Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Altadena Deputies Nab 6 Young Burglary Suspects, Recover Guns

By BRIAN DAY

Deputies arrested six alleged burglars not yet old enough to drive and recovered an AR-15 and a pistol and in Altadena this weekend, authorities said.

Officials were summoned to a neighborhood in the area of Mountain View Street and Casitas Avenue Sunday afternoon after at least two homes were broken into, according to Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials.

“Within minutes, five people were arrested within the containment,” sheriff’s officials said in a written statement. “With the help of witnesses, multiple LASD resources and prompt deputy skills the investigation resulted in one more arrests during the evening.”

A stolen AR-15, a pistol, ammunition and a pellet gun were recovered. Two more guns reported stolen in the break-ins are still yet to be found.

Officials said the six young suspects, described as 12 to 14 years old, live in a local group home.

Friday, April 27, 2018

Altadena Town Council Land Use Committee Meeting Agenda for May 1, 2018

Diane Marcussen, Chair, Altadena Town Council Land Use Committee, has issued the agenda for the Land Use Committee meeting for May 1, 2018 meeting to be conducted at the Altadena Community Center, 730 East Altadena Drive, starting at 7:00 p.m.

1. CALL TO ORDER: Diane Marcussen

2. Pledge of Allegiance: LUC Committee Member

3. Roll Call – Pat Sutherlen

4. Approve Meeting Agenda(s) – May 1, 2018

5. Approve Minutes –April 3, 2018

6. Chairman Report – Diane Marcussen

6.1. Fences and Hedges Registration
6.2. New York Drive Project

7. Action Items – The Committee is expected to take action on the following item

7.1. Project 2018-0008052203 2432 EL Molino Avenue – create three new single family residential parcels on a 24,000 sq. ft. lot – Justin Robertson, Pat Sutherlen
7.1.1. Public comment

7.2. La Vina II Project – Amendment to CUP 2007-00114 – The La Vina Subcommittee will make a presentation of the proposed final condition for the project.

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Shop for Unique Gifts and Create Every Day at Craft School in Altadena

Craft School in Altadena is a sweet little shop where you can find handmade and vintage gifts and crafting supplies, plus take part in fun, inspiring classes and workshops.

If you don’t have any crafting skills, don’t panic. Craft School will show you that there are many different ways to be creative, help you feel comfortable tapping into your creative side, and inspire you to create every day.

Craft School offers a wide variety of classes ranging from how to paint tiny artworks to crochet. There are also classes in bookbinding, embroidery, quilting, pattern-making, junk and art journaling, and machine sewing.

Gelli plate printing is another crafting experience they offer. If you have no idea what that is, watch this quick tutorial to learn more:

If any of those don’t appeal to you, you can learn how to transform a letter into a beautiful piece of art in the snail mail class. It’s a great way to connect with a penpal.

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Interim Pasadena Police Chief John Perez Makes Debut Appearance in New Role Before Altadena Town Council

By EDDIE RIVERA | Photography by JAMES CARBONE

Interim Pasadena Police Chief John E. Perez, who fully assumes the office today, made his debut appearance in that capacity before a Council last night, but it wasn’t in Pasadena.

Perez appeared before the Altadena Town Council at the packed Altadena Community Center to read a brief statement.

He had been encouraged to appear by Altadenans concerned about the presence and actions of Pasadena police in their town, galvanized by a November, 2017 incident in which two Pasadena officers broke the leg of an Altadena man during a traffic stop inside Altadena town limits.

A cellphone video of that incident went viral and drew worldwide attention to the violent arrest.

Since then, many Altadenans have pressured their Councilmembers to set limits on Pasadena police involvement in their community.

Previous requests by Altadena Town Council Chair Okorie Ezieme on behalf of Altadenans were generally dismissed by Pasadena officials.

Tuesday, April 17, 2018

Altadena Town Council Issues Agenda for April 17, 2018

Okorie Ezieme, Chair, Altadena Town Council has issued the agenda for the Council’s April 17, 2018 meeting to be conducted at the Altadena Community Center, 730 East Altadena Drive, starting at 7:00 p.m.

A pdf version is available by clicking here.

1. CALL TO ORDER

1.1 Pledge of Allegiance ________________________ Neighbors Building a Better Altadena
Introduction, Okorie Ezieme
1.2 Roll Call _________________________________ Recording Secretary, Judy Matthews
1.3 Approve April 17, 2018 meeting Agenda _______ Pat Sutherlen

2. OFFICERS’ REPORTS

2.1 Chairman __________________________________ Okorie Ezieme
2.2 Vice Chairman ______________________________ Pat Sutherlen
2.3 Recording Secretary _________________________ Judy Matthews
2.3.1 Approve March 20, 2018 Meeting Minutes
2.4 Treasurer __________________________________ John White
2.5 Corresponding Secretary _____________________ Nestor de la Torre

3. PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS

3.1. California Highway Patrol ____________________ Officer Mike Ulloa
3.2 Altadena Sheriff’s Station ____________________ Lt. Carmichael Octave/Lt. Yolanda Clay
3.3 Pasadena Police _________________________ Interim Chief John Perez
3.4 County Fire ______________________________ Maria Grycan
3.5 Map Your Neighborhood ______________________ Karen Gibson/Eric Vander Velde

4.

Friday, April 13, 2018

Open Announcement for Board Vacancy

With the resignation of Trustee John McDonald, the Altadena Library Board of Trustees is accepting letters of interest from anyone who would like to serve on the board for his unexpired 2020 term.

Those applying must be at least 18, a registered voter and resident within the boundaries of the Altadena Library District. The Board will interview potential candidates on a date in May as designated by the Board in the April 23, 2018 Board of Trustees meeting.

The applicant selected must agree to be willing to run in the Nov. 6, 2018 election for remainder of the unexpired 2020 term.

Interested parties should submit a letter of interest, resume, and completed supplemental questionnaire (on library’s website) to the Library’s Acting Director, Ryan Roy, at wroy@altadenalibrary.org, by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 4th, 2018.

The Main Branch of the Altadena Library is located at 600 E. Mariposa Street.

For more information, please visit the library’s website at www.altadenalibrary.org.

Friday, April 13, 2018

Celebrate the Pushcart Prize for Poetry Nominees from the Altadena Poetry Review

The Altadena Public Library will be launching the Altadena Poetry Review: Anthology 2018, published by local independent publisher Golden Foothills Press for the Altadena Library, on Sunday, April 29, from 1 to 4:30 p.m.

The event will also inaugurate the library’s new Poet Laureate 2018-2020, which includes 106 poets, many of whom will be reading poetry that day.

The poets in the publication are Pushcart Prize Nominees, Poets Laureate, writing teachers, editors, publishers, professors, and emerging authors.

Among the authors who are expected to be at the event are Alicia Elkort, whose poetry has appeared in AGNI, Arsenic Lobster, Fickle Muses, Georgia Review, Heron Tree, Menacing Hedge, Rogue Agent, Stirring: A Literary Collection, and Tinderbox Poetry Journal; Dr. Thelma T, Reyna, whose books have collectively won 10 national literary awards; Cathie Sandstrom, a military brat who’s lived in four countries and ten states and whose poems appear on the website of the Academy of American Poets, and in The Southern Review,

Friday, April 13, 2018

The Altadena Chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction Announce Annual Luncheon

The Altadena Chapter of Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc. will hold its 18th annual Status of Women Recognition Luncheon on Saturday, April 28, at the Brookside Golf Club Mediterranean Room in Pasadena.

This year, the chapter will recognize and honor four distinguished women in law enforcement in the Altadena/Pasadena area and Los Angeles: Commander Cheryl Moody, Pasadena Police Department; Captain Vicki Stuckey, Altadena Sheriff’s Station; Lieutenant Yolanda Clay, Altadena Sheriff’s Station; and Detective Tracey Benjamin, Los Angeles Police Department.

Collectively these women contribute outstanding service to their communities, an Altadena Chapter announcement said.

Top Ladies Of Distinction, Inc. was chartered in the state of Texas on September 8, 1964 as a non-profit educational, humanitarian organization. As an international, service-oriented organization, it has a primary mission of mentoring and developing teens and parenting the teen organization (Top Teens of America), enhancing the lives of senior citizens, beautifying the community, recognizing the status of women, and engaging in community partnerships with local and national organizations in a collaborative effort to carry out their programs and projects.

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Attorney for Altadena Library District’s Executive Director Demands Independent Investigation Into Board Conduct

By BRIAN DAY

An attorney representing Altadena Library District’s executive director on Tuesday demanded an independent investigation into allegations of public meeting law violations and other issues, threatening a to release a series of “embarrassing” emails obtained through public records requests in coming months if action is not taken.

The demand came in the form of a seven-page letter sent to the ALD’s Board of Trustees by attorney Dale Gronemeier, who represents the library’s executive director Mindy Kittay, who is currently out on stress leave due to harassment by the board, according to the attorney.

Click to read the letter

He and his colleague, attorney Skip Hickambottom, appeared at last Thursday’s special meeting of the board of trustees, where they alleged repeated Brown Act violations, harassment against Kittay, and the attempted deletion of emails evidencing those allegations by then-board president John McDonald. The attorneys allege the board has harassed Kittay in retaliation for pointing out previous Brown Act violations.

Tuesday, April 3, 2018

Prescription Medication Narcotic Take Back Day

At Altadena Community Center from 11am-3pm

On Wednesday, April 11th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Altadena Sheriff’s Station will give the community an opportunity to help prevent abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your pills for disposal to Altadena Community Center at 730 E. Altadena Dr., Altadena. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Any unwanted or used needles can be dropped off in the outside bin at Altadena Sheriff Station 24 hours a day. The sharps container for needles will remain outside on the west side of the station for everyone to use.

Future prescription medication drop off dates will be announced as they become available.