Thursday, April 16, 2015

Altadena Sheriff’s Station Crime Blotter for the Week of April 5, 2015

Sunday, April 5th

No significant activity to report

Monday, April 6th

8:00 AM – A petty theft occurred in the 1800 block of Layton Street. Loss: iPod Nano.

3:20 PM – Lois Marie Hall was arrested for trespassing onto private property in the 3000 block of Lincoln Avenue.

8:40 PM – April Anderson was arrested for battery (hands and feet) on a neighbor in the 100 block of E. Woodbury Road.

Tuesday, April 7th

No significant activity to report.

Wednesday, April 8th

6:00 AM – A residential burglary occurred (entry, no force) in the 1800 block of N. Allen Avenue. Loss: storage bin, jewelry.

9:00 AM – A residential burglary occurred in the 400 block of W. Marigold Street. Suspects(s) entered via an unsecured window. Loss: unknown.

11:15 AM – A residential burglary occurred in the 400 block of W.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

World Premiere Play “Untethered” to Open at Mountain View Mausoleum

The Mountain View Mausoleum continues in its unlikely but apparently firmly set role as a staging venue as Julia Edwards’ world premiere play, “untethered” opens for a May 8 through June 7 run next month.

“untethered” is a wacky new love story, not the Hallmark variety, the messy, screwing up, begging for mercy kind. Untethered is directed by Jen Bloom, featuring Joy Osmanski and Adam J. Smith, and features original music by Steven Kai van Betten.

Plagued by nightmares of her love’s demise, Ellie pops the question out of the blue and Ari spirals into a commitment-phobic panic. Enter Ari’s estranged father, a siren from the sea, and a portal into the time-bending fourth dimension. Suddenly Ellie’s life hangs in the balance as Ari attempts to tether himself to what truly matters.

Untethered opens Friday, May 8th and runs through Sunday, June 7th at the home of Wicked Lit, Mountain View Mausoleum (2300 North Marengo Avenue, Altadena). There will be no shows on Memorial Day Weekend or Saturday May 30th.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Reminder: Altadena’s Urban Forest is Tonight’s Topic at the Community Center

Altadena Heritage brings two experts to the Altadena Community Center tonight at 7:00 p.m. to tell us what we all can do to help preserve and revitalize Altadena’s precious horticultural heritage.

Don Hodel is the environmental horticulture advisor for the University of California Cooperative Extension, L.A. County. His presentation will focus on:

• the beauty and benefits of trees in urban areas;
• drought-tolerant, sustainable, low-maintenance landscaping techniques; and
• how to select trees that are suitable for Altadena’s climate, along with tips for planting, irrigation, feeding and mulching.

Frank McDonough is the botanical information consultant for the L.A. County Arboretum and Botanic Garden. His presentation will explain:

• proper pruning methods;
• the negative consequences of bad pruning; and
• solutions for trees that have been damaged by poor topping/trimming, or by area pathologies such as the polyphagous shot hole borer.

Attendees will be able to ask questions, and will be the first to learn about Altadena Heritage’s new tree-trimming campaign – “Stop it.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Cub Scouts Tour Altadena Sheriff’s Station Yesterday

Between the reports of “shots fired” or “hiker trapped on canyon cliff,” the deputies of the Altadena Sheriff’s station have time for reaching out to the younger generation to introduce them to the human side of law enforcement and its rewards.

Yesterday, local Cub Scout Den #77 toured the station.

“They got to see the station jail and emergency response equipment. We took them through dispatch. They got to sit in and see how our dispatchers were able to handle emergency calls,” said Deputy Dan Paige.

A big reason behind the tour is give these younger members of society a positive outlook towards law enforcement.

“We want to gain rapport with them, to show them we are compassionate,” Paige said.

Among his duties at the Altadena Station, Paige is involved with L.A. County Sheriff’s Explorer Post 7.

When the Cub Scouts who toured the Station yesterday grow up a bit, they can be eligible to become an Explorer.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Acknowledging the Murder and Remembering the Life of Christopher Walker

April 30 marks the six-month anniversary of the murder of Altadenan Christopher Walker.

Christopher spent much of his short life affiliated with a gang, but he had put that behind him. At the time of his death, he was just a regular guy with a family and a full-time job.

This is a chance for the community to express “black lives matter” – even when no police officer is involved in the killing.

Community members will walk the short distance from Fountain of Life Church to the Fair Oaks Burger, where he was killed. The program will begin at 7 p.m. behind the Fair Oaks Burger in their large parking lot, complete with stage, sound, and lighting.

This event is also a call to action for the community of Altadena. Community leaders and members will come together to learn ways to curb gang affiliation and violence in the community and offer options to Altadena and Pasadena’s at-risk youth.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Pasadena Unified Launches Parent Survey: “We want to hear from parents and caregivers”

Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) parents and guardians will be able to have their say about school climate and parent-school relationships as part of the California School Parent Survey. The parent survey is one of three interrelated surveys for students, parents and staff that make up the California School Climate, Health, and Learning Survey (CAL-SCHLS), a district initiative taking place at all PUSD schools this spring.

Responses to the survey will help PUSD to create a better climate on school campuses, build positive learning and working environments, and better target parent engagement efforts, officials say.

“We want to hear from parents and caregivers to assess the need for teaching and learning support when it comes to parent involvement at our schools,” said PUSD Superintendent Dr. Brian McDonald. “Parent responses combined with the data collected from students and staff will be used for program, school and district planning to make PUSD a great district.”

Parents and guardians can complete the survey either online or on paper.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

“Water, Water, Everywhere” On ACONA Agendas, Including Upcoming May 26 Meet

Elliot Gold urges Altadenans to mark their calendars in “water-resistant ink [since we’re in a drought]” that next Altadena Coalition of Neighborhood Associations (ACONA) meeting will be May 26  from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Altadena Library Conference Room, 600 E. Mariposa Street.

Gold is a co-founder of ACONA.

The agenda again is damp with water-related issues, starting with an update on the crippling drought.

Gold says the water companies which serve Altadena will address these drought-related topics:
• Specifics? Rules? Penalties?
•Landscaping on the cheap, rebates, other programs available to property owners
•Is there really a moratorium on building during the drought?

Additionally, and on a completely unrelated matter, Gold says the meeting will turn to discussing telephone “robo-calls.”

“We have a ‘commitment from an expert who will tell us how to FINALLY get those calls to stop!
I’ll have the speaker name and confirmation later this week… keep your fingers crossed,'”

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Altadena Library’s Editor/Poet Laureate Says New Poets Will Be Introduced at this Year’s “Poetry & Cookies” Reading

Altadena Library District’s Editor/Poet Laureate Dr. Thelma Reyna has written to remind Altadena Library supporters to attend the upcoming the big, community poetry reading event “Poetry & Cookies” to be held on April 25 from 2 to 4:00 p.m. at the Altadena Senior Center.

“The Altadena Library will provide refreshments for all attendees, and you’ll meet new poets. We’re very excited about this major event,” Dr. Reyna said in her email.

The annual event has been revamped with a new title, new format, and a broader base of published poets. Now called the “Altadena Poetry Review: Anthology 2015″ in this debut year, the anthology will be released to the public this month.

The readings, free to the public, are a community tradition that formally kicks off the release of the annual anthology. Although the anthology itself has been renamed, the community reading event, which annually brings together poetry lovers from across the region, maintains its name in recognition of its literary tradition.

The “Altadena Poetry Review: Anthology 2015″

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Approve Proposed $27 Billion Budget

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved a proposed 2015-16 budget totaling nearly $27 billion, down roughly $200 million from last year.

The spending plan is subject to a series of public hearings before final deliberations begin in June.

Los Angeles County Chief Executive Officer Sachi Hamai said the budget places emphasis on reforming the jails, working to protect children and improving patient access to quality healthcare.

“Today, because of the rebounding economy, we can add new funding to confront the complex issues facing many of our major public programs,” Hamai said. “This investment in resources represents a collaborative effort between the Board of Supervisors, the sheriff and county leaders to build on reforms already underway.”

About $100 million is designated for jails reform.

Sheriff Jim McDonnell said the funds will support the Sheriff’s Department efforts to “ensure the compassionate and constitutional treatment of those in our jails” and pointed to the burden the Department faces in dealing with a large County population of homeless people.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

West Nile Virus and Mosquito Awareness Week is a Good Time to Check Your Property for Potential Breeding Sites

California’s State Assembly recently declared April 19-25, 2015 as “West Nile Virus and Mosquito & Vector Control Awareness Week” to help increase the fight against mosquitoes, which can transmit viruses to humans, including West Nile, Chikungunya and Dengue fever.

Altadenans are urged to do everything they can to help prevent those pesky mosquitoes from breeding by:

• eliminating all standing water sources left outside;

•keeping swimming pools clean,

•regularly checking for mosquito larvae in still water sources such as bird baths and ponds.

“Current drought and warm weather conditions may contribute to more stagnant water sources and higher numbers of mosquitoes, which increases the risk of West Nile Virus infection,” a local area health officer said. “Take precautions now to prevent mosquitoes from breeding and to avoid being bitten.”

In 2015, there have been no reported human cases of West Nile Virus in Altadena. However, drought conditions can increase virus activity because standing water stagnates easier and a reduced number of small pockets of water create an even more attractive environment for mosquitoes to lay eggs.