Friday, March 20, 2020

Supervisor Barger Signs Eviction Moratorium and Other Support for Residents and Small Businesses

Supervisor Kathryn Barger, in her role as Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, signed an Executive Order directing County Departments to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 emergency, including a moratorium on residential and commercial evictions. The order, signed March 19, outlines several actions the County of Los Angeles will take for the protection of life and property, and to preserve public order and safety.

The executive order places a moratorium on residential and commercial tenant evictions. This moratorium is retroactive to March 4, 2020, the date of the County’s declaration of an emergency, and will continue through May 31, 2020. The moratorium is in line with Governor Gavin Newsom’s proclamation regarding local authority to impose such restrictions. This moratorium ensures County residents are not unduly impacted in their adherence to Public Health orders issued by the Department of Public Health.

“The Board of Supervisors is committed to protecting our constituents as this emergency continues,” Supervisor Barger said. “I am committed to ensure residents do not fall into homelessness from an inability to work and pay rent as a result of public health guidelines that limit business and retail activity.”

The moratorium only applies to unincorporated L.A.

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Disaster Assistance Loans Now Available to Los Angeles County Small Businesses Economically Impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to California small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

“Offering support and disaster relief is a critical government function,” stated Kevin McGowan, Director of the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management. “The devastating economic impact of COVID-19 is palpable. There is a great need for economic support during the coronavirus disaster, and SBA federal disaster loans are an excellent resource for small business owners.”

Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at disasterloan.sba.gov/ela. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call (800) 877-8339. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. The deadline to apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan is December 16,

Monday, March 16, 2020

Supervisor Barger Announces Further Closures, Updates, and Precautions

To prevent further spread of COVID-19, Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, announced additional precautions on Monday.

All bars, clubs, theaters, entertainment centers, and fitness centers are ordered to be closed until further notice. Restaurants will be permitted to serve take out or delivery food only and grocery stores may remain open.

Gatherings of more than 50 people are strongly discouraged, in accordance with directions from the Centers for Disease Control.

“This is a constantly-evolving issue and we appreciate everyone doing their part to help stem the further spread of the virus,” Supervisor Kathryn Barger said. “We’re moving into the next phase of preventative measures and do not make these decisions lightly.”

Closures will have an impact on thousands of employees, employers, and businesses. Supervisor Barger plans to work on eviction relief for any individuals who may be impacted by closures and restrictions of public gatherings. This may include a moratorium on evictions for residential tenants and small businesses in unincorporated areas of the County until further direction from the state and federal governments on available funding.

Saturday, March 14, 2020

Altadena Library District Announces Precautionary District Closure in Response to Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic

To combat the spread of novel coronavirus COVID-19 and protect library staff and the community, the Altadena Library District is closing both its Main Library and Bob Lucas Memorial Branch buildings to the public, effective Friday, March 13, 2020 at 6:00pm. As decided at an emergency Library Board of Trustees meeting this evening, the closure will remain in effect until at least Tuesday, March 31, 2020. All in-person library programs and outreach are also suspended through the end of April.

These precautionary measures go into effect following recent guidelines from public health officials to cancel non-essential gatherings of more than 250 people, limit gatherings of high risk populations to no more than 10 people, and practice social distancing, which is shown to be the most effective way to curb the exponential growth of a virus such as COVID-19.

“This decision was made after careful consideration with both our Board of Trustees and library staff, and we recognize the impact that could be felt in our community as a result of temporarily closing our doors,” said District Director Nikki Winslow.

Thursday, March 5, 2020

Altadena’s Crime Blotter for the Week of Saturday, February 29th

Sunday, February 23rd

Between 3:00 PM and 6:00 AM (Monday) – A grand theft occurred in the 1100 block of Menlo Drive. Stolen: brown leather satchel, gray Macbook Pro, and a white mini iPad.
10:00 PM – An assault with a deadly weapon occurred in the 2900 block of N. El Nido Drive. Suspects were identified as two juveniles.

Monday, February 24th

1:40 AM – A petty theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 2000 block of Glenview Terrace. Stolen: unknown.
Between 8:00 PM and 7:00 AM (Tuesday) – A theft from a vehicle occurred in the 400 block of Devirian Place. Stolen: catalytic converter from a 2007 Toyota Prius.
10:10 PM – A theft from a vehicle occurred in the 200 block of E. Woodbury Road. Stolen: catalytic converter from a 1999 Ford F250.

Tuesday, February 25th

Between 1:19 PM and 3:00 PM – A package theft occurred in the 1900 block of Garfias Drive.

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Mt. Lowe Chamber Music Players Present Chamber Music Concert at Altadena Library

Mt. Lowe Chamber Players presents Chamber Music Concert – To buzz or not to buzz, that is the question – Music for Brass Quintet on Sunday, March 29, 2020, 3:00 p.m. at Altadena Library Main Branch.

This is the second concert in a series presented by the newly formed Mt. Lowe Chamber Players. The first concert, a program for strings, was a huge success. Over a hundred and fifty people were in attendance. The brass players are hoping to expand those numbers by presenting a program that includes music by Bach, Sousa, and the most prolific composer of all time, Anonymous.

Featured performers include Malcolm McNab, Chris Price and Bill Bing (trumpets), Karen Klages (horn), Daniel Lawlor (trombone), P. Blake Cooper (tuba), and John Steinmetz (narrator). To begin the program, student musicians from Eliot Middle School will honor the event with a presentation from one of their many talented music ensembles.

Program:  To buzz or not to buzz, that is the question:  Music for Brass Quintet

Sponsored by:  Friends of the Altadena Library and Fulcrum Arts.

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Altadena’s Crime Blotter for the Week of Saturday, February 22nd

Sunday, February 9th

Between 6:00 PM and 8:30 AM (Monday) – A petty theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the 1600 block of Braeburn Road. Stolen: black Kendall case, silver briefcase, black leather messenger bag, and black Sony wireless headphones.
7:45 PM – Derrick Lewis, 59 years old of Duarte was arrested in the 70 block of Mountain View Street for public intoxication.

Tuesday, February 11th

7:30 AM – A petty theft occurred in the area of Lincoln Avenue and Woodbury Road. Stolen: black and purple backpack, black coin purse, red and black gloves, and a black knee wrap.
4:50 PM – Amanda Redman, 39 years of Pasadena was arrested in the 500 block of E. Washington Boulevard for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Thursday, February 13th

8:30 PM – Juan Cortez, 33 years of Altadena was arrested in the area of Altadena Drive and Fair Oaks Avenue for possession of a controlled substance.

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Altadena Shooting Victim Identified

By KEVIN KENNEY, Senior Reporter

The 45-year-old man shot and killed as he drove along an Altadena street on Feb. 16 has been identified, but his killer, as well as the motive behind the shooting, remain unknown, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department told Pasadena Now on Wednesday.

The L.A. County Coroner identified the man as Tracy LeBlue of Altadena. The coroner’s report said he died of gunshot wounds to the chest and neck.

According to Pasadena Police Department Public Information Officer Lt. William Grisafe, LeBlue was arrested on felony drug charges in 2018 and 2019.

LeBlue also was arrested on a pair of misdemeanor driving matters in Pasadena in 2017, Grisafe said.

One other connection LeBlue had to Pasadena was of a more routine nature – he received a $1,325 payout from the city in 2019 to cover damage his vehicle suffered when it hit a pothole, the city’s public information officer, Lisa Derderian, said Wednesday.

As best as police can piece together for now,

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Supervisor Barger Asks Board of Supervisors to Request Federal Funding to Address Coronavirus

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger authored a motion asking the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors at its March 4 meeting to request funding from the federal government to support the County in addressing the novel coronavirus (COVID-2019) threat.

“Los Angeles County has been diligently working to monitor any potential cases of coronavirus while providing rapid information to the public,” said Supervisor Barger. “This funding is necessary to support our efforts and ensure the ongoing protection of our residents. We will remain vigilant and leave no stone unturned to limit the potential spread of the virus.”

Since January, the Department of Public Health (DPH) has been coordinating response activities throughout Los Angeles County and planning for the additional cases and possible local transmission. This response requires enormous resources to support coordination with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), implementation of federal directives to quarantine and monitor high-risk and medium-risk travelers; training for health care providers and first responders;

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Sheriff’s Deputy: Altadena Shooting Victim May Have Been Targeted

By KEVIN KENNEY, Senior Reporter

While the suspect in Sunday’s fatal shooting in Altadena remains unknown, authorities believe the dead man may have been targeted and not a random victim, a sheriff’s deputy said.

“At this point, there’s no clear motive, but what I can say is that … it doesn’t appear to be a random act, just an innocent percent walking down the street and someone starts shooting at him at 1 o’clock in the afternoon,’’ Lt. Alex Canchola of the Altadena sheriff’s station said Tuesday night during his public safety report to the Altadena Town Council.

“So we don’t believe it’s any type of a random act and there’s somebody out there indiscriminately shooting at cars that are going by. We’re not concerned about that.’’

The victim remains identified only as a 45-year-old black man, pending notification of next of kin.

According to Canchola, “On Sunday, at approximately 1 o’clock, our station received a call of shots fired and a person down in the 500 block of Figueroa.