January

The prediction of a huge El Niño that was to help our drought-ridden state looked like it might actually happen in January. Heavy rains downed power lines and drenched the foothills during the first week in January.

Time was drawing to a close for the public to officially comment on proposed development projects for Tujunga’s Verdugo Hills Golf Course, which faces the potential construction of a 221-unit housing development that residents worry will flood local streets with additional drivers, negatively impacting traffic. A recirculated draft of the Environmental Impact Report originally released in 2009 included two new alternatives: the 221-unit project and an 86-unit equestrian estates project. The EIR also included revisions to the transportation/traffic and historic/cultural impacts sections. A new section studied the project’s greenhouse gas emissions emitted during construction and through normal operation of the site.

The La Cañada 2016 Tournament of Roses Parade float, titled “Up A Creek,” apparently tickled the funny bone of tournament judges who presented the Bob Hope Humor Award to the La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Assn.

While many were enjoying Christmas day, two women took off on a hike that would eventually have them climbing six peaks in the Angeles National Forest and ending with an unscheduled meeting with members of the Montrose Search and Rescue team.

“So lucky no one was hurt.” That phrase was heard by witnesses and police as they looked at the twisted stanchions, tossed tables and chairs and downed street lamp in front of Zeke’s Smokehouse in Montrose after a 65-year-old driver veered onto the sidewalk on the north side of Honolulu Avenue, in front of the former Rocky Cola restaurant in the 2200 block of Honolulu Avenue.

The Glendale City Council maintained the city’s ban on medical marijuana dispensaries ensuring that Glendale would control how medical marijuana is regulated or whether it is banned outright before a newly signed law transferred regulatory authority to the state.

The vehicle and identification of missing woman Megan DiPiazza were discovered over the side of a cliff about 500 feet below a turnout off the Angeles Crest Highway in the Angeles National Forest. A human bone was also found near the items. DiPiazza went missing on Nov. 11, 2012.

The Clark Magnet High School “Cricket Busters” took home a $20,000 prize for their winning entries in the 2016 Lexus Eco Challenge. Among the projects was baking “cricket cookies” while exploring alternative protein sources.

The Masonic Temple in Glendale was renovated into a state-of-the-art office building. Caruso Affiliated, the real estate development company behind The Grove, The Americana at Brand, the Lakes at Thousand Oaks and others spearheaded the project.

Glendale Unified School District board of education announced that Winfred Roberson Jr., former superintendent of Davis Joint Unified School District, would be replacing Dr. Richard Sheehan as superintendent of GUSD.

February

Flood Memorial Park at the corner of Rosemont and Fairway, which commemorated a devastating flood that occurred just after midnight in 1934, received a makeover under the direction of Boy Scout Charles Pingry who worked on the site as part of his Eagle Scout project. Among the improvements were new plants installed, and creating a pathway of decomposed granite.

City planners hope that a proposed apartment complex near the Costco complex will beautify the gateway into Glendale. Plans for the Los Feliz Apartments include a pool with cabanas, rooftop deck, fitness room, bike storage and dog run. “It is an important site for the City of Glendale because this is our gateway. We want people to know that as soon as they come up Los Feliz this iconic building is going to be welcoming them,” said Glendale Mayor (at the time) Ara Najarian.

Robert Sheedy was named the new leader of the Montrose Search Rescue team. The 21-year search and rescue veteran said, “It is an honor and privilege to be part of this team. I feel so fortunate and am lucky to be able to do what I do.”

The monthly Montrose Shopping Park Assn. meeting delved into the future of the shopping park in anticipation of the results of a survey that the community was invited to take part in. The survey was created by the City of Glendale to understand the issues that are important in Montrose and what can be done in moving forward to realize positive changes by the year 2020.

Rep. Adam Schiff announced funding for an earthquake early warning system was included in the President’s budget. The money would help fund the system that is being developed by Caltech, UC Berkeley and the University of Washington in conjunction with the U.S. Geological Survey.

At the advice of California state representatives, the Friends of Rockhaven filed an application for the nomination for historic designation with the National Register of Historic Places.

An arrest was made in the murder of a Frances Avenue man. The body of Arnold Palmer, 73, was found in July 2015 in the garage of his home in the 3000 block of Frances Avenue. The identity of the suspect was not released due to the ongoing investigation.

The Burger King fast food restaurant in the 3500 block of Foothill Boulevard closed amid rumors that a drive-thru Starbucks would be opened at the site.

Valley View Elementary held its annual Daddy Daughter Dance. The theme was Arabian Nights.

March

Starbucks will not be offering its Evenings program at the location at the corner of Ocean View Boulevard and Honolulu Avenue in Montrose. Starbucks Evenings program was first rolled out in a Starbucks in Seattle, Washington in 2010. The next year the company expanded to several locations in Chicago and then in 2012 took the program to Atlanta and Southern California. The program included a new menu of food items and the offering of wine and beer. In October 2015 a City of Glendale Notice of Pending Decision went up at the Montrose Starbucks notifying the public of the company’s request to expand its menu. The proposal to have an evenings’ program at the Montrose Starbucks was met with conflict from community members including teens, who spoke in front of the Glendale Planning Commission to oppose the idea. The Commission decided due to the family and student regular occupancy the Montrose location should not sell wine and beer.

Montrose Travel was sold to Corporate Travel Management, an Australian based company. For 60 years Montrose Travel has been part of Montrose. Joe McClure Sr. and his wife Leora purchased the company in the early 1970s and together they built a business that was founded with small town values and community spirit. Since the ’70s the company has stayed in family hands with Joe McClure as president, Andie McClure-Mysza as co-president of Montrose Travel and president of MTravel and Julie McClure as chief financial officer.

“We came to like and trust them as a people and found our cultures and ventures were aligned,” Joe McClure said.

For decades the Montrose Bakery was a community favorite for baked goods and breakfast, lunch and dinner. Then owner Henry Baeza announced he was going to retire and sell the business and in January the restaurant was closed – but not for long. Elias Nakhleh was the new owner of Montrose Bakery and made a few changes including changing the name to Café Rose. But at its foundation is the community favorite it has always been.

The final community public forums were conducted at sites throughout the Glendale Unified School District regarding the upcoming redistricting of areas for school board voters. Until recently GUSD was an at-large district, meaning that anyone who lived within the district’s borders could vote for all five candidates on the GUSD board of education. On April 17, 2015, the school district was sued by a law firm citing a violation of the California Voting Rights Act in which the GUSD voting system violated the rights of minority voters. On Sept. 30, the Los Angeles Superior Court approved settlement of the case with no finding of liability or wrongdoing and an agreement was made to move to trustee area voting before the next election in 2017. As such, a new kind of map will need to be drawn for aligning the entirety of the GUSD area into five equal areas, with voters in each area responsible for electing one representative for the board of education.

April

Over one thousand people crowded onto Honolulu Avenue for the Montrose Chamber of Commerce’s Food and Brew Fest. Ticketholders were invited to come taste some of the best craft beers the area had to offer from breweries across Southern California as well as from some national breweries. In addition to more than 20 breweries, about a dozen food samplings were also offered.

Those supporting and opposing a measure on the June ballot spoke at the Glendale Homeowners Coordinating Council. The measure, Measure N, asked voters if the city’s Utility Users Tax should be repealed. Voters had to decide whether the passage of Measure N and the benefits of a tax repeal would outweigh the loss of services, including police and fire personnel that the City warned would happen if the measure passed. Later in the month, an L.A. Superior Court judge issued a writ of mandate striking out language in the ballot argument in favor of the measure. He agreed with a challenge that the argument in favor of the measure contained false and misleading statements.

Record voter turn out was seen at the Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council elections. According to Jay Handal, citywide elections administrator, 1,223 ballots were cast – about double the normal amount.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept./CV Station conducted a discussion on area drug trends at the Lanterman Theatre in La Cañada. Among the speakers was a local 15-year-old student who said that using drugs “becomes your normal. They become your everyday.”

Rain poured onto participants of the annual Relay for Life held at Clark Magnet High School. The 24-hour event, which reminds people that cancer never sleeps, rain or shine, raised over $50,000 for the American Cancer Society.

Doug Dall announced his retirement as principal of Clark Magnet High School. In a letter to the district, Dall stated, “It has been my honor and privilege to serve the Glendale Unified School District for the past 36 years…”

The nomination of Rockhaven Sanitarium being listed in the National Register of Historic Places was approved by the State Historical Resources Commission. The approval was forwarded to the Keeper of the National Register for review and, once approved, Rockhaven was formally listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Crescenta Valley 5th Annual Prayer Breakfast was held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

It was announced that all Sport Chalet stores would be closing. The franchise was founded in the City of La Cañada Flintridge. Vestis Retail Group LLC, the parent company of Sport Chalet, filed for Chapter 11.

Under gray skies, athletes gathered at Crescenta Valley High School for the tri-valley Special Olympics qualifying races. Organizer Kim Villa said that she was “amazed” at the number of people who attended to cheer on the athletes considering the wet circumstances.

Though windy, crowds still turned out for the annual Hometown Country Fair hosted by the CV Chamber of Commerce and held at CV Park. This was the first year that the chamber combined efforts with the Armenian Cultural Foundation CV Chapter and the Korean-American Federation of North Los Angeles. “I think this year’s fair was one of the best attended,” said CV Chamber president Calvin “Kaipo” Chock.

The families of Rosemont Middle School said a sad farewell to a beloved teacher. Mark Sanderl, a computer teacher, became ill at the school and was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. He suffered massive heart failure and died at the hospital. He was 43.

May

After several months of discussion, debate, looking at, deciding, re-deciding, more discussing and more maps being drawn up, a district trustee area map has finally been chosen. At a Glendale Unified School District Board of Education meeting, the vote came up as an action item. In April, the board was slated to choose one of seven maps, maps A through G, to convert the district from an at-large electing district, meaning that all five of the GUSD board members were elected by the entire district overall, to a trustee area electing district, where each of five areas throughout the district would elect one seat for the GUSD board. Another map was requested to be drawn up based on Map G. This would include Fremont Elementary in area one, the North Glendale trustee area that comprises all of the Crescenta Valley and the schools that feed into Crescenta Valley High School. With new Map G2 presented, all of the board members were unanimously satisfied with the changes made and it was voted as its official selection, which will then be drawn up as a resolution to adopt this trustee area layout at the next board meeting.

L.A. County Dept. of Public Works is moving forward on a project that will put medians on Foothill Boulevard within the next two years. Lisa Woung, head developer of the project, said development is scheduled to begin in late 2017 or early 2018, and would take approximately four to six months to complete. Woung said community support is high for this to get started. Town Council was awarded $1 million by Supervisor Mike Antonovich’s office specifically for this median project. Phase II will have the medians installed between Cloud and Ramsdell; Ramsdell and Glenwood; Glenwood and Dyer; La Crescenta and Sharon, and Raymond and Rosemont Avenue. Foothill Boulevard will not be widened, Woung added.

The Glendale City Council heard pro and con opinions on the purposed Verdugo Wash pedestrian/bike path as part of the council meeting. The Verdugo Wash runs parallel to the Ventura (134) Freeway for the most part in downtown Glendale. The wash includes areas near neighborhoods in Whiting Woods and Sycamore Avenue, through Crescenta Valley Park and on to Tujunga and Sunland.

A plane went missing near Altadena prompting a massive search that included the activation of six of the eight Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept. (LASD) search and rescue teams and LASD Air Rescue 5. Due to the weather and steep terrain Air 5 was not able to assist with the search until later in the day. Air Rescue 5 was able to conduct an aerial search, locating the downed aircraft at about four miles north of Altadena. The male adult and sole occupant were deceased in the wreckage.

June

Rosemont teacher Terry Parker, after 42 years as an educator, attended his last promotion ceremony. It was a graduation not only for the Rosemont eighth graders moving on to high school but, for Parker, it was moving on to retirement. At the morning ceremony, Parker received a diploma and the promoting students gave him a standing ovation as he walked to the stage.

AT&T proposed a site for a new cell tower in Dunsmore Park. The planning commission of Glendale decided to hold a public hearing to gather public comments on the issue. According to a public notice from the City of Glendale planning commission, Jerry Ambrose of the Eukon Group, on behalf of AT&T Mobility, submitted a formal application for a wireless telecommunications facilities permit “to install and operate an unmanned wireless telecommunications facility with antennas and equipment at the southeast corner of Dunsmore Park. The proposed facility would consist of a 60-foot high support structure disguised as a pine tree with 12 eight-foot antennas, split within three sectors, four antennas per sector; 24 RRUs, and an 11-foot by 21-foot ancillary equipment/generator building within an approximate 600 square foot leased/fenced premise.”

Charles Elachi left his position as director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory after 15 years to assume the duties of professor emeritus at the California Institute of Technology. “Explorer” was used several times to describe Elachi’s life, even when he was a child. “You know why there are no pictures of Charles as a child? Because his family could not afford a camera,” said Blaine Baggett, director for Communications and Education at JPL. He described Elachi as someone who was always on a journey of education – both in the sky and in Hollywood. He came here for two reasons, Baggett said, because of the great reputation of Caltech and because it was close to Hollywood. Elachi was a huge cowboy film fan. “He thought he could see stars walking on the streets all the time,” Baggett said. Elachi officially retired at the end of June and Michael M. Watkins was pegged to assume the title of director of JPL on July 1. Watkins worked at JPL for 22 years.

July

“Spectacular” is how organizers of the 2016 CV Fireworks Show described the display. Held at Crescenta Valley High School, the show, emceed by Anthony Portantino, hosted thousands of people who paid a nominal fee to go onto the school field and or who watched from outside the campus. Congressman Adam Schiff and Supervisor Mike Antonovich were among those who stopped by the campus.

The Sage Fire erupted reminding residents of the importance of cleaning, clearing and abating growth on property hillsides to impede the spread of wildfires.

A vehicle that crashed through the back gate at Rosemont Middle School wakened nearby neighbors shortly after 1 a.m. Due to how the vehicle landed on the campus property, it wasn’t found until the following morning when staff members discovered it near the basketball area near the south entrance of the gym. When CHP officers arrived they found the male driver and female passenger asleep in the car.

The 15th Annual Montrose Car Show featured over 300 classic cars, hot rods and motorcycles lining Honolulu Avenue in the Montrose Shopping Park area.

Local bear and mountain lion sightings appeared to be on the rise with bears helping themselves to fruit on nearby trees and taking a dip in neighborhood pools.

After 50 years, CV Tow owners decided to sell their business to Mark Hassan.

Thousands of people turned out for the Glendale Annual Cruise Night where they found all types of cars – and owners. Some owners dressed in clothes reminiscent of the era of their car including Ken Sobel and Larry LeVine who were decked out in pinstripe suits matching Sobel’s 1934 Dodge DRXX.

The Crescenta Valley lost a friend when Chuck Boone, 68, died of cancer. He was active in the annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life event.

Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse and Once Upon A Time bookstore each held events to celebrate the launch of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.” Events included trivia and costume contests and face painting.

The Crescenta Cañada Rotary Club held its annual backpack/suitcase collection drive Kases for Kids. Collected items were donated to the foster care system to be distributed to children entering the system.

A petition filed by UniteLCF! for a territory transfer was certified by the Los Angeles County Registrar’s Office as having sufficient signatures to move forward. UniteLCF! seeks to transfer the property known as Sagebrush, the area west of Rosebank Drive in La Cañada to Pickens Canyon.

August

It was years in the making, but the community came together for the ribbon cutting of the newly opened skate park in CV Park. Supervisor Antonovich was on hand for the ceremony where he congratulated one of the key organizers of the CV Skate Park, Cooper Iven.

National Night Out was held on the first Tuesday in August. Around the nation, including in the Crescenta Valley, Sunland-Tujunga and Glendale areas, emergency responders talked with neighborhood residents on ways to get involved with the community.

Three teenagers were involved in a fatal accident in Angeles National Forest. The three, who perished at the scene, were from Fontana.

Local elementary school campuses got a facelift when Measure S funds and matching relief grants were issued to build more classrooms on campuses. During construction, temporary portable classrooms were installed.

The beginning of the school year did not start without problems. Superintendent Winfred Roberson alerted GUSD parents of two attempted kidnappings of school children in the area. He said that there would be an increased adult presence at all school drop off and pick up points.

The long awaited results of the City of Glendale’s survey regarding the community’s view of the future of Glendale were unveiled in the Vision 2020 Plan. Among the items pinpointed were more parking availability, public outdoor art, improved landscaping with more grass and a possible rebranding from Montrose Shopping Park to Montrose Village.

Big news from JPL when it was announced that NASA’s Cassini spacecraft deducted flooded canyons on Saturn’s moon Titan.

The 54th Watermelon Festival was held at the Hansen Dam Soccer Complex. The two-day event featured family-friendly activities like disc golf demonstrations, zip line, carnival, petting zoo, pony rides and lots of free watermelon.

Glendale Unified School District announced it would take an active role in monitoring internet use by its middle and high school students in order to be aware of possible threats to students. The board of education voted to renew a contract with its outside contractor Geo Listening.

The American Legion Post 288 and VFW Post 1614 held their annual bingo fundraiser at Healy Hall. Previous funds raised were dedicated to the refurbishment of the Two Strike Park Memorial Wall.

Organizers of the Crescenta Commons held a mixer at the Commons. The meet-and-greet was a chance for the community to gather and thank local veterans who had recently replaced the flag and pole at the site.

Local father and graphic artist Dominick Cabalo creates works of art daily that can be found on his son’s brown paper lunch sacks. The popularity of the bags spawned a charity program, #Lunchbag, a charity that distributes lunches in the iconic brown paper bags to the homeless on Skid Row in L.A.

September

Opponents to the proposed high speed rail gathered outside the California High Speed Rail Authority’s meeting at the Lake View Terrace Library. In particular protestors voiced concern with a proposed Palmdale to Burbank route (Route E2) that would run, often above ground, through the Angeles National Forest and surrounding communities.

Once Upon A Time bookstore in Montrose celebrated its 50th anniversary by hosting a variety of events at the bookstore and as part of the weekly Harvest Market in Montrose. Among the activities was a cake cutting with slices shared with the community, story time and a book signing.

Despite reaching enough signatures from la Crescenta residents in a petition to install additional streetlights north of Foothill Boulevard on La Crescenta Avenue, the initiative continued to face opposition from those in the community.

The Foothill Municipal Water District held a meeting to discuss and gather information on a new project proposed by the L.A. County Flood Control District to help replenish the groundwater basin beneath Pasadena. Because of the drought, according to Nina Jazmadarian, general manager of FMWD, “Groundwater levels are dropping so they are trying to put together projects that will store water into the Raymond basin. Part of the project is moving the water from behind Devil’s Gate dam to the Eaton Canyon spreading ground.” The plan proposed to build a pipeline running six miles from Devil’s Gate dam to Eaton Canyon spreading ground where the excess rainwater can be absorbed so it won’t run off to the sea.

“91onderful” years were celebrated at the Alex Theatre’s anniversary party. The evening included a self-guided tour of the theatre that highlighted significant spots for people to see.

The family of local resident Brad Elze mourned the unexpected death of the 56-year-old father who was involved in a fatal accident on Foothill Boulevard in Tujunga. He left behind his two sons and his wife.

Korean culture was celebrated La Cañada Memorial Park at the 2nd Annual Korean Cultural Festival. The festival is a celebration of Chuseok, or Harvest Day, that occurs during the full moon. The day included the sharing of Korean traditions, dynamic cultural performances and food.

The community turned out for Patriots’ Day lining the streets of Crescenta Valley to cheer on more than 100 cars that formed a motorcade that passed local schools, civic clubhouses and businesses. Typically held on Sept. 11, the motorcade took place on Sept. 9 so that local school children could participate in the event.

The Community Development Commission of the County of Los Angeles (CDC) asked residents for their input to help shape the County’s annual “Action Plan.” The plan would disperse approximately $29 million in housing and community development funds into three program categories: Community Development Block Grants to fund a variety of services in low and moderate income communities; HOME Investment Partnerships that supplies funds for hosing rehabilitation, first-time homebuyer programs and the construction of housing for low and moderate income households; Emergency Solutions Grants that provides street outreach, emergency shelter and homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing.

The Friends of Rockhaven hosted an Old Hollywood themed fundraiser to raise money for improvements to the property, including the preservation of the interiors of the site’s buildings.

After completing a study of Briggs Avenue, the County of Los Angeles Public Works Dept. recommended increasing the speed limit on the avenue to 35 mph from 30 mph.

Former Glendale City Manager James Starbird filed a claim against the City of Glendale asking for $1 million saying an uneven sidewalk was the cause of his wife’s death. Starbird was pushing his wife in her wheelchair when it hit an uplifted section of the sidewalk. She was ejected from the wheelchair and struck her head on the concrete causing a concussion. She later died from her injuries.

The Glendale Police Dept. held a meeting to address the increased number of wildlife in residential areas. The meeting offered advice to residents who have had bears, bobcats and mountain lions visit their property. Among the advice was to not leave out food for domestic pets (dogs, cats), secure trash bins and clearing yards of items like fallen fruit – a favorite of black bears.

October

Local schools welcomed “Walktober” on Oct. 5, an opportunity for local students to gather by the thousands to walk to school. The one-day event is part of International Walk and Bike to School Day organized by the Partnership for a Walkable America in 1997.

CV Weekly held its annual Finest party and anniversary celebration. The event was held at Deukmejian Wilderness Park to recognize those who were voted “The Finest” in more than 120 categories by readers of CV Weekly. The party, catered by Franks Famous and Goodie Girls cupcakes, also celebrated the seventh anniversary of CV Weekly.

The Glendale Police Department supported Breast Cancer Awareness Month by adding a bright pink Ford Explorer police unit and seven pink motorcycles to its fleet of vehicles for the month of October.

The Montrose Chamber of Commerce held its 39th Annual Oktoberfest celebration on the streets of the Montrose Shopping Park. Thousands of people flooded Honolulu Avenue to celebrate all things German. The event is volunteer-driven and relies on the generosity and support of hundreds of people.

Forums and debates were held around town to spotlight the positions held by local candidates running for a variety of seats including state assembly 43rd district, state senate and Los Angeles County board of supervisors – 5th District. Elections were held in November.

Clark Magnet High School held an assembly to celebrate high test scores, academic excellence and how great it was to be a Clark panther. New school principal Lena Kortoshian addressed the student body saying, “We are blessed to have students and staff like you. You are amazing.”

The Glendale Education Foundation presented Glendale Unified School District with a check for $120,000 at the annual State of the Schools Breakfast. The morning included an uplifting report by superintendent Winfred Roberson.

Glendale City Council voted to approve a pay increase for its police officers. The three-year Memorandum of Understanding sets agreements with the city regarding “wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment” for the rank-and-file sworn officers that are represented by the Glendale Police Officers Assn.

The Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce held a Halloween Fun Run that invited walkers and runners of all ages to participate in a 5K run/walk beginning at Two Strike Park in La Crescenta. Some arrived in costumed attire to cover the distance. Warm up exercises were conducted by members of Taix Extreme Bootcamp. Medals were awarded in a variety of categories.

Sunland-Tujunga hosted the city’s first Armenian Arts & Culture Festival. An estimated 5,000 came by the 10-hour event held on Commerce Avenue.

CV Dog Park, the first dog park in the County of Los Angeles, celebrated its four-year anniversary.

Hundreds of people attended the first of two Sagebrush forums. Sagebrush is the name given to the area west of Rosebank Drive in La Cañada to Pickens Canyon. Controversy has surrounded the proposed transfer of this territory from the Glendale Unified School District to the La Cañada Unified School District.

 

The Kiwanis Club of Glendale held its annual KIDS – Kiwanis Incredible Duck Splash – fundraising event at Verdugo Park. In addition to about 20,000 ducks that made their way down “Lake Glendale” earning prize money for their adopted parents, thousands of people came to play a variety of games hosted by several non-profit organizations and eat barbecued fare sold by the Jewel City Kiwanis. KIDS is held in conjunction with the Glendale Police Dept. K-9s in the Park. K-9s in the Park introduces visitors to the canine partners of Glendale police officers and shares the type of training the dogs undertake.

Lisa Woung from the Programs Development Division of the County of Los Angeles Dept. of Public Works made a presentation on the installation of medians along Foothill Boulevard. Work is expected to begin in January 2018.

A “Spooktacular” Halloween event was hosted by the Montrose Shopping Park on Halloween night. In addition, several home displays, including one at 413 Whiting Woods Dr. sponsored by David and Alisa Krohn of Property Masters Realty, drew hundreds of those eager for a good scare.

Maple at Descanso Gardens announced that its dining experience was open for weekend brunch.

The CV Chamber of Commerce held its annual recognition banquet. The event honors those persons and businesses in the Crescenta Valley that represent “the backbone of the community,” according to chamber president Calvin “Kaipo” Chock.

A fatal car accident claimed the life of 17-year-old CV High School student Christine Martinez. Friends and family attended a vigil in her memory.

A groundbreaking was held for a Tujunga campus for L.A. Mission College. Classes are expected to begin in the spring.

November

The La Crescenta Woman’s Club held its annual Authors Luncheon when a few select authors presented information on their books and the process they go through to write them. In keeping with the Halloween spirit, the theme of the luncheon was murder mysteries.

Election Cycle 2016 came to a close after lines of voters eager to cast their ballots were found at local polling places. Voters were asked to decide on 17 propositions, three measures and cast ballots for Presidential, judicial and local candidates. In addition, those who live in the unincorporated portion of Los Angeles County were asked to cast ballots for members of the CV Town Council.

A cry for help was made to the public by the Crescenta Valley High School Instrumental Music Dept. after new drum heads were accidentally thrown out. The loss was about $1,000.

The Glendale Police Foundation held a kick off ceremony for its Glendale Police Museum Project. The museum, expected to be located in the lobby of the GPD at 131 N. Isabel St., will reflect the department’s 110-year history.

After eight years of delays, deliberation and proposals, the Glendale City Council voted to approve a bid put forth by Gangi Design LED Build to develop the former Rockhaven property at 2713 Honolulu Ave. Included in its proposal is a farm-to-table restaurant and sites for local businesses.

It was announced that Verdugo Hills Golf Course would be closed as of Dec. 31. Future plans for the site are uncertain though previous plans included mixed use that would include residential, commercial and office spaces.

 

Adam Schiff was among those who attended the annual Veterans Day ceremony held at Two Strike Park in La Crescenta. The ceremony honored the service of personnel in all branches of the military.

The Glendale Unified School District board of education released the school calendar for 2017-18 that reflects the new school year starting on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017 and ending on June 6, 2018.

To curb community notices being arbitrarily installed on utility poles around town, a “posting pole” was installed at Crescenta Commons – and quickly removed.

With the high number of bears seen throughout the Crescenta Valley, especially in the areas of Whiting Woods and Glenwood Oaks, a meeting was held for residents to learn of ways to discourage bears from coming to the area. Officials were invited to hear complaints and concerns and give some guidance on what residents can do.

A dinner and concert were held at and hosted by All Nation’s Church in Lake View Terrace to honor the men and women who put their lives at risk to protect others. The 9th Annual Thanksgiving Appreciation Dinner and Concert was dedicated to first responders, which includes LAPD, LAFD, county fire, the Forestry Rangers and the Hansen Dam Rangers.

Representatives from Caltrans heard from local residents at the Crescenta Valley Town Council (CVTC) monthly meeting.Frustration was voiced regarding lane closures and traffic snarls that cropped up since Caltrans began work on a multi-phase, nearly $150 million project to improve a 9.7 mile stretch of the I-210 stretching from Los Robles Avenue in Pasadena to Dunsmore Avenue in La Crescenta. The project is slated to be complete by 2018, according to Caltrans.

Over 100 people participated in the Mutt Strut at Crescenta Valley Park hosted by the California Council of the Blind. The event is unique in that it allows those who would not normally feel safe on a 2K/5K track the freedom and confidence to not only run but to also compete. Mutt Strut is for sighted, non-sighted and all those in-between.

Before gobbling up their Thanksgiving dinner, about 1,500 participants came out for the 23rd annual Turkey Trot, hosted by the Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge. The 5K run started at Memorial Park in La Cañada. All proceeds from the event were directed to the Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge.

A domestic dispute that began with the stabbing of a woman locally ended when the man accused of the stabbing committed suicide by walking into the path of a train in Glendale.

The Montrose Shopping Park Assn. hosted an old town and tree lighting, kicking off the holiday season.

December

A reward was issued for a thief who was stealing decorative holiday lighting in the Montrose Shopping Park.

A call was made for candidates for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept.-Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station Explorers’ program. The next session starts in mid-January and the program, which offers a look into a career into law enforcement, is open to boys and girls between the ages of 14 and 20 who have a 2.5 grade point average or higher and no prior arrests or drug/alcohol use. For information, contact Dep. Jeff Martin, a mentor for the program at the CV station, at (818) 236-4026 or email j6martin@lasd.org.

The public was invited to the lighting of a 20-foot Christmas tree that was installed outside of the La Crescenta Library. The festivities included songs by the CVHS Charismatics, the Valley View Eaglettes and the First Baptist Church-La Crescenta band. Supervisor Michael Antonovich was also honored for his years of service.

The Montrose Christmas Parade saw an estimated 30,000 people line Honolulu Avenue to cheer on non-profit groups, businesses, equestrian units, musicians, scout troops and others. CV Weekly staff once again found their way down the route and waved to onlookers. Jane Kane and Rick Dinger once again emceed the parade.

Winds that gusted up to 35 mph caused havoc in the Crescenta Valley toppling trees and interrupting power. No injuries were reported resulting from the winds.

CV Weekly kicked off its Secret of Their Success series that highlights the success of local businesses. The series launched with the stories of owners of the local businesses Merle Norman Cosmetics in Montrose and Copy Network.

Crescenta Valley High School student and chess club president Kshitij “T.J.” Chauhan won third place in the American Open Scholastic Chess Tournament. During the two-day event he won four of five matches.

It was announced that Los Angeles County supervisor Kathryn Barger, who replaced Michael Antonovich, will host the Winter Wonderland at Two Strike Park on Dec. 29.

Current GUSD board of education member Greg Krikorian announced that he will be seeking another term on the board. Krikorian has been on the board for 16 years and had “weathered many storms” he said.

Santa was the main attraction at the La Crescenta Woman’s Club annual Breakfast with Santa. Hosted by the club’s Junior Section, the fundraiser was a sold-out event.

The community’s houses of worship held a multitude of holiday programs to celebrate the Christmas holiday.

After nearly four years, Wells Fargo opened its branch at Pennsylvania Avenue and Foothill Boulevard. Attendees saw a miniature version of the famous stagecoach, played games and enjoyed music provided by the Crescenta Valley High School jazz band. The bank awarded $3,000 in grants to two non-profit organizations.

Children who wanted to send a letter to Santa had to look no farther than Oak Circle Drive. A special mailbox and wishing tunnel has been onsite since 1982.

The La Crescenta Woman’s Club was the recipient of a local Eagle Scout project when a commemorative bench and time capsule were installed on the clubhouse property. Boy Scout Kevin Tom spearheaded the project under the direction of then-Scoutmaster Rich Toyon.

The CV Town Council installed members Charles Beatty, Brandon Lee, Harry Leon, Aram Ordubegian, Kyle Studebaker and JoAnn Stupakis at its December meeting. It also said goodbye to outgoing members Cheryl Davis and Dr. Joseph Suh.