes about her odyssey in her new memoir,

Leslie found a dog Friday, around 4 PM, near the corner of Glenrose Avenue  and West Las Flores Dr.  He's a blond, unneutered male, approximately five years old, recently groomed, collared and microchipped (but the chip was not registered).  Does he sound familiar?  Call them at  626-825-8724.

by Timothy Rutt

A woman and a dog were injured in a Sunday afternoon attack on Glenrose where an unleashed bulldog chased the another dog into his own house and attacked it in the dog's own living room. The woman, 49,  was taken to the hospital to treat injuries sustained trying to break up the fight.

• Hodges move to Burbank delayed: According to a release from the Pasadena Unified School District, the move of the Hodges Children’s Center from its current location at 136 E. Peoria St. in Pasadena to the Burbank Elementary School site in Altadena will now take place during the 2012 summer break.  It had originally been planned during the annual winter break, which begins Friday. 

Below you’ll find three pages of crime statistics most of you are now accustomed to seeing.  The first is the page that shows you how Altadena Station’s stats compared to all of the other areas served by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for the first 11 months of 2011, and for purposes of comparison,

by Timothy Rutt

Even though the Altadena Sheriff's Food and Toy Drive ended with distribution Saturday, there's still a need for toys for needy children.  Gail Casburn of the Altadena Ale & Wine House, 2329 N. Fair Oaks Ave., says she will be taking toys for the Sheriff's Station for last-minute distribution,

Representatives from Southern California Edison made an apology and promises of better performance in the next crisis at last night’s Town Council meeting.

Walt Johnston, Edison’s vice president in charge of power delivery, said that “We could’ve done better, and we will do better next time.”

Johnston said that the utility lost 12-14 hours in recovery because they were concerned about getting power up too soon before checking if there were live wires on the ground.

by Bill Kisliuk
Pasadena Sun

On Monday the man convicted of killing a Pasadena teen with a stray gunshot outside a Pasadena nightclub in 2007 was sentenced to 75 years in prison.

Johnl Dvon Reynolds was convicted in October of killing Ebony Huel,

from the Altadena Community Garden:

Join us at a community meeting tonight to discuss the beautification and revitalization of the area surrounding the Altadena Community Garden.  Four students (Brian Capurro, Arin A. Dolatian, Armando Torres Ramos and Artin Zaghian) from CalPoly Pomona have generously donated their time and effort to redesign the periphery of the garden.

Elliot Gold and Holly Rundburg of the Altadena Coalition of Neighborhood Associations (ACONA) have announced that the scheduled Dec. 14 meeting at the Altadena Community Center has been cancelled due to the storm and holiday season.

Gold says:
"Please though DO GET YOUR issues to me in December, so that we can make sure they are addressed when we do meet with the Sheriff's staff from the Altadena Station,

Image (c) David VanNoppen

The Land Use Committee will meet this evening at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Dr., starting at 7 PM, to hold a hearing on the Arroyo Pacific Academy's plan to put a school on Palm St.

LUC Chair Mark Goldschmidt has said that the committee will take no action on the school tonight.

by Timothy Rutt

Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich delivered a spanking to Southern California Edison officials at this morning's Board of Supervisors meeting.

Edison officials attended the meeting at Antonovich's request to report on the utility's response to the windstorm, and to answer questions.  Victoria Guttierez of Edison said that, as of this morning,

by Timothy Rutt

Again, this will be at the top of the page so we can give you more wind/recovery related information and you have a place in the comments to report what you're seeing.  Thanks to all who have reported about what's going on — you're what makes this community news service so valuable!

Our friend Matt Wright shares this video of their wind recovery.  He casts it as a romance of tree and pool.  Surprising, as Matt's the voice of the "Survivor" promos — we look on it as a strategic battle and only one will survive …

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The Altadena Chamber of Commerce has named Altadenablog “Altadena’s Business of the Year” for 2011.  This is the first time the Chamber has awarded such a designation.

Citizen of the Year for 2011 is community übervolunteer Bill Westphal.  A stalwart member of the Sheriff’s Support Group of Altadena, a Volunteer on Patrol for the Altadena Sheriff’s Station, roving photographer, weather expert, and the proprietor of the Altadena Weathercam, Westphal richly deserves this award.

• Jeanette Williams at PSN goes to Altadena to remind us that it isn't only humans and their pets that are affected by natural disasters — wild birds and animals are, too.
• Bulgaini Gelato has opened its new location in Culver City, but fortunately Leo made lots of gelato at his Altadena shop before the lights went out —

by Timothy Rutt

National politics likes to classify voters and politicians and “red” or “blue.”

The same thing is happening in Altadena, depending on where you fall on the Arroyo Pacific Academy.

At previous meetings of the land use committee and town council, opponents of the school have marked themselves with red shirts,

Boy, do we need some good news this week, and here it comes: Fancy Food Truck Friday returns Dec. 9 at the Webster’s stores, in the parking lot at 2450 N. Lake Ave. from 5-9 PM.

Sponsored by Danny’s Farm (which will bring their mobile petting zoo), trucks include the Border Grill, Sweet E’s Bake Shop,

by Timothy Rutt

When we were growing up in Colorado, forest fires were just nameless fires –"you know, the fire, the one in July, the one that burned up the hills back of the ridge?"  One of the best things the National Forest Service ever did was start naming their fires —

by Bill Kisliuk
Pasadena Sun

Joining the chorus of government officials and agencies concerned over the slow response to the power outage in the San Gabriel Valley, the California Public Utilities Commission is opening a probe of Southern California Edison’s work in the aftermath of heavy wind storms that downed power lines and trees last week.

by Timothy Rutt

This is the repository for wind and recovery-related information for today.  It will be kept sticky at the top of the page, and please use the comments to let everyone know what's going on in your neighborhood.

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Reader Smarsh Cavallo writes:

One positive outcome of the windstorm is that neighbors on the west and east side of Ganesha finally talked to each other about power outages.

from Tamirfilms

Tamirfilms, an independent film company, launches initiative to combat bullying through filmmaking. Silencio, an all-volunteer effort, is an innovative and “high-tech masterpiece”, says the film’s producer, Tamir Yardenne.  

The film is a pillar for the national program with the same name that champions anti-bullying efforts and fostering positive environments for today’s children.

by Bill Kisliuk
Pasadena Sun

Pasadena police have interviewed between 10 and 20 witnesses related to a probe of possible child abuse in 2009 by operators of boot camps for at-risk youth.

Investigators still are seeking to locate three more people whose images appeared in a videotape of a camp where it appears juveniles were forced to drink water to excess and one was forced to walk while wearing a car tire around his neck as adults yelled at him from inches away.

by Mark Kellam
Pasadena Sun

Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) — faced with being termed out of office next year — is seeking the endorsements of two local Democratic organizations for a run at state Sen.