Altadena Above It All

This gives me hope. Can’t believe the publishers of her upcoming book have printed as many copies as was printed of Ted Kennedy’s memoir. Puhleeze.

NO BUYERS FOR PALIN’S SPEECHES: IF NEED BE, SHE COULD ALWAYS DOWNGRADE TO THE BAR MITZVAH CIRCUIT: The New York Post reports that the Washington Speakers Bureau which also represents George W. Bush, Laura Bush, and Condoleezza Rice, is having a hard time convincing potential clients to book Sarah Palin for $100,000 a pop.

Sorry for late notice, but I’ve been out of town.

As if we haven’t had enough fires and other emergencies to wake us up, right? But I bet most of you don’t have your emergency plans in place still. Tonight at the Altadena Community Center, 7-9 p.m., learn how you can remedy that and prepare for the next emergency or disaster.

The Community Center is at 730 E. Altadena Dr., next door to the Sheriff station.

From Carolyn and the CAC:

The details for the forum to address the spike in residential burglaries have been firmed up.

This is your opportunity to find out what the Sheriff’s Department has been doing about burglaries, what they are currently doing and what is planned. 

It is also your opportunity to find out what you can do to HELP the Sheriff’s Department and your neighborhood, including ways to better protect your homes without jeopardizing your safety.

WHAT?            Altadena Sheriff’s Community Forum on BURGLARY

WHEN?            Wednesday, October 7
                           7 to 9:00 p.m.

Doors open no later than 6:30.

WHERE?           Daniel Webster Elementary School Auditorium
                       2101 East Washington Boulevard
                       Pasadena

Ok, this just in from Carolyn. Be safe! Call the Sheriffs at the FIRST sign of suspicious activity.
Last week on Wednesday night, on the east side of Altadena, a resident called the Sheriff’s Station to report a burglary in process, and indicated that two men rang his front door bell and when the resident didn’t answer, they shook the door.   Then, one of the men went back to the sidewalk and stood, the other disappeared from sight.  The resident thought perhaps he should go look at the rear of his home.  Sure enough, the other man was trying to gain entry.

The Sheriff’s deputies arrived too quickly (depending on your point of view) and the man attempting to gain entry hadn’t yet succeeded.  Both men were arrested, but could only be arrested on attempted burglary.  We don’t know yet what the outcome of that will be.

At the beginning of this week, the Detectives who have been working on all of the burglaries asked Captain Blow if they could set up a community meeting on the subject of burglary.  That community meeting is tentatively scheduled for early October.  We are waiting for confirmation from the school at which it will be held.

Many things are frustrating the process of capturing burglars and prosecuting them successfully.   To the Detectives and Deputies, it doesn’t help if you email each other when you see suspicious activity in your neighborhood, but you don’t call the Sheriff’s Station.

If you won’t call the Sheriff’s Station, the deputies cannot just stop someone from driving or parking in your area.  They have to have a cause to stop and question someone.

They have asked many times for all of us to call when you see strangers in your neighborhood.  These people may have a legitimate reason for being there, and if they do, the deputies will sort that out.

It also isn’t so helpful if you call to report an attempted burglary or that someone broke into your car two weeks after the event occurred. 

Nothing works better than catching burglars in the progress.

The Detectives and Deputies need your help. 

Last Wednesday night before the resident called to advise that someone was attempting to break in to his home, two men knocked on someone else’s door.   That happened earlier in the evening, but I don’t know how much earlier.  In this instance, the resident answered the door, and the stranger asked if he could come in.  The resident said, “no”, and shut the door.

I am currently in Northern New Mexico.  When I arrived here late yesterday, I received 2 emails from my homeowner’s association advising of 3 daytime burglaries here – all described in exactly the same way – knock on the front door, no answer, they head to the back of the house and find a way to make entry, or in one incident, they forced entry at the front door.  Just like we are experiencing in Altadena, the burglars are also very bold and will enter a home through the front door if it is unlocked, even if someone is in the house.  They walk in, take the TV and any handy computer and out they go before anyone even realizes someone’s been inside their home.

You can be part of the solution. 

Don’t leave your doors and windows unlocked.   Don’t make it any easier that it already seems to be for people to break in.

More importantly – CALL THE SHERIFF’S STATION  626 798 1131

I’ll have confirmation of the date for the community meeting by Monday.

Took a little drive in my friend’s hand-built new vintage car yesterday up Mulholland and over to where Coldwater Canyon is closed due to the massive water main break. The sky was a little hazy, but the temperature was pleasant and everybody smiles when they see this adorable car. It took John and his crack support team about 2,000 hours to build his dream car.

Oh yes, she’s called Pretty in Pink. Hit our neighbor’s garage sale yesterday. You know us, can’t pass up a cute car! Just keep remembering how fun it was to drive my own little red one when I was a kid. And no pollution!

Here’s an assortment of pictures from today. Food, fun and festivities at The Gallery at the End of the World, Altadena Junction, in the alley between the two and behind Altadena Hardware, Photography by Walt,  and over at Webster’s (which had free ice cream!). The community gave a public thank you to the firefighters of Altadena Station, and right on cue, a few minutes later, several firecrews came down Lake from the mountain to cheers. Great event. Thanks to Molly at Photography by Walt who got the idea going!

Fire above Altadena Sunday Aug. 30, 2009

I shot this from the car on the way to a wedding Sunday afternoon. Feels like the invaders in Independence Day to me.

Check it out!

http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~obs/towercam.htm#imagetop

From Carolyn,

There is some good news to report about the Station Fire – good for Altadena, not so good for some of our neighboring communities.

For Altadena, there are no more Mandatory Evacuation orders in place, and no Altadena areas are on the list of locations open to residents only. The entire Eastern Boundary of the Angeles National Forest will be closed effective 12:00 pm on September 3, 2009 until full containment of the Station Fire.

The only road closure left for Altadena is Chaney Trail, at the Angeles National Forest gate.

So, I hope we can all recoup and rest today and prepare to have some fun this weekend with the all the arts events going on.

FUN FUN FUN

Altadena Junction has artist Alex Schaefer painting 20 minute portraits Friday night. Here are details:

Event:  Alex Schaefer will be painting 20 minute oil portraits from life!
      “Sit and get painted.”
Where: Altadena Junction
Start Time: Friday, September 4 at 7:00pm
End Time: Friday, September 4 at 11:00pm
To see more details and RSVP, follow the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=127153009820&mid=107c5f4G3bec90a3Gd8e501G7

Project Altadena will be up for viewing! Sponsored by the Altadena Arts Coalition, the prints from Altadenans who scoured the town with disposable cameras to capture their personal views (one of whom would be me), will be available for viewing beginning at 5 p.m. Saturday in the alley behind Altadena Hardware.

The Gallery at the End of the World has a show opening tonight! And nobody does an art opening better than Ben! http://www.galleryattheendoftheworld.com/

And Sunday, the fabulous Carol Channing plays at the Altadena Community Church to help them raise funds for a new roof. I was going to go, but another commitment will prevent that. But I’ll be out Friday and Saturday enjoying the fun!

And stop by the great businesses on Lake near the Gallery, like Websters Fine Stationers. Lori has brought it beautiful, locally made cards, custom decorative signage companies, and more. Won’t find what she has anywhere else nearby.

See you in Altadena!