The Montrose Christmas Parade volunteers are busily working to get everything ready for tonight. Coordinators are monitoring the winds, however as of 1:15 p.m. the parade was a go.

“You might be in a for a little luck,” said Stuart Seto, weather specialist at the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

The winds appear to be dying down toward evening although the High Wind Warning and Red Flag Warning are in place through Sunday afternoon.

“But the winds should be decreasing,” he added.

As of Friday night, power had been restored to about 65% of the Southern California Edison customers who lost service due to the high windstorm. As of 4 p.m. on Friday, 131,591 SCE customers were without service.

“Most [99%] customers should have their power restored by Sunday,” said Dave Ford, spokesman for SCE.   

Another wind event is expected to begin Monday about midnight and go through Tuesday. The Santa Ana winds will come out of the northeast and have sustained winds from 20 to 30 miles per hour with gusts up to 50 miles per hour.    

 

 

 

 

During the early morning hours of Monday, October 31, 2011, multiple suspects entered various classrooms on the campus of La Canada High School, in La Canada Flintridge.  The theft was discovered by school staff members later that same day as several teachers were unable to locate computers in their classrooms.  The school soon learned that suspects stole approximately $25,000 in electronic items, including laptop computers, computer projectors, and video cameras.

Detectives from the Crescenta Valley Station developed information as to the identity of the suspects involved in the burglary by pursuing leads and evidence from the crime scene.  The investigation led to the arrest of two suspects on November 3, 2011.  Erik Howell, a 20-year old Black male from Glendale, and David Pinnell, a 21-year old White male from Reseda, who were both arrested for burglary.

Subsequent to these arrests, a search warrant was served at Pinnell’s home in Reseda.  It is believed that nearly all of the property taken during the burglary was recovered from the residence.  Additional inventory is being conducted by school officials to determine if any property is still missing.

The suspects were booked at the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station where they are each being held on $20,000 bail.

Two additional suspects have been identified during the investigation and are being sought by detectives.  These individuals are Joshua Oleas, a 21-year old White male from Tujunga, and a 16-year old White male juvenile from Tujunga.

The investigation is ongoing in this burglary, including the possible involvement of other suspects.

Anyone who may have information about this burglary is asked to contact the Crescenta

Valley Station Detective Bureau at 818-248-3464, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org

By Mary O’KEEFE

By Mary O’KEEFE

Danette Erickson has retained her seat as a regular councilmenber of the Crescenta Valley Town Council. Former member Frank Beyt and present member Charles Beatty were also elected as regular members. They will be serving a three-year term.

Alternate members are: present CVTC  members Odalis C. Suarez and Robert Thomas, and new candidate Mike Claessens. They will be serving one-year terms.

According to CVTC President Cheryl Davis, 157 ballots were cast, that was 151 voters that came to the poll at La Crescenta Library, and six absentee ballots. Two of the ballots were disqualified for marking more than three candidates.

The new councilmembers will be sworn in on Dec. 15 and officer elections will be held at that meeting.

By Mary O’KEEFE

A hiker missing since Saturday has been found.

The Montrose Search and Rescue Team assisted the Sierra Madre Search and Rescue in their search for Willis Abner, 30. Abner, an avid hiker who began his hike on Thursday and was to return by Saturday, was discovered today uninjured on Highway 39.

“He had let his mom know of his [hike and] let her know that he would be back by Oct. 15,” said Lt. Tom Mc Neal, of Temple City Sheriff’s Station. “He started [his hike] above Altadena off the Angeles Crest Highway (2).”

When he didn’t return his mother reported him missing on Sunday. His reported plan was to hike along the Mt. Baldy Trail to end in the Chantry Flats area.

McNeal added that he had enough food with him for a week.

Several search and rescue teams took part in the effort.

By Mary O’KEEFE

Two mountain bikers were found safe and uninjured after spending most of the night in Angeles National Forest.

Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station received a called at 10:50 p.m. on Sunday night concerning two brothers, ages 42 and 45, that had been separated from their two friends while mountain biking.  The four bikers had planned to ride from the Red Box area to Switzer Falls in the Angeles National Forest.

Montrose Search and Rescue members, assisted by a Sierra Madre team, began searching the area.  The friends reported the brothers had become separated from them about three miles from Switzer Falls.

When the friends realized the brothers had not returned to their vehicle, they called the sheriff and reported them lost, said Sgt. Tuinstra, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Crescenta Valley Station.

The two missing mountain bikers were found at 5:10 a.m. this morning near Switzer, tired but uninjured.

By Brandon HENSLEY

September means another season of TV shows, football, and, at least to the people of Crescenta Valley, the time to get to know their local businesses.

The ninth annual Foothills Community Business Expo was held at Verdugo Hills Hospital Sept. 9 in the community room, a place to spread the word about the various services available and products for sale in the foothills.

“The goal is to promote local business and give them exposure not only to the other businesses but to the community at large,” said Scott Trulik, president of the Montrose-Verdugo Chamber of Commerce.

Sixty-six businesses attended the expo, which was co-sponsored by the hospital.

There were food and raffle prizes given out to attendees – including an iPad 2 donated by Crescenta Valley Insurance. Ric Alejandrino was the lucky winner.

“[The expo] basically is a tool for businesses to use with other owners and get some one-on-one time and have the opportunity to develop relationships with neighbors,” said Leslie Lesh, president of the CV Chamber of Commerce.

Lesh and her husband Leo own Leo’s All-Star Sports Bar & Grill. She said events like the expo provide a chance for people to get more informed about restaurants like hers. She emphasized that many think Leo’s is just a sports bar.

“There are people that haven’t been to our All-Star Sports Bar and know what we do,” she said. “We do this every year because we know that you can never stop promoting your business.”

Lesh said she became involved with the Chamber because she wanted to connect with people and businesses and support them as much as she gets supported.

As for the turnout, it was busier this year, according to Lesh, and she said that may have been because people are feeling better about the economy.

Trulik didn’t go that far, but said, “It was as good if not better than last year.”

Next on the agenda for the Montrose-Verdugo Chamber is the annual Oktoberfest on Oct. 1, of which Trulik is the chair person. For Crescenta Valley Chamber, there’s the 5K Walk on Saturday and Taste of the Foothills in November.

By Mary O’KEEFE

At 8 p.m. on Saturday, Glendale Police Department responded to the 3400 block of Markridge Road concerning a call from residents reporting a bear in the neighborhood going through trash and entering residents’ backyards.

GPD helicopter and patrol units responded to the Markridge Road and Frederick Avenue area, west of Deukmejian Wilderness Park, said GPD Sgt. Tweedy.

Animal Control and the California Department of Fish and Game arrived on scene with officers.  The bear had been spotted in a tree, then came down and wandered around the neighborhood.

Fish and Game fired two beanbag rounds toward the bear, which fled into the nearby wash. They determined the bear was not a threat. Glendale helicopter located the bear in the washbasin and continued to monitor throughout the night.

The Crescenta Valley Fire Safe Council sponsored Clean Up day was in full swing early this morning. Members of the council began arriving at about 6 a.m., community member and neighbor volunteers were there an hour later and the clean up began.

Volunteers with hats, gloves and clippers helped local residents clear dry vegetation from the hillsides and from some preselected homes.

“[Our goal] is to reduce hazardous fuel, to memorialize the two firefighters that died in the [Station Fire] Capt. Ted Hall and [firefighter Specialist] Arnie Quinones,” said Roger Young, president of CVFSC. “And to build community.”

The clearing of the dried vegetation helps firefighters when battling fires. Young added by clearing the dried brush they make it safer for the firefighters and perhaps the type of tragedy that occurred during the Station Fire could be avoided.

The council also wanted to educate to community on the importance of abatement and how working together a job that seemed too large for one person becomes possible with help.

The council had done this last year in the Canyonside area.

“This year we were more specific in [cleaning areas],” said Janet Blake, council member.

Crews targeted homes where the residents were unable to clear the brush themselves. Several elderly residents were helped in clearing the brush around their homes.

Blake told of one woman who had lived in her home for over 50 years. Her husband had recently passed away and she was unable to clear the brush. The crews came in and pulled, dragged and chopped the dry vegetation.

Allied Waste provided two large bins for the debris and volunteers with trucks hauled the vegetation.

Along the side of the canyon, near Phyllis Street, crews pulled out piles of dried and fallen trees along with weeds.

“We are careful to keep the native plants here to help with erosion but we cleared a lot,” said Judy Turner, member and chair for the event.

The vegetation was right up to homeowners’ property but was not the resident’s responsibility to clear.

“If you look at it prior to [us beginning] it was overwhelming for one person,” Turner said.

The crew made great progress as they continued up the side of the hill. A representative from Anderson Tree walked the neighborhood with homeowners identifying specific trees and giving estimates on what it would cost if they had to be trimmed or cut.

“Last year [during the Canyonside clean] they did this too and several homeowners gathered together to have Andersons come and take care of their trees. They sent one truck and it saved [homeowners] some money,” Turner said.

Los Angeles County Department of Public Works have given the council information on what trees need what type of permits, specifically oak trees.

There are strict guidelines concerning oak trees but many times it is difficult to find the correct County office that would handle specific questions.

“We have that contact and information on trees,” Turner said.

She added the County has not allowed the Council to release the information via their website however if residents have questions they can contact the CVFSC and get information.

The Clean Up will end at noon. The CV Fire Safe Council has brochures and information at a booth on Briggs Terrace if anyone has any questions. To contact the Council, call Roger Young at (818) 249-8446.

Supreme Master Television is bringing star-studded entertainment to the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Saturday, Aug. 27. The two-part extravaganza begins at 2 p.m. with the world premiere of the new musical “The Real Love” and ends with singer/songwriter Don McLean in concert performing the biggest hits of his career including “American Pie.”

“The Real Love,” which is inspired by the poetry of spiritual leader Ching Hai, is a collaborative effort between composers Bill Conti, Al Kasha, Doug Katsaros, Don Pippin and David Shire. Between them, the composers have won a dozen awards, including Emmys, Tonys, and Oscars.

Rising to the occasion is a glittering cast, which includes Broadway legends and favorites like Joanna Ampil, Daisy Eagen. Cady Huffman, Adam Pascal, Robert Torti, Betty Buckley and many more – a cast of more than 40 members.

McLean arrives in the evening in a special guest performance when the singer will perform his most beloved songs.

“The Real Love” extravaganza begins at noon with an art exhibition featuring Ching Hai’s art. Beverages and vegetarian meals will be provided. Don’t miss this exciting event.

Tickets range from $35 to $55 per person.

For more information, call (800)745-3000 or visit www.thereallovemusic.com.