Monday, November 15, 2021

Height of Controversial Altadena Affordable Housing Project Could Be Reduced

By ANDRÉ COLEMAN, Managing Director

According to LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, the developers of a controversial project in nearby Altadena recently indicated they are willing to make changes to a by-right affordable housing project.

Residents in Altadena have expressed concerns about the five-story affordable housing project at 2439-2445 Lincoln Ave., just north of the Pasadena border.

Because the project is a by-right project, it can override the majority of protocols set in place by Altadena’s Community Standards District (CSD), raising concerns that there are no controls in place to maintain development standards for residential and commercial areas.

On Monday, Barger told Pasadena Now that Affirmed Housing Group indicated they were willing to reduce the height of the proposed apartment building, changing it from a five-story, 96 unit edifice to a four-story building with 74 units.

“I strongly share concerns that this development project violates local height standards developed by community members to protect the character and feel of their community,”

Monday, November 15, 2021

Altadena Small Businesses Could Receive Rent Relief From New Program

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Altadena small businesses that have fallen behind in their rent due to the COVID-19 pandemic are eligible for a $40,000 relief grant.

Supervisor Holly Mitchell hosted a virtual news conference Monday to announce the program, which is funded with federal coronavirus aid dollars.

“The Small Business Rent Relief cannot come soon enough for the countless businesses that have had to weather the costly and unpredictable impact of COVID-19. As Los Angeles County starts to recover, our employers have been left with crushing amounts of back rent due,” Mitchell said. “This will be just the first of many county projects targeting economic resiliency for our small employers.”

Eligible businesses must:

• have a brick-and-mortar business located in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County.
• have an annual average of nine or fewer full-time equivalent employees.
• have annual total gross revenues of no more than $1 million; and be able to demonstrate a gross revenue loss of at least 25% over a 12-month time frame falling at least in part within the period of the county’s COVID-19 Emergency Order that went into effect March 4,

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Eat at Chipotle on Wednesday and Help Altadena Arts Magnet

Altadena Arts Magnet is holding a fundraiser on Wednesday, September 29, in cooperation with Chipotle Mexican Grill.

Anytime between 4 and 8 p.m. on Wednesday, visit any of the Chipotle Mexican Grill locations at 3409 E. Foothill Blvd., 246 S Lake Ave., or 1687 E Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena, and 901 Fair Oaks Ave B. in South Pasadena, and make dinner a selfless act.

Print the flyer that shows up when you click this link, https://tinyurl.com/k2a3aj, and bring it with you, or take a photo of it on your smartphone and show it to the cashier, and tell him you’re supporting the cause. This will make sure that 33 percent of event sales, subject to a $150 minimum, will be donated to Altadena Arts Magnet.

You can also order online for pickup and still do your part in the fundraiser. Just make sure to use the code N4Q8K2 in the “promo” field before checking out. Orders placed online or through the Chipotle app for pickup using this unique code will be counted.

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Arts Festival Returns to Charles White Park in Altadena

After an absence of more than 25 years, the Altadena Arts Festival at Charles White Park, is coming back to celebrates its local artists and community. The new nonprofit organization, Altadena Arts, is proud to present and produce a day-long festival on Saturday, October 23 at 10am-5pm. This free and family-friendly event will highlight twelve local artists showing their artistic works and five professional musical groups performing on a stage set-up for the festival. Also, there will be a variety of community groups present along with arts and crafts activities and food-trucks.

The Artist’s Village is sponsored by Hughes Auctions and includes twelve local visual artists showing a diverse range of genres and styles. The artists include LaMar Anderson, Bernard Kane, Dale E. LaCasella, Paul Martinez, Yeu Q. Nguyen, Gayle Nicholls-Ali, Riea Owens, Bart Ross, LP Ækili Ross, Gloria Sanyika, Delbar Shabaz, and Shé Shé Yancy. All artists either live, work, and/or have studio space in Altadena and Pasadena.

The Altadena Arts Festival Stage will feature five professional musical groups performing 45- minute sets starting at 10am.

Friday, September 24, 2021

Altadena Boy Missing Since Monday Found

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The search for an 11-year-old boy who vanished after walking away from school in Altadena on Monday was found Thursday evening, sheriff’s officials said.

Ivan Molina was reported missing after he left Eliot Arts Magnet Academy in the 2100 block of Lake Ave. about 11 a.m. Monday, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

A second boy who initially went missing along with Molina was found Tuesday morning, officials said. But Molina remained missing.

Officials announced shortly before 7 p.m. Thursday that Molina had been located.

“Thank you to the public, the media, Aero Bureau, and deputy personnel for their tireless efforts in the search for Ivan,” Deputy Shawn Du Busky of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said in a written statement.

No further details were immediately available.

Related:

Search Continues for Altadena Boy Missing Since Monday

Thursday, September 23, 2021

Search Continues for Altadena Boy Missing Since Monday

BY BRIAN DAY

Deputies continued their search Wednesday for an 11-year-old boy who went missing Monday after walking away from school, authorities said.

Ivan Molina was last seen about 11 a.m. Monday when he left Eliot Arts Magnet Academy in the 2100 block of Lake Avenue, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department officials.

Initially, Molina went missing along with another boy, but 12-year old Johnny Martel was found safe early Tuesday morning, sheriff’s officials said.

Detectives did not suspect foul play in the disappearance, Sgt. Anna Fernandez said. Investigators were looking into the possibility he may be with other family members in Los Angeles.

Anyone with information was urged to contact the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau’s Missing Persons Unit at (323) 890-5500. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Tuesday, September 21, 2021

2 Boys Go Missing in Altadena

By BRIAN DAY

Deputies asked the public’s help in finding two young boys who went missing in Altadena on Monday.

Ivan Molina, 11, and Johnny Martell, 12, were both last seen about 11 a.m. in the 2100 block of North Lake Avenue, near Eliot Arts Magnet Academy, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Molina was described as Latino, about 5 feet tall and 162 pounds, with short brown hair and brown eyes, Deputy Eva Jimenez of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said in a written statement. He was last seen wearing a black shirt, gray shorts and a black backpack.

Martell was described as white, about 5 feet 2 inches tall and 207 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes, Jimenez said. He was wearing a black shirt and black pants.

The families of both missing boys were concerned and asking for the public’s help, the deputy said.

Anyone with information was asked to contact the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau’s Missing Persons Unit at (323) 890-5500.

Thursday, September 16, 2021

New Hearing Ordered for 1 of 2 Men Convicted in Altadena Murder

CITY NEWS SERVICE

A state appeals court panel Thursday ordered a new hearing for one of two men convicted in a 1997 crime spree that ended with an Altadena woman being shot to death outside her home.

The three-justice panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal found that Jason Mency “is not entitled to re-sentencing at this stage of the proceedings,” but that an evidentiary hearing should be held to determine whether he could now be convicted of felony murder as a result of changes in state law since his trial.

Mency and co-defendant La Min Johnson, now both 48, were convicted of the Jan. 3, 1997, killing of Marsha Lee Birch, who was shot as she walked to her car.

Mency subsequently told police that he and Johnson had just burglarized a car belonging to Birch’s neighbor when the mother of four stepped outside her home.

He said Johnson then stole the woman’s purse and shot her with a gun that had been stolen from the neighbor’s car.

Sunday, August 15, 2021

Video Released in Fatal Shooting of Stabbing Suspect by Deputies in Altadena

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WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department released video footage Sunday stemming from the fatal shooting of a knife-wielding man in Altadena that took place shortly after the suspect had  beaten and stabbed an elderly woman in a seemingly random attack in Altadena last January.

Allen Mirzayan, 48, described as a U.S. Army Veteran from Pasadena, died from multiple gunshot wounds following the shooting, which took place just after 4 p.m. on January 10 at Lincoln Avenue and Figueroa Drive, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.

Video footage taken from multiple sources, including surveillance cameras and deputy body cameras and witness cell phones, captured both the shooting, as well as the attack and confrontation with deputies that preceded it.

Mirzayan walked up to the elderly woman, who was using a walker to make her way  down the sidewalk.

Without any apparent reason, “[Mirzayan] can be seen knocking the elderly woman to the ground,

Thursday, August 5, 2021

Altadena Resident Awarded Eagle Scout Honor

By KEITH CALAYAG

When Cobhan Kale joined scouting in first grade, he never knew he would stay for years in the organization, thanks to the outdoor activities and backpacking which inspired him to continue.

“First, while I was in scouting, I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to do it or not.”

“I started to really enjoy going on backpacking trips. And it really gave me the confidence to keep going,” Kale told Pasadena Now.

Kale’s favorite experience throughout his journey — the 50-mile backpacking trek in the eastern High Sierras.

After over a decade of scouting, the Altadena resident, who just graduated from St. Francis High School, progressed through the ranks and finally reached the pinnacle of a Boy Scout’s career.

On Tuesday evening, Kale was officially recognized with the Boy Scouts of America’s highest honor during a ceremony held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.

Troop 1 Committee Chair Craig Snodgrass served as the master of ceremonies along with Senior Patrol Leader Jackson Brooks and presented the Eagle Scout awards to Kale on behalf of Scoutmaster Don Matsumoto.