Nearly 100 Seniors Say Goodbye to Sacred Heart (La Cañada-Flintridge Patch article)

on

Nearly 100 Seniors Say Goodbye to Sacred Heart

Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, the all-girls Catholic school at the top of the hill overlooking La Cañada, held its graduation ceremony on Crane Field Sunday with an exquisite view of the San Gabriel mountains behind the gorgeous seniors

By Justin Chapman, La Cañada-Flintridge Patch, 6/6/2011

While the stunning seniors, dolled up in their pure white dresses gloves, lined up for official graduation photos, the eight-year president of the school, Sister Carolyn McCormack, talked to Patch about how she feels blessed to run what she called "the most beautiful school in the world."
Before moving to Southern California, Sister McCormack grew up in San Francisco and became a principal of another all-girls Catholic school there.
"We have a beautiful, beautiful campus, but by far the beauty of our school is those beautiful girls you're looking at," she said. "And not just physical beauty, which they have, but also they're intelligent, articulate, well-rounded, and they're going to great schools across the country next semester. Our programs provide an education for them that allow them to step out into colleges and universities with confidence, with self-knowledge, and with excitement. So it's a great day for us today."
Several of the 98 graduating seniors of Class of 2011 spoke with Patch as well about their challenging yet rewarding experience at the school and their plans for next year. Their level of excitement was palpable and contagious.
"It feels good to graduate," said Anna Ramirez. "I'm definitely done. I'm ready for college. I definitely think they prepared us, and I'm definitely ready to leave."
Ramirez plans to attend Glendale Community College for two years and then transfer to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to study engineering.
"It feels really great to be graduating," said Kristine Locker, who attended Sacred Heart all four years. "It's awesome! Next year I'm attending SMU and I will be studying I-have-no-idea-what yet, but it's OK, and I'll try to figure it out there."
Locker agreed that Sacred Heart prepared her for college but hopes the first year will be a breeze. Ali de Oca, one of the ceremony's Valedictorians and the winner of the Tolog Award, noted that Sacred Heart was no breeze.
"It's amazing to be finally graduating because these have been a really stressful four years and now that it's all over, it feels really great," said de Oca. Next year she's going to Berkeley to study business.
Two long-time friends who went to grade school and Sacred Heart together, Alanna Piros and Sara Rosenberger, were especially excited to be graduating because their paths will continue to parallel when they both room together next year at UCLA.
"We're going to have a really good time," Piros laughed. She also added that she will miss the high school on the hill. "I love this place. It was very challenging but the teachers are absolutely wonderful and the girls are magnificent. I love them. I'm excited to move on, but it's kind of nerve wracking, so we'll see how the ceremony goes."
"I feel like I'm ready," said Piros' friend Rosenberger. "I'm excited about graduating and I plan on majoring in economics."
Another pair of friends, Alex Lopez and Elie Franks, who will both be studying business at the University of Colorado at Boulder and UCLA, respectively, spoke to Patch about the friendly and welcoming environment at Sacred Heart.
"I love the whole all-girls environment," said Lopez. "I was really active. I was on the ASB, I ran cross country, and I just love the community here."
"It feels like home," added Franks. "I think since it's an all-girls school we all feel like sisters. We're all comfortable around each other."
"We all have our group of friends," said Lopez, "but you can mix and be friends with everyone."
Before the sun dipped behind the mountains and the cold wind swept through, the graduation ceremony went off without a hitch. Sister McCormack gave the invocation before the Valedictorians and the student body president gave their speeches. A few of the seniors joined a couple other musicians to perform the song "I Hope You Dance."
Tears of joy and nostalgia filled their eyes as the Sacred Heart Class of 2011 threw their red roses into the air and officially graduated from high school, ready to enter the next phase of their lives.


Winning Smile: Flintridge Sacred Heart Grad Earns Honors (La Cañada-Flintridge Patch article)

on

Winning Smile: Flintridge Sacred Heart Grad Earns Honors

The women of Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy bid adieu to high school Sunday, as they set their sights on the future

By Justin Chapman, La Cañada-Flintridge Patch, 6/6/2011

Valedictorian and graduating senior Ali de Oca shows off the awards she won during the ceremony Sunday evening, during which she gave a heart tugging speech about her time at .
Please check back on LCF Patch for a graduation photo gallery and story.


Police Helicopter Arrest Simulation (Altadena Patch article)

on

Video: Police Helicopter Arrest Simulation

At the Pasadena's Police Department heliport open house in Altadena on Saturday, Pasadena PD showed off some simulated arrests using their air fleet

By Justin Chapman, Altadena Patch, 6/6/2011

Saturday's Pasadena Police Department Air Operations open house event featured two demonstrations of how they might use their helicopters in conjunction with their police officers, SWAT, and canine teams.
We can't vouch for how authentic these simulations might be but the crowds at the event certainly appeared to enjoy them.
For more on the event and Altadena residents' reaction to helicopter noise from Pasadena Police operations, check out .
Download the movie

Rude 911 Dispatchers, Animal Control, Group Homes Subject of Tuesday Community Meeting (Altadena Patch article)

on

Rude 911 Dispatchers, Animal Control, Group Homes Subject of Tuesday Community Meeting

Officials from the state Assembly, the county Sheriff's Department, and the county's Animal Control agency spoke to various concerns brought to ACONA's attention at Tuesday night's meeting

By Justin Chapman, Altadena Patch, 5/26/2011

A community meeting held by the Altadena Coalition of Neighborhood Associations (ACONA) Tuesday covered three major topics: group homes, dispatch issues at the Altadena Sheriff's station's temporary headquarters in La Crescenta and animal control.
Elliot Gold and Holly Rundberg started ACONA last June in an effort to pull all the various community and neighborhood organizations and associations together to create a more cohesive community.  Tuesday's meeting was attended by 32 Altadenans.

Group Homes
The first presentation regarding concerns about the presence of group homes and residential facilities in Altadena was given by Tanganica Turner, the Field Representative of Assembly member Anthony Portantino.
Turner was unable to provide a lot of data about the homes, such as how many are present in Altadena and where they are located, but she said she will let Gold know as soon as that number is available. She was also asked about the density limit regarding these facilities.
"As far as the amount of group homes in one area, the county will allow one home every 300 feet," she said. "If there is more than one in that 300 foot radius what they'll do is they'll ask you to apply for a particular license, but once all of your T's are crossed and your I's are dotted you're able to have that facility there. The process for licensing is very difficult and complicated."
On the state level, she said, if someone is providing care that is licensed by the state there are particular requirements and there is a process they must go through to obtain a license. For instance, if they're offering substance abuse treatment or psychiatric treatment or medical treatment, then they would of course have to obtain a license and that comes through the state of California. With that licensing the state is then able to regulate the actions and the activity of that particular home.
But in Altadena there are homes that are not licensed by the state of California because they are not providing a service that is required for a license. There are homes in Altadena that are boarding homes and sober living facilities but they're not offering a particular care that needs to be licensed by the state, by the county, or by the health department, according to Turner.
"They're kind of sliding under the radar as far as regulation is concerned because they're running them as private businesses for nonprofit organizations," she said.
However, she admitted that she works more with state level issues regarding these types of homes and so some of the Altadenans' questions about the county's regulations went unanswered. But she did offer to facilitate having experts and officials from the county regulatory agencies appear at the next ACONA meeting.
She also suggested that if residents feel certain homes in their community area are becoming a public safety issue that they should contact their public safety officials (in this case the ), which would put it on record and give residents a much stronger case should they choose to go to the county with their concerns.

911 Dispatchers
Next up was the second in command of the Altadena Sheriff's station, Lt. Roosevelt Johnson, who attended the meeting to address concerns that were brought to Capt. Steve MacLean's attention at the last ACONA meeting regarding what Altadenans see as rudeness on the part of the Altadena Sheriff's dispatchers, which are usually the first impression a resident receives from the station.
On the meeting's agenda, it stated that the dispatchers should "communicate concern, empathy, clear information, and a speedy response" and that this is not happening on a regular basis.
Lt. Johnson said there is no excuse for poor service, community service, and professional service on the part of the Sheriff's Department. He added that if any resident has concerns they can call Lt. Joseph Dempsey or himself directly. Johnson also addressed confusion pertaining to the fact that the Altadena Sheriff's station, which is still undergoing renovations, is currently operating out of the La Crescenta Valley Sheriff's station.
"Our current situation is a little unique because of the renovations going on," he said. "We know you expect a certain level of professional service and we at the station have that same level of expectation. And we will hold our personnel accountable for delivering that level of quality service."
He said that the department takes complaints seriously.
"I want you to know that every single complaint that comes in from you guys about our dispatchers comes across my desk," Johnson said.  "I read and approve every single complaint and subsequent investigation related to those. And the captain also reads and has to approve every single complaint and the result in terms of what we do to the personnel."
He added that Altadena is the only station in the county that does not have its own dedicated watch commanders. Their shift watch commanders work out of the La Crescenta station.
"So if you have a problem, generally, with service that's being delivered to you in the community, you are asked to speak to the watch commander, which means you're speaking to someone from the Crescenta Valley station," said Johnson. "Out of the complaints that we've received, I can tell you that personnel have been reprimanded for not speaking to the public in the manner that they're supposed to, not taking the call seriously, not dispatching cars when it's required, and per our department policy, if you call and ask for a squad car to come to your house, you will get a Sheriff's deputy car responding to your house."
He explained that once the Altadena station lost its jail, it also lost its watch commander because that was one of the main responsibilities of a watch commander. When construction is done at the station, there still will not be an on-site watch commander just yet.
However, 911 calls will go to the Altadena station instead of the La Crescenta station, which has not been the case in the past. He suggested that residents bring their concerns of not having an on-site watch commander to the Altadena Town Council and Supervisor Michael Antonovich's office.
Renovations on the Altadena Sheriff's station began last May and in July of last year they moved all of their communications equipment to the La Crescenta Valley station. Although he said construction was supposed to be completed last September, the only completed wing so far is the lobby of the station. If the inspection of the lobby area is approved, they expect to have dispatchers working out of the lobby as well as have that lobby open to the public once again within two weeks.

Animal Control Issues
Before the fairly sparse audience got their chance to ask the speakers some final questions, Lance Hunter, the Animal Care and Control Manager of the Baldwin Park Shelter, gave the floor to Sgt. Zeke Morales to speak to the concerns raised by ACONA folks on animal control in Altadena, including the slow response time.
"Most of the concerns that get called into our office are barking and noise complaints," said Morales, who has been assigned to Altadena. "When we respond to a house we normally do the full investigative work to prosecute and educate. A lot of times people believe the notice to appear are citations where they have to go to the Pasadena Courthouse, but it's actually a notice to give them time to get to our shelter to license their animals. I try to explain this process to every resident I interact with."
He added that he embraces the work he does because he knows Altadenans require a higher level of service. He mentioned that he regrets that there is not a closer unit to Altadena, but that residents do have 24 hours of service. There is always someone working even graveyard shifts in case of animal emergencies.
"We deal with household pets, horses, livestock, and other domesticated animals," he said when asked if animals such as coyotes fall under their jurisdiction. He added that they rarely pick up animals in Altadena and get more complaints about barking dogs and noise issues than anything else. "Very seldom do we get humane cases."
The next ACONA meeting will be held in either August or September and will be announced by Gold in the next few days. Meetings start at 7 p.m. at the Altadena Library. All are welcome to attend. To suggest or request items to be put on the agenda, contact Elliot Gold at elliotgold@aconaonline.org.







The Future of West Altadena Redevelopment (Altadena Patch article)

on

The Future of West Altadena Redevelopment

As the governor sticks to his plan of eliminating all redevelopment funds for bodies such as the West Altadena Project Area Committee, uncertainty about that voice for West Altadena abounds

By Justin Chapman, Altadena Patch, 5/25/2011

If Gov. Jerry Brown's budget is passed, West Altadena could stand to lose its redevelopment committee, which uses state funds to help purchased blighted properties and attract new businesses in the Lincoln Corridor.
The West Altadena Project Area Committee's (WAPAC) existence is uncertain right now, as is every other redevelopment advisory body's, not to mention every county's redevelopment agencies across the state. In fact, the fate of every redevelopment agency is up in the air.
At Monday's WAPAC just north of Lincoln Crossing, one of the committee's main achievements over the year, a county representative named Bill Johnson of the redevelopment agency that WAPAC advises, the county's Community Development Commission (CDC), gave a presentation on why both the WAPAC's and the CDC's futures are at stake.
Brown has proposed cutting all state funds that go to redevelopment agencies statewide in both of his proposed budgets: the one in January that failed to pass by one vote in the state Assembly and the revised one that was unveiled May 16.
Even though California got more money than expected this year, both budgets call for the total elimination of all 400 redevelopment agencies and aim to put more money in public health, safety and education, according to Corde Carrillo, the Director of Economic Development and Redevelopment for the county's CDC . So far, the state Senate has not taken up the proposed budgets.
If the CDC is dismantled, there would be no need for the WAPAC, and West Altadena would have one less advisory body looking out for its business interests.
The state legislature is supposed to pass the budget by June 1, but that hasn't happened in a long, long time, so it might be a while before anyone knows what's going to happen. Carrillo said that if Brown's budget passes, there would be an agency to unwind the redevelopment activities both in West Altadena and any other redevelopment area in the state.
"I think he sees redevelopment as an initial funding source," Carrillo told Patch in a phone interview before Monday's WAPAC meeting. "Once redevelopment areas are eliminated, money would be used for public health and safety. He's finding new money, but it's having no effect, as far as we can see, on his plan. He hasn't looked at accepting, at this point, the reform proposals for redevelopment areas. He sees this as the future funding stream he may need to pay off some of California's debt."
The area that WAPAC covers makes up 80 acres centered around the intersection of Lincoln and Woodbury.  The agency was adopted in 1986, and its main achievement was bringing in the Lincoln Crossing development, which transformed a blighted area into a successful shopping development (though it has ). A map of the redevelopment project area is attached to this article.
The agency is designed to last a total of 40 years, but that 40-year duration still could be cut in half if Brown's budget is passed, which is still very possible, Johnson said at Monday's meeting.
"Although the measure was defeated in the state Assembly, it can be brought up for another vote at any time," he said. "So just because they vote against something doesn't mean they can't bring it back and vote on it again and again and again. Part of the governor's proposal would have taken $1.7 billion in redevelopment funds to help solve the state's current budget problems, so the whole reason for eliminating redevelopment was to go after the money."
In the short term, the billions saved by the redevelopment agency would go towards Medi-Cal payments and trial courts, but in the long term local residents could see more direct benefits from the money: the funding sources going towards redevelopment would be redirected to local education funding.
Elimination of the agencies is not just a Democratic proposal.  The proposed Republican budget also calls for redevelopment agency tax increment funds to be swept to the state in order to balance the budget, according to a report released May 18 by CCN Client Alert. The report goes on to say, "The Republican version does not, however, indicate whether it adopts the Governor's proposal or one of the other proposals calling for a voluntary transfer of such funds. The Republican version simply accepts the need for redevelopment agency revenues in order to close the budget deficit gap."
Both Carrillo and Johnson said that state lawyers for the legislature have told lawmakers in the last month that elimination of redevelopment agencies could violate the California constitution.
"The lawyers in the state legislature have issued an opinion that this transfer of local funds, beause that's what tax increment is, to the state would violate the state constitution," said Johnson. "Meaning it would be illegal to do that. But the legislature doesn't always listen to their lawyers. So the legal opinion has been provided by the state lawyers to the members that are there in the Assembly and it hasn't yet come back up for a vote again. But the governor has not changed his position at all. The state lawyers have said that it may not be legal because you can't transfer local funds to the state to pay for state needs, but the governor refuses to budge. And it simply creates a great deal of uncertainty for all redevelopment agencies statewide."
Two redevelopment reform bills have been introduced, according to Johnson's report to the WAPAC on Monday. One is called SB 450, and it seeks to reform redevelopment housing laws. The other one, SB 286, is a broader attempt at redevelopment reform.
"SB 286 makes numerous changes in reforms to redevelopment law," said Johnson. "Most significantly it excludes the educational share of tax increment for many or new or expanded redevelopment areas. It means the schools would be exempt from getting redevelopment funds."
So what would all this mean for West Altadena if WAPAC gets dismantled?
"There would be one less advisory body to speak for the redevelopment area community," said Carrillo. The Town Council is responsible for all of Altadena, so they would maybe look at the West Altadena area, and there might be members of them to speak about West Altadena in an advisory capacity. If the community wanted to, they could ask for another type of organization to speak for them or the business community in particular. It's certainly a possibility to have a privately funded entity to replace WAPAC."
Allan Wasserman, a member of the Altadena Town Council and that advisory body's representative on WAPAC, is also supportive of a privately funded entity with similar goals as WAPAC if it goes under.
"West Altadena would probably try to recreate a private form of it (if WAPAC was eliminated)," said Wasserman. "Something that's not state sanctioned, but an independent committee, probably financed by private individuals. They could reemerge themselves as a private entity that stays involved with the community."
WAPAC was formed because West Altadena requested a PAC when the county first formed a redevelopment area. Supervisor Michael Antonovich was supportive of it. PACs have to be constituted within redevelopment law. Their members are elected and they cover business owners, property owners, retail, homeowners, and other neighborhood associations.
"We provide administrative services for WAPAC," explained Carrillo. "We're a county support; we don't sit on WAPAC. The committee is made up of community leaders and has its own bylaws."
"Nothing officially has been done to end (the CDC and thus the WAPAC)," said Wasserman. "But redevelopment across the state is being scrutinized. Time will tell."
WAPAC meets the fourth Monday of every month at 6 p.m. at the Business Technology Center, located at 2400 N. Lincoln Ave.









Church Group Wants to Start Farmers Market, Other Events at Former Altadena Nursery Site (Altadena Patch article)

on

Church Group Wants to Start Farmers Market, Other Events at Former Altadena Nursery Site

The new tenant of the old Altadena Nursery site, an outreach branch of a Pasadena-based church, has moved in and began preparing for local community events, such as a farmer's market and other open-air fairs

By Justin Chapman, Altadena Patch, 5/23/2011

Although the plan for the local Grace Community Outreach group to move into the old Altadena Nursery site at 1968 N. Lake Avenue took a little longer than they anticipated, according to one of the church's board members, Arthur Bonner, they have officially moved in and began operations around mid-March.
In November Patch that a branch of the Pasadena-based Grace Community Bible Church, called Grace Community Outreach, plans to use the site as an outreach center and a location for community events, such as a farmer's and/or vendor's market.
Right now they are still working on a contract for the farmer's market and they want to do it at an opportune time for the community. Bonner mentioned Thursdays and Saturdays as the desirable days of the week to host the market. However they haven't decided yet because they are still waiting for the necessary permits from the county.
"We're in the process right now with LA County to get the necessary permits and get everything structured to facilitate the community," said Bonner. "We're shooting for a farmer's market in June. It will probably be the first big event. The farmer's market appeals to a broad spectrum of the community."
Right now the building still looks abandoned: there is no sign on the building advertising the new tenant Grace Community Outreach and there is still fencing around the front of the property.  But Bonner said that they will eventually put up a sign to promote themselves after they receive the county permits. In November, however, Bonner explained to Patch what their goals were.
"What Outreach does is community events," said Bonner. "One of the main things is a farmer's market-style open-air fair, where we have local and non-local businesses set up booths and sell things like green and natural furniture, fruits, vegetables, flowers, natural and hemp clothing, natural incense and candles; that sort of thing. There are also booths for freelance writers and self-publishing, and people from different denominational churches handing out literature."
He said all operations will be held within the boundaries of the property. The purpose of holding these types of events is twofold. It's a way to generate revenue for the Grace Community Bible Church by charging a fee to individual vendors for space for their booths. It's also their way of giving back to the local community.
Previously, Outreach events were held at the Rose Bowl. While most vendors come from all over to participate in Outreach's events, Bonner said they're open to all local vendors.
"That's the intention," he said. "To pull as many individual Altadenans and Altadena businesses who operate in that capacity as possible into our events.
Altadena Nursery had to close up shop late 2009 after it was unable to continue paying rent for six months to the landlord, Balian Investments LLC, owned by local developer Missak Balian. Less than a year later Grace Community Outreach became the new tenant.



Town Council Waiting on County for Proposed Parking Ordinance (Altadena Patch article)

on

Town Council Waiting on County for Proposed Parking Ordinance

Altadena Town Council chair Gino Sund said that owners of large nuisance vehicles are finding ways around the overnight parking restrictions, so the council sent a proposal to the county to include retail areas in the prohibited overnight parking rule

By Justin Chapman, Altadena Patch, 5/23/2011

A year ago the Altadena Town Council submitted a proposal to the county to update Altadena's parking ordinance. The council is still waiting for the elected County government to vote on the changes.
There's a problem with the existing parking ordinance that prohibits any commercial vehicle weighing more than 10,000 pounds from parking between the hours of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., Sund told Patch in a phone interview. It only pertains to residential areas, not business and retail areas, of Altadena.
"So they would park overnight around areas like Woodbury and Lincoln," said Sund. "They would find a place that wasn't prohibited by this ordinance."
Sund said the problem was immediately obvious, and last May the Town Council sent a proposal to the county to extend the new rules to commercial areas.
According to the county's Department of Public Works Public Information Officer, Bob Spencer, county counsel has finished reviewing the council's proposal and just returned it to Public Works, where it must go through a couple additional administrative processes before it can be presented to the Board of Supervisors for discussion and a vote.
"It's slowly making its way through the system," said Spencer. "But there is no definitive date as of yet when it will appear on the supervisors' agenda."
The slow pace of the county is not the only problem with parking in Altadena, according to Sund.
He said that Pasadena has very strict parking rules, which causes more people to park in Altadena. The new ordinance for Altadena, Sund said, was drafted after public hearings were held and submitted to the county counsel. He's not sure when it will be on the supervisors' agenda, but expects it to pass because there are other unincorporated towns that already have the same ordinance.
Over the years there have been a lot of complaints from the community about safety hazards regarding large vehicles that sit around for a long time in one place. There have also been concerns expressed that Altadenans don't want their town to be like Pasadena, with its stringent parking restrictions. However, Sund said this additional parking ordinance will affect only those who park their large vehicles overnight and for long periods of time.
"It's virtually not going to affect most Altadenans," said Sund. "We're just trying to get rid of these nuisance large vehicles."
The ordinance aims to prohibit overnight parking in retail areas as well for large vehicles and to allow the Sheriff's Department to write tickets to prevent Pasadenans from parking overnight in Altadena.
"It doesn't affect cars, RVs, trucks; it affects large vehicles, or a large truck with a boat on the back," said Sund. "So it's to stop that kind of thing. If you own an RV, you can get a free permit at the Sheriff's station to allow you to park your RV in front of your houses. That's the intent. It's not an absolute abolition of parking overnight, it's to stop people from parking these big vehicles overnight all year long and outside Pasadena people parking in Altadena."
According to Title 15 of the county code (15.64.075), a nonconforming vehicle "refers to any trailer or vehicle if any part of such trailer or vehicle, together with all fixtures, accessories or property affixed thereto (other than single post radio antennas), measures more than eight feet in width, seven and one-half feet in height, or 20 feet in length."
Unincorporated communities in the county such as Marina del Rey, Ladera Heights, and Park Windsor Hills already have similar ordinances in place. The proposal that the town council submitted to the county is currently being reviewed, but it's anyone's guess when it will appear on the county Board of Supervisors' agenda. It has been a year since the town council submitted its recommended additions to the existing parking ordinance and still no one knows when the supervisors will vote on it.
"Sometimes you have to do something," said Sund. "Otherwise people will take advantage of Altadena's loose parking rules."