Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Have You Seen Gracie?

“One of our dogs escaped by digging out from under the gate (near Marengo and Altadena Drive). Her name is Gracie and she is a small (around 20 pounds) black and white dog. She can be very fearful. A distinctive feature is she has a small divot along the side of one of her very prominent ears. We love her very much and miss her. Please call us if you see her. She is microchipped.”   Amanda: 323-401-8210, Pete: 323-717-7308, Joan: 323-365-3255.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

L.A. County Firefighters Arrive in Nepal to Rescue Earthquake Victims

The Los Angeles County Fire Department’s California Task Force 2—known internationally as USA-2—Medium Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team arrived in Nepal on Tuesday to assist with rescue and recovery efforts following Saturday’s magnitude 7.8 earthquake.

The 57-member team departed March Air Reserve Base on Sunday night.

The USAR team is part of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) that was deployed upon the request of Nepal’s government. The DART comprises nearly 130 people, including 14 USAID disaster experts, the Department’s 57-person USAR team and a 57-person USAR team from Fairfax, Virginia. The team also includes 12 canines—six from L.A. County.

The team is made up of specialized personnel, and includes all necessary equipment to make live rescues from collapsed structures and confined spaces. The U.S. is currently prioritizing search and rescue activities to help locate survivors trapped in the rubble and the provision of emergency shelter materials to help displaced families.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Pasadena Education Network to Award Inaugural Rodney E. Goodwin Scholarship to Muir Student

The Pasadena Education Network (PEN) is pleased to announce that in May 2015, the inaugural Rodney E. Goodwin Memorial Scholarship will be awarded. The $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to one John Muir High School boy who will enroll in a 4-year college in the fall 2015, is the first in his family to go to college, and demonstrates both need and academic success in high school. Scholarship applications are available at www.penfamilies.org and are due no later than May 8, 2015.

Rodney E. Goodwin passed away on March 12, 2014. A resident of Altadena since 1987, Goodwin was known for his generous nature and loving spirit. Professionally, he was the Chief Financial Officer for the Operating Engineers Trust Funds/IUOE Local 12 in Pasadena.

Goodwin was raised in the rural South, and because of the guidance he received while growing up, he was the first in his family to go to college. He was a proud graduate of Appalachian State University in Boone,

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

The Friends of the Altadena Library Announce Their Annual Used Book Sale

The Friends of the Altadena Library have announced their annual sale will be Saturday, May 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and  Sunday, May 17  from 1 to 4 p.m.

There will be a Friends of the Library member pre-sale on Friday, May 15 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. (if you are not yet a member, you can join at the door for as little as $10!).

The sale will be held in the Main Library’s Barbara J. Pearson Community Room and the parking lot.

This is one of the largest used book sales in the LA area. The sale features over 50,000 fiction and non-fiction, hardback and paperback books for all interests and age groups, plus DVDs, CDs and other items, all at great prices!

Proceeds from the Friends book sale and book store go toward sponsoring Library programs that are available for free to all ages, such as the Summer Reading Program for kids and teens,

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Have You Seen This Man? Authorities Need Help to Catch This Alleged Kidnapper

A recent attempted kidnapping of a 22-year-old woman in a residential neighborhood in Pasadena has set off an area-wide search for the suspect, and now local authorities are asking the public’s help.

On Friday, April 17, 2015 at about 10:00 p.m., the suspect drove alongside the victim near the intersection of Marengo Avenue and Tremont Street and tried to engage her in conversation. When the victim ignored him, the suspect exited his vehicle, chased after the woman and struck her. He then forced her into his vehicle but the victim was able to fight off the suspect, get out of the vehicle and run for help.

The suspect is described as a Black male, mid to late 30s, dark complexion, 5’10”, 200 pounds, heavy build, with a shaved “shiny” head, round face with bushy eyebrows, and wearing a white t-shirt and dark blue jeans. See composite drawing depicted above.

The suspect’s vehicle is described as a gray, newer-model Honda CR-V or similar type SUV.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Jamie Bissner Announces He Will Not Seek Re-election to Altadena Town Council, Tract 4612

Altadena Now received the following statement from Jamie Bissner early today:

“To the members of NBBA and all concerned for Altadena,

I commend you all in your involvement and concern in and for our magnificent town!

I will not be seeking re-election to the Altadena Town Council.

After 19 years of participation on, and with, the ATC and with the Bissner family having a presence in this community dating to 1922, I believe that another individual will step up to plate to capably, wisely, and knowledgeably represent Census Tract 4612 as well as representing all of Altadena and maintain the very unique environment here which I have always sought to protect.

My perspective of Altadena, having been born and raised here, along with my Dad, and with my Grandfather having found his way here in 1922, is one of a semi rural community devoid of onerous regulations, onerous enforcement mechanisms, rules designed to generate revenue for municipal coffers via fines,

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

John Muir Student, Altadenan Kimberly Mejia Wins Gates Millennium Scholarship

College Access Plan (CAP), a Pasadena nonprofit that provides free programs in college preparedness and success, has announced that Kimberly Mejia of Altadena has officially been named a Gates Scholar.

CAP has had the honor of supporting hundreds of underserved students who attend Pasadena’s public schools as they reach for their college dreams. This year, CAP assisted three students, Mejia, Logan Patton and Cecilia Valle, who were all selected as finalists for the Gates Millennium Scholars Program (GMS).

Kimberly, who attends John Muir High School, first came to CAP as a freshman participant in CAP’s Footsteps to College leadership program, which encourages students to be leaders around the issue of college attendance at their school and provides participants with college readiness resources and individualized staff support. Logan and Cecilia began attending CAP as juniors, and all three students regularly attend CAP’s drop-in after school program at Muir, which runs in partnership with the PasadenaLEARNs after school program. The Gates application process includes writing eight personal essays and submitting transcripts and multiple recommendation letters,

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Updated: Tuesday Night’s Special Foothill Municipal Water District Board Meeting to Include Discussion of State’s Draft Emergency Regulations

A special Foothill Municipal Water District Board Meeting Tuesday night at 6 p.m. is expected to include public comments and discussion of emergency drought water conservation regulations.

SEE THE PRESENTATION THAT WILL BE SHOWN TUESDAY NIGHT: Click Foothill Presentation

Observers anticipate plenty of public input, noting that the agency is holding their meeting at the La Cañada Presbyterian Church, rather than at their regular meeting location on Hampton Road, an indication that they expect significant public attendance, input and comment.

Foothill Municipal Water District General Manager Nina Jazmaderian said the format will be more of a public forum, rather than a board meeting.

“The special meeting is a workshop intended to inform the public regarding the hydrology, water supplies, the State’s draft emergency regulations, Foothill’s retail agency conservation plans and steps consumers can take to conserve,” said Jazmaderian. “The President of the District’s Board, Richard Atwater and the General Manager of Metropolitan Water District, Jeff Kightlinger will be speaking along with myself.”

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Fire Clearance and Water Conservation Meeting Tuesday Night at Farnsworth Park

A community meeting focused on fire safety and water conservation has been scheduled for 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on the Farnsworth Community Room Tuesday, April 28.

Four organizations will present important information:

• Fire Clearance (Los Angeles County Fire Station 12)

• Water Conservation and Lawn Removal (Metropolitan Water District)

•Native Plants (Theo Payne Foundation)

• Fire Safety Programs, (Meadows Fire Safe)

The public is invited to attend. For more information, please email Meadows Fire Safe at wmr83@earthlink.net.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Registration is Now Open for CERT Program’s Annual All-Skills Exercise

Courtesy Deb Halberstadt

Join fellow CERT graduates at Area E Regional CERT Program’s 2015 Annual All-Skills Exercise June 6, 2015.

The Annual All-Skills Exercise is a day of ‘hands-on’ activities including a simulated disaster for search and rescue, disaster medical operations, disaster medical treatment, cribbing, fire suppression, and more.

The Annual All-Skills Exercise includes the participation of CERT graduates from throughout Los Angeles County; Fire Agencies and Law Enforcement Agencies throughout Area E; and this year, our newest partner; California Metropolitan State Hospital Police and Fire.

This is a hands-on event and includes arduous activity. CERT participants must wear appropriate attire including closed-toe shoes, pants, and safety equipment. Attire may become soiled during exercise. The event will be conducted both inside and outside. The outside environment includes uneven ground.
This is a day of skill refreshing, networking, and an opportunity to interact with the finest of professional emergency responders.

AGENDA Overview
7:30a-8:00a Check-in and Continental Breakfast
8:00a –