Wednesday, July 15, 2015

School District Considers Monitoring Students’ Social Media Accounts

By MIKE BRANOM

The Pasadena Unified School District is considering the monitoring of students’ social media accounts for threats against safety, following the lead of nearby districts embracing the technology.

“There have been very preliminary conversations,” PUSD spokesman Adam Wolfson said Tuesday.

Currently, the topic is under discussion in the district’s Child Welfare, Attendance and Safety Department. But, Wolfson added, “there is no timetable for a decision on whether to use such software.”

In 2013, the Glendale Unified School District made national news by buying software designed to sift through the posts of its hundreds of middle- and high-school students made to Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets. When the software detects content about threats to safety, such as bullying, suicidal thoughts, and substance abuse, school administrators can be notified.

According to legal experts, students posting to their accounts can have no expectations to privacy as long as the content is viewable to all.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Filing for Declaration of Candidacy for LA County Local and Municipal Elections Begins

Filing declaration of candidacy for the local and municipal consolidated elections to be held on November 3, 2015 has begun. The filing period for declaration of candidacy began yesterday, Monday, July 13, 2015 and ends Friday, August 7, 2015 at 5:00 p.m.

There are three seats on the Altadena Library Board of Trustees that will be on the ballot this November 3, 2015.

Interested candidates must be registered voters and a resident of the district to declare candidacy. Candidacy forms are available at the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office, 12400 Imperial Highway, Norwalk, CA 90650 – (562) 462-2716, or online at www.lavote.net.

Per Resolution No. 201301 of the Altadena Library District adopted May 20, 2013, candidates’ pro rata share of printing, handling, and mailing costs must be paid by the candidate at the time of filing and which sets a maximum of 200 words on the candidate’s statement on the November ballot of the Trustees’ election.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Two Men Transported to Hospital After One of Them Fell and Hit His Head

Today at 2:22 p.m. a 911 call was made for a person seen lying on the sidewalk near the intersection of Figueroa Drive and Lincoln Avenue.

Los Angeles County Fire Department along with Los Angeles County Sheriff Department sent units responding to the incident.

Upon the arrival, the first units located a man in his early 60’s lying on the ground bleeding from his head and another mane also in his early 60’s who was able to tell the rescuers his companion had slipped while attempting to stand up, authorities said.

Both men had apparently been drinking prior to this incident and were sitting on the bus bench, when the one man fell.

As Paramedics from the Los Angeles County Fire Department treated the male with the head injury, they realized the second male was possibly suffering from a heat related injury, and needed transport to the hospital.

Both men were transported to Huntington Memorial Hospital in separate ambulances.

The men were treated for heat exposure and alcohol intoxication.

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Sunday, Come by and Taste a Bit of Altadena History at the MacKenzie Ranchito

After the end of World War II and with the selling off and sub-dividing of many old-time ranches, Altadena’s west side quickly became home to the ranchito, a residence sited on a parcel of land usually between 1/3 and 2 acres, which retained its residential/agricultural zoning.

Long before today’s urban farming trend, Altadenans were growing gardens and orchards and raising livestock, especially horses, on these ‘mini-ranches.’ California’s only indigenous architectural style, the ranch home, grew in popularity as the home of choice for these ranchitos.

Today, many ranchitos still exist in Altadena, where the permanent horse population hovers around 200 or so equines along with hundreds of chickens and several goats. Though once a common site, especially west of Lincoln Avenue from the mountains south to Woodbury, many ranchitos have been lost over the years to fire, neglect and the changing demographics of a population who seems to value large scale homes filling out much of the parcel’s footprint.

Despite this trend,

Friday, July 10, 2015

25 Pasadena Unified School District Trucks Broken Into

Police said 25 Pasadena Unified School District maintenance trucks were broken into and hand-held equipment and tools inside the vehicles were stolen Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.

Lt. John Mercado said the breakins occurred sometime between 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 8 and 5 a.m. Thursday, July 9 at the District’s maintenance yard facility in the 700 block of West Woodbury Road.

Mercado said the initial estimate of the loss was put at $6,000.

There are no security video cameras at the facility and no description of the suspects is known.

Friday, July 10, 2015

Film Maker, Historian Will Discuss His Experiences in Event Leading Up to Film Showing at the Altadena Public Library

The Altadena Historical Society and Altadena Library District are partnering to present a July 27 talk by filmmaker and historian Walter Dominguez. His film, “Weaving the Past: Journey of Discovery,” will then be screened at the library the following week, August 4 at 6:30pm.

Dominguez will speak on the experiences of early 1900’s Mexican immigrants to the United States, with examples from his own family history, at the Monday July 27 summer quarterly meeting of the Historical Society. The 7:30 p.m. meeting, free and open to the public, will be at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Drive.

With his talk as background–though not necessary to attend– Dominguez’s two-hour documentary-drama about discovering the surprising biography of his Mexican-born grandfather will be shown 6:30-9 p.m. August 4 at the Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa St.

Dominguez will be at the screening to introduce the film, and to answer audience questions afterwards. Also present will be Shelley Morrison, Executive Producer of the film, 

Friday, July 10, 2015

Volunteers Sought by Altadena Historical Society

An informational meeting for persons interested in assisting the Altadena Historical Society will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 21, at Society archives in the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Drive.

“We have many exciting projects in progress and would welcome volunteer help in a variety of areas,” said Jean Phillips, AHS projects coordinator.

“Front-desk volunteer; scanning and cataloging photos, documents and artifacts into our Past Perfect database; interviewing longtime residents for oral histories; and researching requests we get for information about people, homes and Altadena history are just some of the areas that volunteers can assist us with,” Phillips said.

“We have had high school and college students volunteering as well as working adults and retirees,” Phillips said. “We are appreciative of any time and expertise that volunteers can give us.”

The meeting will include an overview of the Society and its extensive archives, and an explanation of the projects that volunteers can assist with.

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Brutus! Chloe! Loomis! Jake! Meet Our Pets of the Week

This week, we introduce you to four pets up for adoption now at the Pasadena Humane Society. See a friendly face you want to bring home? Call (626) 792-7151 with the ID number.

Brutus (A376853) is a 2-year-old, neutered pit bull. This handsome guy walks well on leash and loves going to the park with volunteers. He also enjoys playing with toys. Brutus is learning some basic commands and would love to find a home where he can continue his training. His adoption fee is $125, including the neuter surgery, microchip and a set of vaccines.

Chloe (A365275) is a 3-year-old, spayed shorthair cat. She is incredibly affectionate with people and enjoys the company of other cats. Chloe lives in one of our communal cat rooms, where you can often find her sitting on the perch people watching. This sweet girl is already spayed, microchipped and vaccinated.

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Altadena Chamber Awards Wullschlager Scholarships to Madeleine Lepesant and Bryson Moore

Article and Photography by LAURA MONTEROS

Pasadena Unified School District graduates Bryson Moore and Madeleine Lepesant received $1,000 scholarships from the Marion Lee Wullschlager scholarship fund on Tuesday morning. The awards were presented by Altadena Chamber of Commerce president Meredith Miller and board member Billy Malone.

The Wullschlager scholarship is given to two graduating senior students who attended PUSD schools and live in Altadena. For the past two years, the Chamber has worked with Dr. Sandra E. Thomas, CEO of Quality of Life Center to choose students from the Bright Future Scholars program.

Wullschlager’s daughter, Kathryn Wullschlager, spoke about her mother’s involvement in the public schools and the community. She said her mother would be “honored and proud” that after a hiatus, the scholarship program was restarted last year.

“I know it was meaningful to Mom,” she said. “She was always involved in the schools, since I was in kindergarten.” Marion, a real estate broker, had intended to start a music foundation to help keep music in PUSD schools,

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Urgent Missing: Guinness the Cat, Have You Seen Him?

Guinness has gone missing on El Molino near Mariposa and the neighbors are àll sad. He is all black, was wearing an ID collar and very friendly.

Please call 213-923-0829 with any information.