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 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.

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.

SUMMER JAZZ AT DESCANSO
Music on the Main, the summer jazz series at Descanso Gardens, continues Thursdays through Aug. 25 with a different jazz artist every week. Visitors are encouraged to bring blankets and picnics (normally not allowed in the Gardens) and settle back to savor the music.
Woodwind specialist Bob Sheppard will headline a concert of straight-ahead jazz on Thursday, Aug. 4. Sheppard has performed with many greats of jazz and pop including Chick Corea, Stevie Wonder and Joni Mitchell.
Descanso Gardens is open extended hours from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays through Aug. 25. The Camellia Lounge, featuring signature cocktails and light food fare, is open from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays through Aug. 25. Enjoy signature cocktails, beverages, snacks and fabulous appetizers prepared by Patina.
Performances are free with Gardens admissions: $8 adults, $6 senior/students, $3 children 5-12, free 4 and younger. No reciprocal gardens admissions after 4:30 p.m. For more information, call (818) 949-4200 or visit www.descansogardens.org.

DENNIS MORGAN MOVIE IN THE PARK
Join the Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley at Two Strike Park on Saturday, Aug. 6 for an old-time movie under the stars. The movie will be “Captains of the Clouds.” James Cagney and Dennis Morgan portray Canadian bush pilots joining with the Royal Air Force to fight the Nazis in WWII. Dennis Morgan’s family members are due to attend.
This event is being sponsored by the County of L.A. Parks and Recreation, the Crescenta Valley Town Council and the Historical Society of Crescenta Valley.
The movie starts at dark (8:15ish). Free popcorn! Be sure to bring along lawn chairs or blankets and any (non-alcoholic) beverages you will want.
Two Strike Park, 5107 Rosemont Ave. in La Crescenta.

LCWC HOSTING WINE TASTING
The La Crescenta Woman’s Club is hosting a summer wine tasting on Saturday, Aug. 6 beginning at 7 p.m. (note time change). Held at the Wine Cave in Montrose, the cost is $20 per person and includes a casual evening of wine tasting, appetizers and a silent auction that supports the club’s philanthropies and programs.
Purchase a bottle of wine and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Woman’s Club.
For more information, contact Dawna Berger at (818) 957-6939.
The Wine Cave, 2427 Honolulu Ave. in Montrose

MAYES WORK PRESENTED
On Sunday, Aug. 7 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse welcomes David Mayes to present the poetry and life of his father, Richard Inskip Mayes. David will read from “Zero Tolerance Factor and Other Poems,” a compilation spanning 30 years. This selection offers a time portal into a Mexico of 40 years ago and the tumultuous times from the late 1950s to the 1980s, seen through the romantic and curious eyes of a young Princeton educated beat poet.
Richard Inskip Mayes was a poet from Metuchen, moonlighting as an English Lit professor in Chicago. After developing his Beat sensibility over drinks with Allen Ginsberg at the San Remo Room in New York City in the late 1950s, he later packed up his young family to move to San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico.
Mayes’ collection of poems in “Zero Tolerance,” illustrated with his photographs, is both a record of his years in San Miguel, as well as his reactions to the Vietnam War, baseball, dancing girls, fist-fights, cars, academia and comely bar-maids.
In addition to the poetry, David shares stories and photographs of his early life in Mexico with his father and family.
For more information about the reading, call (818) 790-0717.
Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse is located at 1010 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada Flintridge, at the intersection of Foothill Blvd. and the Angeles Crest Highway.

LONG TERM CARE FINANCIAL AID TOPIC OF PRESENTATION
On Aug. 10 at 3 p.m., Mountview Retirement is having a presentation addressing financial aid for long term care facilities.
The speaker is William Fisher, a senior advocate and financial consultant specializing in estate and retirement planning. Topics covered will be protecting your home, eligibility requirements and common misconceptions and half-truths.
Mountview Retirement & Assisted Living Community, 2640 Honolulu Ave., Montrose

GLENDALE QUILT GUILD NEWS
The next meeting of the Glendale Quilt Guild is on Wednesday, Aug. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Glendale Central Library, 222 E. Harvard Ave., Glendale.
A lecture on quilt mistakes will be given Anne Copeland, AQS Certified Appraiser and Quilt Restoration Specialist. Guild members may bring one quilt for an oral appraisal by Ms. Copeland.
The Glendale Quilt Guild meets the second Wednesday of each month. Meetings are free to members and $5 for visitors. Social hour at 6 p.m. precedes the meeting. For more information, visit www.glendalequiltguild.org.
Ms. Copeland is also offering a workshop on Saturday, Aug. 13 at Patchwork Penguin, 6245 Foothill Blvd. in Tujunga on quilt restoration and repair. This class will get quilters started in the right direction who need to repair a quilt or who have an unfinished quilt top. For more information about registering for the class and a list of needed supplies, click on Current Newsletter for July at www.glendalequiltguild.org.
The class will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The fee for members is $35 and $45 for non-members.

WATERMELON FESTIVAL COMING TO SUNLAND-TUJUNGA
The 50th Annual Sunland-Tujunga Watermelon Festival takes place Aug. 12 to Aug. 14 at Sunland Park Recreation Center.  Delicious free watermelon to cool down on hot summer days! The event features watermelon carving display, watermelon eating contest, seed spitting contest and watermelon festival queen coronation. There will also be an international food court, dining tent, bazaar marketplace tent, wine and beer garden, carnival rides, arcade games and more. Fun for the whole family! Learn more at www.lionswatermelonfestival.com.
Festivities are Friday, Aug. 12 from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 13 from noon to 11:30 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 14 from noon to 10:30 p.m. Admission is $2.
Sunland Park Recreation Center, 8651 Foothill Blvd., Sunland

NOON CONCERTS OPEN TO PUBLIC
Glendale Noon Concerts is a free admission concert series taking place every first and third Wednesday from 12:10-12:40 p.m. in the newly restored chapel and sanctuary of the First Baptist Church of Glendale (downtown at Louise & Wilson, no religious affiliation).
On Aug. 17, the program is “World on a String” featuring works for strings and piano by Bottesini, Cole Porter and Pedro Laurent and new work by Bevan Manson. Featured will be Alan Busteed on violin; Ruth Bruegger on violin; Karie Prescott on viola; Simone Vitucci on violoncello; Frederick Charlton on double bass and Bevan Manson on piano.

By Susan JAMES

On film, it has been a long journey for Harry and for us, from 2001’s “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” to the final act of J. K. Rowling’s mythic drama, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2,” opening this week. Together with their on-screen characters, the tenacious trio of Daniel Radcliffe (Harry), Emma Watson (Hermione) and Rupert Grint (Ron) have grown from engaging children to nuanced actors. The power of their performances, particularly Radcliffe’s, is apparent in the final confrontation between good and evil that turns the mysterious hallways and hidden rooms of Hogwarts School into a raging battleground for control of the magical world.

Part 2 picks up where part 1 left off with a triumphant Voldemort (the menacing Ralph Fiennes) taking possession of the Elder Wand and a wounded but determined Harry meditating on the grave of his fallen elf friend Dobby. Harry is still on the trail of the remaining horcruxes whose destruction will leave Voldemort mortal once more. He now knows that another horcrux is locked away in Bellatrix Lestrange’s well-guarded vault in Gringotts Bank. On the advice of a Gringotts goblin (the versatile Warwick Davis), the trio gains entrance to the bank by disguising Ron, hiding Harry under his own invisibility cloak and using polyjuice potion to turn Hermione into a Bellatrix look-alike.

From here, the rollercoaster ride never stops. A breakneck chase in the underground caverns of Gringotts is followed by an escape on the back of an angry dragon, a narrow brush with pursuing deatheaters and a secret tunnel back into Hogwarts. Harry finds himself at the head of a ragtail army of teachers, students, animated statues and angry parents come to defend the school against the forces of darkness. For those who have read the book, the film follows the plot with inventive twists and breathtaking visuals. For those who haven’t read the book but have seen the earlier movies, it isn’t difficult to figure out just what is going on.

This is director David Yates’ fourth Harry Potter film and he never loses sight of the fact that the story belongs to Harry. No longer a boy fumbling in the darkness of his own ignorance, Harry finally learns the truth about the fate that mentor Albus Dumbledore envisioned for him. Facing those facts turns his life upside down but Harry doesn’t blink.  He takes his courage in both hands and goes forward, reminding us that armies are made up of ordinary teen-aged boys who found their own courage within and used it to take extraordinary action when necessary. Harry has always been a hero but he has also been a stand-in for all of those normal kids in the real world who were capable of greater things than they knew. Radcliffe does him proud.

With Deathly Hallows, Part 2, Harry’s saga is finally complete, ending with a surprisingly touching epilogue on Platform 9¾’s at King’s Cross Station. In a larger sense, the story of Harry Potter is timeless and what it tells us about ourselves and all that we are capable of is one for the ages.

See you at the movies!

By Charly SHELTON

Christmas is a joyous time for Christians all over the world. Chanukah is a celebration for all Jews. Halloween brings happiness to goth fans once a year. Or as close to happy as they can get. And for nerds, there is only one time all year when we can truly celebrate, where we can all gather in public without the fear of a team sport league ambushing us with wedgies, where we can be anything we want to be (depending on which home made costume we decide to wear), where hot girls are paid to talk to us about comic books or agree with us that Tom Baker is old news and David Tennant is way better. This once a year holy pinnacle of existence is known as Comic-Con.

The road to Comic-Con International (CCI), the biggest comic book and pop culture convention in the world, is one paved with anticipation and it began last summer. CCI 2010 had just begun and they had already announced the dates for 2011 –  July 21-24 with a preview night on Wednesday, July 20. And of course, I have to go to the preview night.

The next few months are spent reveling in seeing the CCI sneak peeks released to the general public. The first eight minutes of “TRON: Legacy.” The teaser for “The Avengers.” The announcement of “The Avengers” director –  God of the nerds and best gorram sci-fi guy in town – Joss Whedon. All these little sneak peeks are released to the real world in due time.

Then February arrives. Time to start planning. Press passes and tickets become available soon, time to start thinking. Costumes planned (I’ve had my costumes planned for months), meals planned, travel planned, lodging accommodations – not so much. I put that off to last week. We will be camping in a tent for four days. Joy. But it will all be worth it in the end.

Then I receive confirmation. I am going to CCI! And what’s more, my lovely girlfriend and photographer Sabrina, who never picked up a comic book until she starred hanging out with me, has finally agreed to go and is also confirmed. After three years of begging, bargaining and pleading, she is finally going.

I am a nerd. She is an actress. I drop $200 on Green Lantern comics; she pays her phone bill. We have different priorities.

But this is good for you, True Believers, because it offers a new perspective. Hearing about Comic-Con from my perspective is a tad biased because I feel at home in this convention. These are my people. But Sabrina is an outsider, sent into our “hometree” to become one of us, to talk like us, to look like us. I am totally comfortable walking through the convention hall in green spandex despite my less-than-girlish-figure because the comics teach me that Green Lanterns come in all shapes and sizes. Sabrina, however, is dressing as slave Leia from “Return of the Jedi” (at my begging request) – a costume which consists of a metal bikini top and a swatch of fabric hanging from a chain at her waist.
Some are born fans, some achieve fandom and some have fandom chained to their waist. We’ll see how it goes.

This year, we will both be reporting live from the floor via Facebook and cvweekly.com as it happens and collaborating on an article for the print edition upon returning from the convention. This is going to be a lot of fun.

So stay tuned two weeks from today, same Bat-time, same Bat-local-newspaper.

As of today, a special Comic-Con 2011 Facebook page has been set up for the coming event. Scan the QR code to see the page and “Like” us to get automatic updates to your Facebook page or via Smartphone using the Facebook mobile app.

By Ted AYALA

Shortly before the Milestone Theatre’s June 30 through July 10 run of Lisa Loomer’s “Distracted” at the Pasadena Playhouse’s Carrie Hamilton Theatre, I came across an oddly prescient article in the New York Review of Books. Under the title, “The Epidemic of Mental Illness: Why?” Marcia Angell reviewed a clutch of books examining the world and ethics of psychiatry, especially its turn to regarding mental illness as a “chemical imbalance” requiring treatment through drugs. The statistics make for sober reading.

“It seems that Americans are in the midst of a raging epidemic of mental illness. For children, the rise is even more startling – a 35 fold increase [in mental disorders between 1987 and 2007]. Mental illness is now the leading cause of disability in children, well ahead of physical disabilities like cerebral palsy or Down syndrome,” reports Angell.

Looking over the shared themes of the different books under review, she added, “[They] agree on the disturbing extent to which the companies that sell psychoactive drugs – through various forms of marketing, both legal and illegal, and what many people would describe as bribery – have come to determine what constitutes a mental illness and how the disorders should be diagnosed and treated.”

“So Ritalin doesn’t cure? You can take it for the rest of your life and it doesn’t cure a thing?” is the incredulous reply of the mother of Jesse – the foul-mouthed 9-year-old around whom “Distracted” revolves – to the doctor who is urging her to have her son take Ritalin.

“Distracted” presents a window into the average middle-class family faced with living and coping with an unruly child who may be (or may not be) suffering a mental disorder. Hovering over them is the Faustian decision whether to medicate their child and coping with the ethical quandary that behavior modification through drugs can itself be dehumanizing.

The production of “Distracted” was sharply directed by Mike Alva. In its bare bones, no-nonsense conception, the play was allowed to cut through with all the efficacy of a freshly sharpened dagger. This impression was augmented by the intimate confines of the Pasadena Playhouse’s Carrie Hamilton Theatre, which looks to sit about 40 people.

The Milestone players were uniformly excellent, with several of them juggling multiple roles that required stop-on-a-dime changes in mood and character.

Christine Anatone and Michael Sanchez were a snug fit as Jesse’s concerned parents, both of them managing to exude genuine warmth and concern for their child.

Selina Ruiz exhibited an outrageous sense of comic timing and flair in her turns as Dr.

Waller and Jesse’s teacher.

Sumiko Braun nearly stole the show in her turn as the socially awkward neighbor Vera with a frenetic sense of humor, yet illuminated with a somewhat disturbing and dark core.
Justin Dabuet, too, excelled in his turns, heaping loads of smarmy charm and wit to his characters.

If there was a complaint, it was in respect to the play itself. For all the acidulous wit and mordent observation in the previous scenes, the soggy final scene, with its airbrushed happy ending came as a disappointment. One wished that with her dagger drawn out, Loomer had pushed in to the hilt and twisted it to the full. The ending, when it arrives, feels like a tacked-on afterthought; a much too easy answer – despite her claims to the contrary – after the difficult questions that were wrestled with in previous scenes.

Nevertheless, the Milestone Theatre Company’s production was a triumph of brightly burning talent, astute direction, and trenchant insight.

LIBRARY HOSTS UPCOMING EVENTS

The La Crescenta Library is hosting a free public concert featuring Nativa on Friday, July 15 at 6:30 p.m.

Nativa, an Argentine country-folk counterpart to the urban tango, “folklore” evokes the pure sounds of a music deeply rooted in South American culture. This trio delivers a fresh and vibrant version of a beautiful collection of traditional Argentine songs.

This concert is sponsored by Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich.

On Saturday, Aug. 13 at 1 p.m. the library hosts the Second Annual La Crescenta Library Chili Cook-Off. The library is recruiting contestants for the cook-off. Bring your best recipe and compete with others in the community to be crowned the chili master of La Crescenta. Registration due by Aug. 11.

For more information, call the library at (818) 248-5313.

La Crescenta Library, 2809 Foothill Blvd., La Crescenta

HIGH SCHOOL REUNIONS PLANNED

The Crescenta Valley High School class of 1981 is having its 30-year reunion on July 16 at 6 p.m. For more information, visit www.cvhsalumni81.myevent.com.

Crescenta Valley High School Class of 1991 is celebrating its 20th reunion on Saturday, July 23 at the Angeles National Golf Club, 9401 Foothill Blvd., Sunland.  Reservations are $75 per person until July 1st and $85 at the door.  A local account has been set up for reservation checks.  Checks are made payable and sent to: F. Virgallito, 5000 Acampo Ave., La Crescenta CA 91214.  Make a notation “CVHS Class of 91” on the check memo.  For more information, contact Sosi Parsegian at (818) 621-1980, after 5 p.m.  You can find us on Facebook @ CV Falcons – Class of 1991 for complete details of the weekend events.

SUMMER JAZZ, FAERIES AT DESCANSO

Music on the Main, the summer jazz series at Descanso Gardens, continues Thursdays through Aug. 25 with a different jazz artist every week. The Summer Family Series runs Tuesdays through Aug. 2 and features concerts, plays and an Elizabethan festival. For these two series, visitors are encouraged to bring blankets and picnics (normally not allowed in the Gardens) and settle back to savor the music.

Mitchell Long and Café Atlantico will perform a concert of Brazilian jazz on Thursday, July 21. “A Faery Hunt” theater group returns to the Gardens on Tuesday, July 26. Both performances begin at 5:30 p.m.

Descanso Gardens is open extended hours from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays through Aug. 25. The Camellia Lounge, featuring signature cocktails and light food fare, is open from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays through Aug. 25. Enjoy signature cocktails, beverages, snacks and fabulous appetizers prepared by Patina.

Performances are free with Gardens admissions: $8 adults, $6 senior/students, $3 children 5-12, free 4 and younger. No reciprocal gardens admissions after 4:30 p.m. For more information, call (818) 949-4200 or visit www.descansogardens.org.

BYRD SONGS COMING TO THE BRAND LIBRARY & ART CENTER

Byrd Songs, a concert inspired by the iconic musical theatre and pop music posters of graphic artist David Edward Byrd, takes place at the Brand Library and Art Center on Saturday, July 16 through July 22 at 7 p.m.

Stephen Sondheim. Stephen Schwartz. Johnny Mercer. The Rolling Stones. Jimi Hendrix: These are just a selection of the musical theater and rock ‘n’ roll greats that David Byrd has illustrated for over the years. Daniel Faltus, musical director and pianist for the Byrd Songs concert, will bring the posters to life with the help of soprano Karen Benjamin and tenor Peter Nathan Foltz. They will be performing songs from popular music, the Great American Songbook and Broadway, including works by Stephen Sondheim (“Follies”), Stephen Schwartz (“Godspell”), Cole Porter, Harold Arlen (“The Wizard of Oz”), Richard Rodgers (“Carousel,” “The King & I”), and Johnny Mercer. Byrd Songs is a musical celebration being held in conjunction with The Byrd Show: 40 Years of Art & Design, the first West Coast retrospective of the renowned artist and graphic designer’s career.

Brand Library Art Galleries, 1601 W. Mountain St., Glendale

MOONDAY EAST FEATURES ALLEN BRADEN

Moonday East announces celebrated Washington State poet Allen Braden who will be featured for the month of July. The reading will take place on Sunday, July 17 at 2 p.m. at the Flintridge Bookstore in La Cañada.

Braden is the author of “A Wreath of Down and Drops of Blood” (University of Georgia) and “Elegy in the Passive Voice” (University of Alaska/Fairbanks), winner of the Midnight Sun Chapbook Contest.  He has received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and from Artist Trust of Washington State as well as the Emerging Writers Prize from “Witness” magazine, the Grolier Poetry Prize, the Dana Award in Poetry and other honors.  Former poet-in-residence for the Poetry Center and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, he lives in Lakewood, Washington.

Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse is located at 1010 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada Flintridge at the intersection of Foothill Boulevard and the Angeles Crest Highway.

GOLF CLASSIC BENEFITS SHERIFFS

The Desi Geestman Foundation presents The Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Support Group’s 28th Annual Golf Classic at La Cañada Flintridge Country Club on July 18. The event includes lunch at 11:30 a.m. and tee off at 1 p.m.

Awards and prizes will be presented immediately after the tournament. This event is organized by the CV Sheriff’s Support Group. Proceeds to benefit the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station.

The golfer’s package includes green fees, cart, lunch, dinner, awards, tee prizes and contest holes for only $200.

For more information, contact Rick Dinger at (818) 248-4500 or rick@cvins.com.

La Cañada Flintridge Country Club, 5500 N. Godbey Drive, La Cañada

ART CLASSES FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Pasadena Child Development Associates and the Armory Center for the Arts will partner this summer to provide a series of art classes adapted for children with special needs. Each class will be structured to meet the individual needs of the children in that class. Classes will be held at the PCDA facility at 620 N. Lake Avenue in Pasadena. For more information on this summer art experience or learn more about PCDA’s services for children and families, contact (626) 793-7350 or visit the website at www.pasadenachilddevelopment.org.

NOON CONCERTS OPEN TO PUBLIC

Glendale Noon Concerts is a free admission concert series taking place every first and third Wednesday from 12:10-12:40 p.m. in the newly restored chapel and sanctuary of the First Baptist Church of Glendale (downtown at Louise & Wilson, no religious affiliation).

On July 20, Avanti String Quartet performs Alexander Zemlinsky “String Quartet No.1 in A Major, Op.4 (1896)” and Franz Schubert “Quartettsatz in c minor, D.703 (1820).”

Performing will be Tamsen Beseke – violin; Jacqueline Suzuki – violin; Matthew Witmer – viola and guest artist Michael Masters – violoncello.

La Cres Pres Presents Future of Forestry in Concert

La Crescenta Presbyterian Church will be presenting a benefit concert for Children’s Hunger Fund on Friday, July 15 at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary. Performing will be ambient-rock band “Future of Forestry” as well as the band “I AM We.” The cost is $9 online at FutureofForestry.com or $11 at the door.

Children’s Hunger Fund is asking all participants to bring along school supplies to the event to support their back to school Backpacks program which supports needy students in the San Fernando Valley. All proceeds will go to support the many ministries of Children’s Hunger Fund throughout the United States.

For more information about the band, visit their website at FutureofForestry.com.

La Crescenta Presbyterian Church is located at 2902 Montrose Ave. in La Crescenta.

Western Anglicans Rt. Rev. to Visit St. Luke’s Anglican Church

St. Luke’s Anglican Church will welcome the Rt. Rev. Bishop Bill Thompson of the Diocese of Western Anglicans to its Sunday worship services on July 17.      St. Luke’s hosts Bishop Thompson annually and anticipates a joyous gathering as the Bishop delivers an inspiring message of abiding faith. Bishop Thompson was consecrated as Bishop of the Diocese of Western Anglicans on Oct. 31, 2009 and has been Rector of All Saints Church in Long Beach since 1975.

St. Luke’s invites the community to attend its weekly Sunday worship services at 8 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. at the Seventh Day Adventist Church Chapel, 300 Vallejo Dr., Glendale.

For more information, check the website, www.stlukesanglican.org or contact parish administrator Kay Wisdom at (818) 249-5100 or kay@stlukesanglican.org.

CVCC Hosts Summer Nights

Crescenta Valley Community Church presents a concert called Summer Nights on Sunday evening, July 24 at 6 p.m. to celebrate fun times, vacations and some great music. Come and enjoy summer songs by U2, the Beach Boys, Coldplay, Train and more. We offer free childcare, refreshments and a whole lot of fun for everyone!

CVCC is a very musical church with some of the players having toured with major artists and some are artists in their own right.

Crescenta Valley Community Church, 4001 La Crescenta Ave. (corner of Piedmont between Montrose and Honolulu avenue) in La Crescenta.

QUESTION:

My 78-year-old husband and I are caretakers for our 42-year-old son who has multiple sclerosis. I am 75 and have recently been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and taking care of our son has become increasingly difficult for both of us physically. My husband has a heart condition. My concern is what will happen to our son when we no longer can take care of him. I would like to place him now in an assisted living facility. My husband does not want to do that. He thinks our son will feel rejected, even though we could place him close to where we live, visit often, take him to church on Sunday mornings and other outings. In home health care is out of the question because of the cost. I’m at a loss of what to do.
Concerned Parents

Dear Neighbors,
I am awed at the many forms that love takes. Thank you for sharing the way in which your family members care for one another in the midst of MS. You do not say how advanced your son’s MS is or to what degree he is capable of independent living as long as he has some assistance with the demands of the disease.

Knowing that people with similar struggles are the best advisors, I consulted the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (www.nationalmssociety.org) and found that indeed they are most gracious in their advice toward long-term caregivers such as yourselves. I hope that you have already found support there, but if not, here’s the number: (800) 344-4867. They are particularly helpful when it comes to what to expect in a transition to assisted living. It does represent a significant change for the person with MS – one that is not typically met with the sort of positive resilience that would make it easier on the caregivers. On the other hand, if your son is able to communicate his love for you, he can see that you are having difficulties caring for him. He will not want you to be in pain. In this family, where love has already taken many forms, perhaps you should not discount your son’s love for you and his ability to respond out of that in this difficult decision.

I hope that you’ll let a counselor through the MS Society walk your family through your choices and the very normal feelings around them. It helps to know that others have already traversed this difficult path and can tell you what’s around the next bend.
Grace and peace,


Pastor Paige Eaves
Crescenta Valley United Methodist Church

Dear Concerned Mom (& Dad),
Generally we expect such a question from working adult children who wrestle with the idea of putting their declining parents into assisted living, but we live in a fallen world, and unfortunate cases such as yours are not uncommon. In your circumstance the decision must be made soon while you still have the strength and health to make the transition.

I’m sure you’ve spent hours praying about this situation and you’ve probably drawn some measure of comfort knowing God is with you in this. But unless God decides to miraculously intervene, you should determine to make provision for sustained care for your son.

To get there, I would suggest you keep everything out in the open and everyone in the discussion. Invite the care facility’s representative to come and share the benefits of their services and contact groups like the National MS Society to see how others have handled it; you’re not alone.

Moving your son out may cause you guilty feelings, but had he not contracted MS, he would be living on his own anyway. It’s clear that you love him and you are showing it by making this hard decision that must be made.     Doing nothing is also a decision, and that’s always disastrous in the long run.

Rev. Bryan Griem
Montrose Community Church
MontroseCommunity@sbcglobal.net

QUESTION:

I’ll be a senior in high school this fall and have been accepted by several colleges. My plan is to major in Political Science because I eventually want to work in government. The college I’d like to attend is located in Washington, D.C. I want to be close to government offices to get a better understanding of the political system. My parents are pressuring me to attend a local college even though they tell me the final decision is mine. Either way, I’ll be living in a dormitory. I’m an only child and have a great relationship with my parents. I’m torn between wanting to please them and doing what I really want to do. Do you have any suggestions?
Indecisive, Loving Daughter

Dear Indecisive:
You are at a difficult, but expected developmental stage in your life: launching. Every young adult has the day they will leave the nest. It is difficult at best, but even more so when you have parents who are having strong feelings or opinions about this process. Sometimes this is a cultural issue, other times it is because you come from a close or enmeshed family unit, and still a further reason is that you are such a big part of your parents’ life that it is not easy for them to let you go. All these feelings are normal! But feelings do not always dictate that we are making  a bad or unwise decision.

We have only one youth, one season to decide our first career path. Now is the ideal time before you have a spouse and children to consider. If this is your call and passion – go for it with enthusiasm. Yes, it will be painful, but choosing your desired career path will rarely lead you to a life of regrets. In this instance, I will tell you why: most parents do not want their kids to move away, even if they are encouraging it. It is a normal developmental stage for them as well. If you are the only child, it means the “empty nest” developmental stage has descended upon your parents. This may feel heartbreaking for parents, but it is something that is completely anticipated and normal. To not do what you feel called to do can lead you into unhealthy emotions, feeling like you have missed out or even bitterness.

So follow your dream and passion. It will be hard for your parents – but this is an inevitable stage for them. It will happen eventually no matter when decision you make now: when you marry, perhaps move away due to career or any sundry of reasons. But it will occur. So embrace this fortunate opportunity you have and allow yourself to feel both excited and sad. Adulthood brings many moments of joy, melancholy and sadness. It is healthy for us to realize this.

I wish you a bright and prosperous future. You are not disobeying by going … you are fulfilling being the adult you!

The Rev. Kimberlie Zakarian is an ordained minister and  Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Montrose. Reach her at Kimberlie Zakarian Therapy, 2233 Honolulu Ave, Suite 310, Montrose, CA 91020, or by email at Kimberlie@kimberliezakariantherapy.com.

Dear Indecisive,
The advent of the college years brings tremendous excitement and many new opportunities, but there are inevitably some very tough decisions to be made as well. I feel for you as you face the choice of where to study – your predicament is indeed a difficult one. On the one hand, you truly want to make your mother and father happy – and what child would not, when they have such wonderful parents? On the other hand, you feel deep down that the proper place for you given your interest in Political Science is 2,500 miles away in Washington, DC.

This circumstance must be excruciatingly challenging for both you and your parents, especially since you are an only child. If your family’s financial situation is not a major factor in the college choice, which is to say there is no problem affording the presumably higher tuition of an out-of-state school, then the real issue to be addressed is the transition to independence and adulthood that every child and parent must navigate sooner or later. My advice to you is to heed the wise words of King Solomon, who in the book of Ecclesiastes said: “To everything there is a season … a time to plant and time to harvest … a time to keep close and a time to send away.”

You should have a heart-to-heart talk with your parents and in a gentle and sensitive manner explain to them that the past 18 years or so were the “planting” season, and now it’s time for them to sit back and appreciate the “harvest” of their labor. Of course, they want to keep you nearby, but every parent needs to recognize that at some point they must send away their child and let them spread their wings and fly on their own. Your desire to study at a more distant location is no reflection on the strength of your love and respect for your parents.

The decisions you make now will affect the rest of your life. It is therefore critical that you go where you can truly grow and progress to full maturity. I feel that even your parents, deep down, realize what is best for you and will wholeheartedly support your decision.

The tears and the heartache of separation will only be momentary. When your parents beam with pride at your graduation and when they observe with happiness your subsequent advancement in life, then today’s worries will be a distant memory. All of you will be able to appreciate the satisfaction of a decision well-made and a path properly chosen.

Rabbi Simcha Backman
Chabad Jewish Center