The Founding of Sunland as Monte Vista In the fall of 1876, the Southern Pacific tunnel through the San Fernando Mountains was complete. This was no small accomplishment; at 6,967 feet it was the third longest in the United States and connected Los Angeles to the transcontinental rail. In the years that followed the tunnel […]
Thanksgiving Blessings Thanksgiving was a bust … or so it seemed. Our family was looking forward to a quick getaway to our ranch house in the high desert for Thanksgiving weekend – just the five of us and the dogs. But our plans changed. I caught a cold four days before, which meant two family […]
Verdugo Hills Ridgeline Drive Proposed in 1924 Our Verdugo Mountains are an amazing treasure. The north side that faces the Crescenta Valley is lush with oaks and sage. The entire range, which extends from Glendale northwest to Sunland and Sun Valley, provides a wildlife oasis almost entirely surrounded by development. It is a hiking and […]
More on the Ancient Grove In 2016, I visited Sunland Park to conduct a survey of the grove of oaks. A fact had come to light as to why this little forest flourished there. As rainwater drains down from the heights of Tujunga it sinks below the surface and, through circumstances of geology, a portion […]
Charting a New Path Forward – The Economy Must Work For Us All Elections can be hard things. One side wins, one side loses. Too many people feel lost. More feel apathetic. But our last several elections have existed in categories of their own. So much was at stake this year: the economy, inflation, funding […]
Republicans – Let’s Be Honest I recently received a flyer listing the dire consequences if the Republicans did not gain the Presidency. Among them was the possibility of statehood for Washington DC. OMG! The U.S. citizens living in our capitol city might have the same representation in Congress as those living in Wyoming, whom they outnumber! OMG! Republicans don’t […]
Montrose Merchants Created the Montrose We Know Today The Montrose Shopping Park is a true gem. Its winding streets and mature shade trees make it a joyful place to dine out, shop and stroll. People absolutely love the look of Montrose! But it didn’t always look this nice. So who was responsible for making Montrose […]
Our Ancient Grove of Oaks Maria giggled as Jose snuggled close to kiss her neck. “Stop now, I’m serious,” she scolded him. “I don’t believe my father’s ready for this. Perhaps we should wait.” “No, mi amor,” Jose responded. “I shall ask for his blessing today. I can wait no longer.” Later that afternoon, […]
As we approach the Thanksgiving season, I reflect on the importance of gratitude and the collaborative spirit within the Crescenta Valley Town Council. Unexpectedly transitioning from vice president to president has given me valuable insights into the significance of teamwork and community involvement. I am incredibly thankful for the support of the executive committee – […]
Is This Where We Are Now? As of this writing, Election Day has not yet happened and I hope by Thursday’s distribution of the paper we have some results. Are votes still being counted? Who won the presidency? How did the statewide measures do? I am curious yet apprehensive about what is going to happen […]