Hazardous Waste and E-Waste Roundup

Great time to clean out the garage, carport, shed, etc. of household hazardous waste and E-waste.

Saturday, May 26 from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
252 West Mountain Ave. in Altadena
enter from Figueroa Drive

Messing with Mailboxes Continues

Two Meadows neighbors, one as recently as this morning, have reported that mail continues to be taken out of mailboxes.

This morning, one neighbor found mail from addresses on Gravelia, Risinghill and lower Canyon Crest.  The mail was postmarked from May 4 through May 7.

He also reported that he saw additional mail tossed down in the canyon off Canyon Crest but couldn't retrieve it.  The mail is being delivered back to the post office.

All incidents have been reported to the Sheriff and post office.

It's unknown what time of day this is happening, but since our mail is delivered in the afternoon, the thief must be coming sometime after that and into the evening.

It's suggested that we all keep a more diligent eye on the neighborhood in the evening hours and report any suspicious activity to the Sheriff and post office.

Also, neighbors may want to take their mail in earlier.

AHS May 14 Millard Canyon Talk

Even if you aren't an avid outdoors hiker, if you live near the San Gabriel Mountains you probably know of Millard Canyon. Covered by a canopy of at least nine species of native trees, habitat to countless birds and other wildlife, the canyon serves as a wildlife corridor for the large mammal species that live in the foothills.  Millard Creek is a year-round stream that  feeds the area as well.

There is a good possibility that 13 acres in the canyon, north of Canyon Crest Road, can be saved from development.  

Come to the May 14th  ALTADENA HISTORICAL SOCIETY program and hear author, historian and outdoor enthusiast Elizabeth Pomeroy speak about the past and future of our beloved canyon.  

In addition, Elizabeth and Conservancy president John Howell will invite you to take a hike on May 19 and personally experience this 13 acre parcel.  The hike will be led by experts in biology, geology, history or hydrology.  Learn how the Altadena Crest Trail will be extended through the well-publicized "La Vina gap.”

For more information, http://www.arroyosfoothills.org/millard/

Altadena Historical Society
Quarterly Meeting and Lecture
Historian and Author Elizabeth Pomeroy & Arroyo Foothills Conservancy Executive Director John Howell

The Past and Future of Millard Canyon
Monday, May 14, 2012, 7:30 PM
Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Drive, Altadena, CA 91001
Programs are free and open to the public

Hike Millard Canyon May 19

Meadows residents have been invited to a hike through Millard Canyon on May 19th.  The Arroyo & Foothills Conservancy has a bid in on purchasing the acreage.

Here's the announcement:

Hike Millard Canyon on May 19

Ten years ago the Arroyos & Foothills (AFC) made a run at saving 13 acres in beautiful lower Millard Canyon.  They teamed up with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and bid $50,000 more than its appraised value to try to buy it at auction. It was heartbreaking to lose to someone who wanted to build homes in the canyon.

Never again! Ten years later and we have another chance. The owner has offered AFC the property on favorable terms. Let's not let this land get away!

Come see this seldom-hiked canyon on Saturday, May 19. Choose from four hikes: 9:00, 10:30, 12:00 or 1:30.

The habitat is top notch; the stream runs year-round; trees cover the whole route.

Docents expert in biology, geology, history or hydrology will guide us. Learn how the Altadena Crest Trail will be extended through the ‘La Vina gap’.

Directions:

Meet at the Altadena Community Garden. Take the 210 north to the Lincoln Avenue turnoff and go north to the corner of Lincoln and Palm (3330 N. Lincoln Ave. Altadena). We’ll be shuttled to the Millard campground parking lot and then we’ll hike down the canyon to Canyon Crest Road. The route is less than a mile and a half long, but somewhat rugged. The hike itself will take 1-1/2 to 2 hours. We’ll be shuttled back to the Community Garden for refreshments and to learn about this opportunity to save this remarkable place.

Suggestions: 

Wear a long sleeve shirt and pants because there’s poison oak along parts of the route.

Wear sturdy hiking shoes because much of the route is with faint or no trail and there’s boulder hopping at several stream crossings.

Consider hiking poles for those crossings.

Rattlesnakes are beginning to come out – be alert.

This is not a hike for dogs.

Bring garden gloves if you’d like to remove a few invasive plants along the way.

For more info, go to http://www.arroyosfoothills.org/millard/

Messing with the Mailboxes

Update:  The same neighbor found El Prieto residents' mail tossed in the bushes.  She is going to deliver it to the houses.  Chances are this was someone taking mail looking for tax refunds.

A neighbor reported this morning that mailboxes were opened at some houses on El Prieto and Risinghill.  It most likely occurred last night or early this morning.

Please watch for any unusual activity.

Update Lost Dog

Update 4/26: The dog has been caught and a neighbor is holding it. Anyone interested in adopting?

Here's a picture of the terrier that has been in The Meadows the last two days.  Several neighbors have tried to coax him to come to them, but he/she's too scared.  After running through the rain yesterday, he was out this morning on El Prieto, Risinghill and Canyon Crest and appeared to be limping. 

We're starting to think that he/she was dropped off here in The Meadows.

If you can catch the dog, please do.  It seems really sweet and, at this point, tired and scared.

Lost Dog?

Just a few minutes ago, I and a neighbor saw a small brown and black terrier running down El Prieto and Aralia.  Anyone missing a dog?  The dog looked lost.

Summer Concert Series at Farnsworth

Meet The Inspector

Farmers Market at Loma Alta Park

News today that we'll have a farmer's market at Loma Alta Park starting Wednesday, May 30 from 3-7.

Looks like they've got some good vendors.

Found Turtle

From the 4300 block of Canyon Crest, neighbors found a turtle, hard shell, green/brown in their back yard, They took it to the Pasadena Humane Society. 

Suspicious Fire on Hollygrove

Monday night at around 8:45 p.m., a neighbor on Hollygrove reported that aapparently someone threw a fire bomb of some sort through the front window of the vacant house for sale on Hollygrove.

Another neighbor spotted it out of her kitchen window.

The Fire Department was on top of it quickly and put it out.  Doesn't look like there was a lot of damage.

Sheriffs were taking reports of a "suspicious fire."

Arts After School Program

Break-in on Canyon Crest

A break-in occurred in the 4100 block of Canyon Crest yesterday.  It happened mid-day when the residents had left the house.  They typically are home during the day, so neighbors are speculating that the house was watched.  The burglars broke in by prying the back door in. Only small items were taken and larger, more expensive items were left behind.

One neighbor also heard that another neighbor's home alarm was set off last week when someone pried open his window and he was called by the police. 

Neighbors are encouraging everyone to be on the look out for people that you don't recognise and suspicious behavior.

Updated: Police Activity on Lincoln Blocks Access to The Meadows

Updated: La Vina gates at Sunset Ridge are being kept open, per a neighbor, to allow Meadows residents to get home.

For at least the past hour, sheriffs and police have blocked Lincoln Avenue north of Altadena Drive and South of Loma Alta where an alleged shooting has occurred. It also appears the shooter is hold up in one of the houses on the west side of the street.  I also saw what I think is a "door-buster" truck being escorted up to the site.

I left The Meadows around 3:30 p.m..  Lincoln had been blocked and police had guns drawn.

Trying to return at 4:30, I and other Meadows residents could not go past a police block on Loma Alta just west of Sunset Ridge Drive.  Thanks to a friend and another resident who live in La Vina,  they opened the Sunset Ridge gate for many of us who then could drive through La Vina and down Lincoln to Canyon Crest.

Police had Lincoln blocked just south of Canyon Crest, so right now, Meadows residents can't exit.

If anyone hears of updates, please let me know.

Mountain Lion Attempted Break-In

Neighbors on Risinghill reported that a large, approximately 200 lb. mountain lion, tried to break into their house to get at their house cat early this morning. 
Even with loud noises and shining a flashlight, the mountain lion was not deterred and tried several times and ways to enter the house.

After then hanging around the house, the animal eventually left the property.

The neighbor stated that the mountain lion was very large and all muscle.

A caution to keep your pets indoors and not in view of this wildlife.

Altadena Visioning Workshops

Starting April 4 at Loma Alta Park, Altadenans are invited to participate in one or the series of workshops planned to give Altadena residents and business owners an opportunity to talk about how they'd like to see Altadena.  What's missing in Altadena?  Have you faced obstacles in the effort to remodel your home?  What were those obstacles?  Have you had issues trying to establish a small business here?  What made it difficult or complicated the process?

During these workshops, you'll have an opportunity to talk about some of those things and make recommendations for what should be different - in the ordinance requirements that currently govern what we can do in Altadena and where.

Are there things you really like about other communities that you think might be beneficial to our community?  If so, what?

What's great about Altadena?  What can be improved? 

We have the opportunity to look at zoning regulations in Altadena and make recommendations to the County about how they should be changed, stronger or more relaxed.

These workshops are intended to gather information which will be compiled by the consultants for the County and your input is valuable. 

The flyer is also shown below and it includes information about how to get more information if you need that.  If not, please make plans to participate in one or all of these important workshops.

New Coop Grocery Store Forming

Dear neighbors,

My name is Alex Berrie, and I am helping to start a cooperative grocery store in the Altadena/Pasadena area. Please join me on Saturday, March 24, at 2:00 p.m. at my house on Hollygrove to hear more about the Arroyo Food Cooperative. I will have our president and founder, Patrick Reagan, over to give a short presentation of where we are in our current efforts to get our doors open. (Hint: we need more members, and this is where you come in!) Light refreshments will be provided.

Please RSVP to alexandraberrie@gmail.com, or to 626.688.2787.

Great Info on House Insurance

I heard from a neighbor over the weekend that she was able to go back to California FairPlan for her home insurance at a reduced rate.  CA FairPlan told her that they were aware of all the work that had been done by The Meadows FireSafe Council and had reduced their rates for our neighborhood.

She saved a significant amount of money.

Shake It, Shake It, Shake It!

Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich is inviting all who might be interested in seeing (or experiencing) new Earthquake Simulators which were developed as his initiative as follows:

Date:            Monday, March 12, 2012
Time:           10:00 am
Place:           Eliot Middle School
                   2184 Lake Avenue, Altadena

You'll have a chance to meet Supervisor Antonovich and Los Angeles County Fire Chief Daryl Osby as they introduce the new simulators and you may be able to experience first hand the County's newest Earthquake Safety/Education tool.

The event will begin with a press conference followed by a demonstration.

You might want to arrive a little early because the only available parking will be on the streets surrounding the school.

The Supervisor and his staff look forward to seeing you.