Friday, May 1, 2015

Family, Church, Anti-Gang Experts March on Anniversary of Altadena Man’s Murder

For Photo Gallery, click “Read More” below

The parents and sisters of a slain local young black man led about 100 marchers down Fairs Oaks Avenue Thursday evening to the spot where six months ago he was shot, and there speaker after speaker urged the Altadena/Pasadena community to stand up to gang violence.

Altadena-bred Christopher Walker, 26, was targeted as he sat on the patio at Fair Oaks Burgers on Fair Oaks Avenue about 4:30 in the afternoon of Oct. 30 , 2014. The shooter got out of a car, fired multiple times at him, then climbed back into the car and sped off.

Authorities almost immediately described the murder as gang-related.

A Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department spokesperson said Thursday no arrests have been made but the case remains an active investigation.

The memorial march Thursday was organized by Walker’s mother, Ursula, and Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church of Pasadena’s Reverend Hannah Petrie.

Marchers included a contingent of Sheriff’s Deputies led by Altadena Station’s Captain Christopher J.

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Friday, May 1, 2015

Art Filled the Gallery, Music Filled the Air at Eliot’s Grand Reopening Thursday

 

For photo gallery, see full story

Art filled the gallery and music filled the air at Eliot’s Grand Reopening Thursday as hundreds of children with their families, school officials and other dignitaries celebrated the school’s transformation into an arts magnet with a ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly refurbished, state-of-the-art auditorium.

Charles W. Eliot Middle School in the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) received a federal grant in October 2013 to transform into Eliot Arts Magnet, a middle school focused on visual and performing arts.

Over the past year, dedicated teachers and staff have repurposed facilities to host new art spaces, built partnerships with renowned arts organizations, and undergone intensive training in the arts.

Thanks to voter approved Measure TT, Eliot’s auditorium underwent a major modernization which was unveiled Thursday.

The auditorium is now named after Carl Roeder, an industrial arts teacher who taught at Eliot for most of his 41 years with PUSD and never missed a day of work.

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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Gallery: Altadena NAACP Awards Talented Students at ACT-SO Event

The NAACP Altadena branch’s Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) competition took center stage last Sunday at the Altadena Community Center as talented local young people were rewarded for their skills in a variety of activities, all part of a national competition.

This “Olympics of the Mind” event featured extraordinary students who competed in 26 categories as varied as chemistry/biochemistry, entrepreneurship, mathematics, music composition, oratory, photography and playwriting.

Winners will participate in a national, judged event, this year to be held in Philadelphia. Since 1998, more than 20 Altadena NAACP students have been ACT-SO National Metal winners.

Shown above are winners collected their well-deserved certificates and medals.

The ACT-SO Committee is headed again by Wilberta Richardson and includes Ilene Clingmon; Andrea Mills; Phyllis Harris; Angelica Reid; Barbara Johnson; Nate Haynes; Virtrice Nolan; Barbara Bigby Pamela Burton; Brittany Johnson; and Daniel Richardson.

For information to find out how you may become involved with ACT-SO, please call Wilberta Richardson,

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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Former PCC President Mark Rocha Loses $403,000 Severance Package as Judge Nullifies Deal

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Joanne O’Donnell Wednesday nullified the $403,000 severance package paid out to former Pasadena City College President Mark Rocha after finding PCC trustees violated the state’s Brown Act opening meeting laws in their deliberations and negotiations with Rocha.

Rocha left PCC last August after tumultuous tenureship at the college.

The lawsuit to invalidate the payout was mounted by Californians Aware, a nonprofit.

Californians Aware, a non-profit organization, originally filed the suit against the board in September.

Kelly Aviles, Californians Aware’s legal representative in this case, told the PCC Courier that she was pleased by the outcome of the case.

“We can only make sure that PCC follows the right process,” Aviles said. “Far too often are these decisions made without properly disclosing what the closed session items are. That is usually because the organization wants to do this without anyone knowing.”

“The Board is aware of the Court’s ruling and is considering next steps,” board president Berlinda Brown said in an email to the Courier.

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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Southern California Edison Will Conduct Helicopter Operations in Altadena Neighborhood Next Tuesday

Southern California Edison (SCE) will use a helicopter to help in replacing 2 deteriorated wooden poles behind a residence in the 800 block of La Vina Lane on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

SCE said a low-flying helicopter is required to remove the current wood poles and install new poles due to the “restricted access” of the poles. Actual helicopter flight time is under 15 minutes per pole, the company said.

17 homes are inside the operational area which will be evacuated during external load operations. SCE says it submitted a Congested Air Space flight plan to the FAA.

The company said in a press release “at no time will our helicopter over fly any residence with a load attached.”

SCE said portions of La Vina Lane, Canyon Ridge Drive, and Canyon Crest Road will be closed to members of the non-participating public during external load lift operations.

Both the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department will be notified 2 days prior to the work,

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Thursday, April 30, 2015

The Altadena Library and the Altadena Senior Center Collaborate on Volunteer Secret Summer Santas

The Altadena Library and the Altadena Senior Center are collaborating on a community service project and community-wide read during Older Americans Month in May. The purpose is celebrate, as well as raise awareness about, the needs of local senior citizens.

Our community service involves organizing volunteers to create customized care packages for local, homebound senior citizens. Community members may also volunteer to be a reading buddy to these older Americans.

Each volunteer will receive a wish list from a senior citizen that outlines his or her preferences. Volunteers may gather or buy items for a custom care package based on this list (kind of like a volunteer Secret Santa, but in the summer time!).

Volunteers drop off packages at the main Altadena Library. In turn, Meals on Wheels volunteers will deliver these packages to participating older Americans by the end of May.

Interested? Sign up at the main Altadena Library Reference Desk by May 8, 2015. Altadena Library Reference Desk, 600 E Mariposa St,

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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Altadena Heritage asks: Know of a big, beautiful tree that adds to Altadena’s character?

Do you know of a big, beautiful tree that adds to Altadena’s character? You have until May 16 to nominate it for our first ever Altadena Heritage Big Tree Contest! Tree owners (who must consent) will be fêted at the Golden Poppy Garden Awards and Celebration Sunday, May 31st. Get your nominations in! Self-nominations are fine.

Here is the form you can use:  Tree Nomination Form

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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Eliot Arts Magnet is Ready for an Exciting Thursday Grand Re-Opening

Eliot Arts Magnet is ready to reveal exciting changes to the community during its Grand Re-Opening on Thursday, April 30 at 5:00 P.M. This event will celebrate the school’s transformation in becoming an arts magnet with the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the newly-refurbished, state-of-the-art auditorium and the naming of the student art gallery after renowned local artist Charles White.

The new state-of-the-art auditorium will be named after Carl Roeder, an industrial arts teacher who taught at Eliot for most of his 41 years with PUSD and never missed a day of work. Following the ribbon-cutting, guests are encouraged to stay for Metamorphosis, the annual spring open house and arts showcase featuring student performances and tours of the new arts facilities from 6:00 p.m.

 

For more, see these related stories:

Eliot Arts Magnet School to Host Grand Reopening Eliot Arts Magnet grand re-opening April 30Read More »

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Altadena Sheriff’s Station Crime Blotter for the Week of April 19, 2015

Sunday, April 19th

5:30 PM – A petty theft from an unlocked vehicle occurred in the area of Loma Alta Dr. & Lake Av.  Loss: black leather wallet, driver’s license, social security card, blank checks, currency.

8:43 PM – A strong armed robbery occurred in the area of Fair Oaks Av. & Woodbury Rd.  The suspect used force to take items the victim had just purchased from a local liquor store.  The victim was not injured.  Loss: beer, candy, soda.   Detectives are actively working to identify and arrest the suspect.

 

Monday, April 20th

6:02 PM – Derek Clabber was arrested in the 2200 block of N. Lake Av. for shoplifting, and subsequently battering a peace officer and resisting arrest.

 

Tuesday, April 21st

12:01 AM – Todd Mewaldt was cited for drinking in public in the 1800 block of E. Washington Blvd.

 

Wednesday, April 22nd

6:00 AM – A juvenile was arrested for burglary after the service of a search warrant in the 2100 block of Raymond Av. 

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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Altadena Point Archives Now Online on Altadena Now

We are happy to announce that on Thursday, with Timothy Rutt’s blessing, Altadena Now will release the complete archives of Rutt’s Altadena Point hosted on our servers for long-time preservation after Rutt shuts down his original site.

Rutt has not announced the exact date that www.AltadenaPoint.com will no longer be available.

The site’s contents are also being archived by the Altadena Historical Society.

We will also archive Rutt’s first online publication, Altadena Blog. That work will be released in May.

The Altadena Now-hosted, archival version of Altadena Point is available online at: www.altadena-now.com/altadenapoint

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