JANUARY

The year started with the death of former President Jimmy Carter, the nation’s 39th President and a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, who passed away at the age of 100. He was at his home in Plains, Georgia surrounded by his family.  

The iconic senior living center Twelve Oaks shut down for a complete reconstruction. The property is an affiliate of Episcopal Communities & Services (ECS). 

On Jan. 7 a fire broke out in the Eaton Canyon area around 6:30 p.m. Evacuations were ordered as the wind-driven fire traveled quickly through neighborhoods including those in Altadena. 

Local area foothills communities, including La Cañada, La Crescenta, Montrose, Glendale and Burbank, were all issued a high wind warning. 

These were Santa Ana, north/northeast, winds but are a “bit more widespread than a typical Santa Ana,” according to NOAA. This was considered a Mountain Wave. Mountain Waves, according to NOAA, are wave-like effects that occur above and behind mountain ranges when strong winds meet the mountain’s front.

“This is going to be a very strong wind event,” said a NOAA spokesperson.

In the Crest winds were clocked at more than 100 mph. 

Recovering from the fire began its long, long journey. A meeting to answer some questions was held on Jan. 10. 

“One of the most common questions I’m hearing from residents impacted by the Eaton Fire is, ‘What do I do now?’” Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger said. “Our neighbors want to know where to go for immediate help, how to get information about their home, when they can return and what long-term resources are available. This meeting will aim to answer those questions and is just the first of many more to come.”

Prior to the Eaton Fire was the Palisades Fire that began on Jan. 7 at 10:30 a.m. 

“Like something I have never seen before.” That was a quote from Los Angeles Police Dept. Chief Jim McDonnell referring to the wind-driven fires that began with the Palisades Fire. Firefighters battled the Palisades Fire that was first reported southeast of Palisades Drive in Pacific Palisades. The fire went from covering 200 acres to 1,000 in a short time and continued to grow leaving a path of destruction in its wake. An estimated 30,000 people were under mandatory evacuation. But some faced road closures and traffic jams and at one point people in the area of Palisades Drive and some on Sunset Boulevard appeared to panic as they attempted to evacuate. They got stuck in traffic and just abandoned their vehicles – many taking their vehicle keys with them making it almost impossible for emergency vehicles, including fire engines, to get to the areas that were in need. That is when a fire department bulldozer came in and plowed a path for emergency responders.

Smoke filled the skies over Crescenta Valley. Winds continued and toppled trees. 

Fire recovery continued with residents looking to city, county and federal officials for support. 

The communities came together to help those who were affected by the fires including a group from Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Several JPLers lost their homes in Altadena. A group of employees from JPL set up drop-in centers, including one in Crescenta Valley, to help those affected by the fire. They were joined by other supporting organizations including the La Crescenta Woman’s Club, American Legion Post 288/Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1614 and St. Luke’s of the Mountains Episcopal Church. Numerous organizations, and individuals, worked together to support neighboring communities devastated by the fires. 

The La Crescenta Library celebrated its 15th anniversary with a cake, cookies and a magic show.

FEBRUARY 

The community gathered to pay its respects to community icon Rev. Bev – the Reverend Beverly Craig who received an honorary doctorate of divinity. She had led the Center of Spiritual Living for decades. Rev. Bev supported or founded several organizations throughout the community including LA County Sheriff’s Dept./CV Station’s Clergy Council. 

The Prom Plus organization held its first official fundraiser with its new board. For over 30 years Prom Plus has been an organization created to keep Crescenta Valley High School seniors and their guests safe after prom. In 2024 it was thought that Prom Plus had run its course after those who led the organization for many years decided to step back from it. It was feared the organization would end but then volunteer parents stepped up and a new generation took the reins. 

Community members packed the Glendale City Council meeting – most in support of requiring an environmental impact review (EIR) for a proposal to demolish the Glendale Garden Homes apartments at 1303-1315 North Central Avenue and replace them with a new 149-unit housing project. An EIR would determine if the property is or is not an historic resource and offer an opportunity for public comment and engagement.

Nick Schultz was sworn in as the 44th district assemblymember. Schultz took the seat vacated by Laura Friedman, who had been voted into the state congressional seat vacated by Adam Schiff, who was voted in as California’s senator. 

 

CVW was honored to visit artist and Holocaust survivor Gabriella Karin. She was hidden throughout WWII by friends and neighbors. He art reflects the images of her childhood. 

LA County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger launched the formation of the Altadena Recovery Commission to organize, resource and support the long-term rebuild of the Altadena community in the wake of the devastating Eaton Fire.

The Aquarium of the Pacific launched a new education tool, the Marine Species Report Card. The main goal of the tool was to give context into what biodiversity means and what a shift in species population looks like. 

“If I told you there had been a 10% decline in California marine biodiversity you would intellectually know that was bad but I’m not sure you would get passionate about it,” said Dr. Peter Kareiva, president and CEO of Aquarium of the Pacific. “But if I told you that that 10% decline, what really was behind it, was that all of the sea otters along California had disappeared – you’d be angry, you’d rally, you’d be passionate about it and feel a real sense of loss.” 

About 500 Los Angeles Unified School District students left their schools to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, marching first to Los Angeles City Hall then to the LAUSD offices and back.

The annual Lincoln Elementary talent show took place on Jan. 29. Lincoln first grade teachers Melinda Burkhart and Nicolas James worked with the talented students for four weeks to get the students ready for the big night. 

Two Strike Park got a new basketball court thanks to the LA Clippers Community Courts program. 

MARCH

Construction began on the La Crescenta Avenue Rehabilitation Project through the City of Glendale. 

Glendale City Council moved forward three commissions by unanimous vote: Alex Fay was appointed to the board of the Glendale Water and Power; Daniel Paul was reappointed to the city’s Historic Preservation Commission; and Talin Shahbazian was appointed to the Transportation and Parking Commission (TPC). A fourth appointment – Alek Bartrosouf to the TPC – was more controversial, passing 3-2, with Councilmembers Vartan Gharpetian and Ara Najarian voting against. 

JOANN Fabric and Crafts stores across the nation closed their doors including the store in La Cañada Flintridge. 

Jazz Night at the Café, an evening of swing dance to live music provided by the award-winning CV jazz band, was a resounding success according to organizers. The event, which took place in the school’s cafeteria, was “fabulous,” bringing the crowd to its feet and dancing for hours.  

At approximately 6:45 a.m., a deputy assigned to Crescenta Valley Station was preparing for his shift when his firearm discharged, resulting in an injury. He was transported to a local hospital and was in stable condition.

Local activist Ines Chessum stepped down as co-chair of the Crescenta Valley Land Use Committee after nearly 11 years of service. 

Los Angeles County filed suit against Southern California Edison and Edison International (SCE) to recover costs and damages sustained by the County from the Eaton Fire. The lawsuit alleges that SCE’s equipment caused the deadly blaze, requiring the County to incur massive costs responding to the fire and its aftermath.

Glendale City Council voted unanimously to move forward with getting bids for reconstruction of the Pines Cottage at Rockhaven Sanitarium. 

“I want America to have a future and I want all of us to have a future in America,” Crescenta Valley High School (CVHS) student protestor and Students Demand Action member “Heather” stated in her speech to the assembled CVHS student protestors. Student-led campus organizations, such as the Black Student Union, the Gay Straight Alliance, Fempowerment, the CVHS Film Club and Students Stand With Refugees, organized the walkout leading student protesters to the steps of the La Crescenta Library in protest of Donald Trump, his current administration and the Supreme Court.

USC Verdugo Hills Hospital nurses protested for the retention of nurses. 

Around 100 people peacefully demonstrated on a grassy area in the middle of the mall in Glendale, just across from the electric car store, with chants of “No Elon, No KKK, No Fascists in the USA!” “Trade It In!” and “This is what democracy looks like!”

Crescenta Valley High School’s Falkon robotics team placed second overall in an ocean-themed robot face-off against 51 other teams at the Ventura Regional FIRST Robotics competition. 

The Office of the State Fire Marshal released maps referencing the 2025 Recommended Local Responsibility Areas Fire Hazard Severity Zone for Los Angeles County. 

Quilt ’n’ Things supported quilters who lost their quilts, and sewing machines, in the Eaton Fire.

Vietnam Veterans Remembrance Day was held at the Vietnam War Memorial in Montrose. 

APRIL

In a surprise move, Glendale City Councilmember Ardy Kassakhian issued a public statement indicating that though he was next in line to be selected mayor, according to the operative city ordinance, he would not be seeking the office.

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority recently acquired about 33 acres in the Verdugo Mountains/Mountain Oaks property.

Residents worried about trucks traveling up to Dunsmuir Sediment Placement Site near Deukmejian Wilderness Park. The trucks were carrying debris from the Altadena burn area. Residents near the Sevenhills Drive area in Tujunga also voiced concern about the truck traffic and debris headed to the Zachau Sediment Placement Site. 

The 10th Annual Montrose Craft Beer Fest was another successful event, which is organized by the Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce. 

Signs appeared throughout Altadena stating “Altadena is Not For Sale.” Neighbors were concerned that developers will swoop in and buy up land that was once held by individuals. 

Hands Off protests took place across the nation with 1,400 plus events. Local organizer, Indivisible, gathered well over 2,000 protestors to join them for the Pasadena Hands Off protest. 

The play “Survivors” by Wendy Kout was performed for students at Glendale High School. It looks at the lives of 10 survivors of the Holocaust and the way hatred escalated from derogatory comments to the deaths of 6 million Jews and millions of others, including Roma and Sinti people, disabled people, people of color, gay and transgender people and political prisoners. 

The Crescenta Valley High School competitive dance team concluded its competition season and brought home two national titles: West Coast Elite (WCE) Nationals and United Spirit Association (USA) Nationals. With countless hours of practice, team work and perseverance by every dancer, each win was memorable. 

LASD CV Station Captain Robert Hahnlein was promoted to commander. Lt Ryan Vienna was placed in the position of acting captain at the station. 

Glendale Teachers Association and Glendale Unified School District reach an agreement on wages for 2025-2026 school year.

Ara Najarian was named Glendale’s mayor.

The Annual Armenian Genocide Commemoration event was held at the Alex theatre. 

The Rosemont Preserve, part of the Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy, created a way to capture rainwater to replenish the ever-decreasing amount of groundwater.  

LASD CV Station cadet Ashar Baker, 16, was highlighted for his commitment to the CV Station Explorer Academy. 

MAY

CV Water District proposed a different billing system and changed its billing calendar. 

A vehicle pursuit where the male suspect/driver hit speeds of over 100 mph traveled along the 210 Freeway west of State Route 2. The pursuit ended when the driver crashed into the rear of a dump truck. The driver sustained major injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Los Angeles County reached a $4 billion agreement to settle more than 6,800 sexual abuse claims dating back to 1959.

USC Verdugo Hills Hospital reached a contract agreement with California Nurses Association, which represents nearly 260 registered nurses at the hospital. 

Laurie Leshin decided to step down as director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. David Gallagher, who has been serving as the Lab’s associate director for Strategic Integration, has been selected by Caltech to lead the federally funded research and development center. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.

Friends, community supporters and former employees of the Crow’s Nest gathered at the Sunland-Tujunga Elks Lodge to fundraise for former Crow’s Nest owner Art Miner. Miner underwent open heart surgery that did not go well. He was in a coma for 31 days with collapsed lungs and failed kidneys and lost his fingers and part of his left foot.

About 250 Monte Vista Elementary School parents, and teachers, shared their concerns over the proposed fourth/fifth grade split next school year for the school’s Korean Dual Language Immersion program at a meeting at the school. The issue focused on the proposed split classes.

On Earth Day, Michael Thelen, flight system manager for the SPHEREx Project at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the team from SPHEREx rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange. 

Reports of a harmful algae bloom occurring off the coast of Southern California that has affected sea lions and dolphins. 

Let’s Go Glendale will transform a portion of South Glendale Avenue into a car-free space. Community members were invited to explore the area on foot, bike, scooter, wheelchair or any other way that moves them.

One thousand American flags were placed on the grounds of Forest Lawn in Glendale by the Glendale Sunrise Rotary to commemorate Memorial Day. The ceremony honored first responders – specifically members of the Glendale Police Dept., Glendale Fire Dept., LA County Fire Dept. and Los Angeles Sheriff’s Dept.

One man was charged in connection with a missing 14-year-old boy in the Montrose area. The juvenile went missing on May 2 and was found on May 5. 

Glendale police officers responded to a report of a possible burglary in the 1600 block of South Central Avenue. They found a male suspect with a Pennzoil jug containing gasoline. It appeared the suspect was planning to set fire to the location. 

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and law enforcement partners in California and Florida arrested 13 alleged members and associates of Armenian organized crime syndicates. Those arrested are charged with a series of crimes in five federal complaints including attempted murder, kidnapping, illegal firearm possession and thefts estimated to be in millions of dollars related to online retailer shipments. 

Glendale City Council began the first of four budget study sessions. 

A local resident shared his account of the aftermath of the bombing of a fertility clinic in Palm Springs. The resident, Chris Kilpatrick, was in the building next door when he heard the explosion. 

David Meyerhof received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for his commitment to Holocaust education and remembrance.

After much debate and concern from residents U Matter Luxury Resort in the 3000 block of Frances Avenue apparently left the neighborhood. 

Supervisor Kathryn Barger was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Arts degree from Woodbury University.

A resident who owns a home in the 5300 block of Ocean View Boulevard reported to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept.-Crescenta Valley Station that when he arrived at his residence he discovered that the locks to the house and the yard gate had been changed. The resident had the property up for sale and had been living outside the area for several days.

Expanded legal services were made available for Eaton Fire survivors. 

Glendale Fire Dept. responded to a fire near Brand Park. The fire, titled the Brand Incident, was in steep terrain. The fire was quickly contained.

JUNE

Musicians from Crescenta Valley High School’s Instrumental Music Dept. performed their yearly pops concert with the theme of heroes and villains. The concert celebrated the achievements of 245 students making up five different groups: wind ensemble, jazz band, string orchestra, symphony orchestra and concert band. 

John Camphouse celebrated his 43rd anniversary with Montrose Search and Rescue team then retired from MSAR. March marked the 2,000th rescue under his belt, a milestone only reached by one other member of the search and rescue team.

It was announced that a conditional use permit had been submitted by Planet Fitness for the 2600 block of Foothill Boulevard, the former Rite Aid location. 

Dodger pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto promoted reading at the Dunsmore Elementary School Japanese Dual Immersion Program. 

About 250 members of Glendale’s LGBTQIA+ community, their friends, families and allies gathered at Adams Square Mini Park to celebrate PRIDE month. It was the fourth annual family picnic organized by glendaleOUT

The City of Glendale made the decision to formally terminate its agreement with U.S. Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to house federal immigration detainees at the Glendale Police Dept. facility.

The U.S. Army celebrated its 250th anniversary. Locally members of American Legion Post 288 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1614, with community members, enjoyed breakfast at the Verdugo Hills Memorial Hall.

A public meeting was held by the Crescenta Valley Water District concerning the proposed water and wastewater rate increases and rate system change. 

Rafael Quintero, formerly with Glendale Police Dept., was announced as the new Burbank chief of police. Quintero replaced retiring police chief Michael Albanese. 

Longtime Crescenta Valley High School football coach and Hall of Fame member Dennis Gossard, known affectionately as “Coach Goss,” died at the age of 78. His legacy, as well as the undeniable impact on the thousands of Falcons he coached over his 50-plus years at CVHS, will live on forever.

Hours prior to the protests beginning, people were streaming to the No Kings rally at Glendale City Hall to protest the actions of the Trump administration against immigrants and to lift their collective voices in favor of democracy. Protestors carried flags from all of the countries with proud heritage in the area; though American flags dominated, flags were seen representing Mexico, Armenia, Honduras, Guatemala and others.

The search continued for missing hiker Monica Reza who was last seen hiking near the Mount Waterman area in the Angeles National Forest. 

JULY

“Leave it to the professionals. Watch a professional [fireworks] show. Stay away from the fireworks,” advised Glendale Police Chief Manny Cid at the Glendale City Council meeting. “Enjoy the time with your family. Enjoy the holiday.” 

Locally the show was hosted at La Crescenta Elementary School due to renovations taking place at Crescenta Valley High School where the show was typically held.

Local non-profit organization Ascencia, whose motto is “Lifting people out of homelessness one person, one family at a time,” was spotlighted as an organization in need of volunteers to lend a hand for its various activities. These include its annual fundraising gala and monthly guest chef program.

The City of Glendale announced the appointment of Jeff Brooks as the new fire chief for the Glendale Fire Dept. With over two decades of distinguished service, Brooks brought extensive experience, community commitment and visionary leadership to the role.

The city also announced the appointment of Scott Mellon as the general manager of Glendale Water and Power (GWP). With more than two decades of engineering and utility experience, Mellon brought a forward-thinking vision and deep technical expertise to this critical leadership role.

Crescenta Valley Weekly (CVW) reached out to the office of the governor and the office of the California Dept. of Water Resources regarding questions surrounding groundwater and what the future may hold for local communities.

The acting captain of the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station, Ryan Vienna, announced that the search for missing person Monica Reza was concluded though the investigation will continue by the LASD Homicide Bureau: Missing Persons Unit.

The 23rd annual Montrose Car Show zoomed into Montrose alongside the weekly Harvest Market. Roughly 350 muscle cars, hotrods, classic and vintage cars and motorcycles were on display, which car aficionado Mark Davis described as the “the babies, the kids, of the people who drive them … their passion.” Davis took his souped up ’72 Pontiac Trans Am to the show. 

The Los Angeles County Health Officer issued a heat advisory as high temperatures were forecast in local areas.

The City of La Cañada Flintridge hosted community town halls to help residents and businesses prepare for the upcoming transition to Clean Power Alliance (CPA) as the City’s new electricity provider.

Beginning in October, La Cañada Flintridge customers automatically received electricity through CPA as part of the City’s ongoing partnership with the locally controlled energy provider.

A plan adopted by the Glendale City Council will renovate Pines Cottage for use as a museum and will allow for accessibility improvements including off-site parking, “a comprehensive effort to enhance the site’s historical and functional value,” senior project manager Arthur Asaturyan told the council.

The 29th Annual Glendale Police Awards Luncheon was held at the Hilton Hotel. The awards ceremony was hosted by the Glendale Police Foundation and presented trophies and certificates to various officers and civilians for their exceptional service.

Glendale Unified School District (GUSD) conducted its annual restructuring of the school board. Board member Ingrid Gunnell was named president of the board of education. Shant Sahakian, immediate past  president of the board, announced he will not seek re-election for a third term on the GUSD Board of Education, or any other elected office, in the upcoming 2026 election.  

The popular community event Silent Movie Night was held at Two Strike Park. It is sponsored by the Historical Society of Crescenta Valley (HSCV), the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors chair Kathryn Barger and LA County Parks and Recreation. Silent film projectionist and historian Joe Rinaudo restores copies of old silent films and plays them for interested groups. He projects these films on a 100-year-old, hand-cranked projector.

Thousands made their way to Brand Boulevard for Cruise Night, a chance to see over 350 vehicles and learn all that Glendale has to offer by visiting information booths that lined the boulevard.

 

Crescenta Valley Water District partnered with the Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley for a tour of the District’s reservoirs and facilities. Joining the tour were members of the CV Town Council, Friends of the Rosemont Preserve and staff members and interns from the office of Gov. Gavin Newsom. 

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted to approve the County’s first-ever historic district and landmark designation in Altadena.

CVW began a multi-week series on the safety of e-bikes and e-scooters as the subject was discussed among school districts and law enforcement as riders of the electric vehicles were injured or injured people.

The non-profit organization Home Again LA held a back to school shopping spree for 25 young students. Each recipient received $100 for back to school clothes and supplies from Target in Glendale.

AUGUST

The City of La Cañada Flintridge took a step in wildfire prevention by reintroducing one of nature’s oldest vegetation management tools: grazing animals. 

Through funding from CAL FIRE’s Wildfire Prevention Grant Program, the City launched a targeted grazing project to reduce wildfire risk across 58.7 acres of City-owned land in the Gould Canyon area. The project involved the use of goats and sheep to manage vegetation in the Wildland Urban Interface – the area where homes meet undeveloped, brush-heavy terrain.

Community members gathered to honor and celebrate first responders at National Night Out (NNO). Celebrations were found at several places around town including the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station. NNO fosters fellowship between residents and those who protect and serve, such as local law enforcement. 

The events were open to the public and gave residents the chance to familiarize themselves with various local organizations and converse with friends and neighbors.

Bradley Calvert, the director of Community Development, addressed the Glendale City Council responding to rumors and concerns regarding the City’s review of the Land Use Element in the City’s general plan.

“The plan is far from done. Today we open the 45-day comment period and there is a lot more to do. We welcome the input,” Calvert told the council.

California has the highest number of national parks and national forests of any state and tackles an equally high number of search and rescue calls. Answering between 115 and 161 calls a year, Montrose Search and Rescue (MSAR) serves the heavily trafficked Angeles National Forest, the Angeles Crest Highway and surrounding areas.

Like the majority of United States search and rescue teams, the MSAR team is volunteer-run and its members are first responders.

Planet Fitness, which hopes to occupy the former location of the La Crescenta Rite-Aid, received approval of a minor parking deviation by the Crescenta Valley Land Use Committee.

At the Land Use Committee meeting, representatives from Hirsch Green Transportation Consulting and Planet Fitness were in attendance to ask the committee to approve the deviation. The parking deviation would allow Planet Fitness to operate with fewer parking spaces than typically needed for a lot of that type. 

The monthly meeting of the Montrose Shopping Park Association (MSPA) was very well-attended by people eager to hear a presentation concerning a possible housing complex that the City of Glendale proposes be built on the parking lot between Honolulu Avenue and Florencita Drive – specifically on the large parking lot behind the businesses in the 2200 block of Honolulu (behind Tom’s Toys). 

The presentation was made by Vilia Zemaitaitis, deputy director of Community Development/Long Range Planning at the Glendale Community Development Dept. (CDD), and Teresa Santilena, principal planner with the City. 

Taking over for former LASD-CV Station Captain Robert Hahnlein, Ryan Vienna officially accepted the position of captain. 

Hahnlein accepted a promotion to commander of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept.

Glendale Unified School District welcomed students back to school, which meant back to school traffic.

Law enforcement was out in force to make certain drivers are following traffic laws and pedestrians are safe. In the unincorporated area of Los Angeles County-La Crescenta Montrose drivers saw units from the California Highway Patrol.

A labor of love turned bittersweet when a refurbished Wedgewood stove was stolen that housed grad student Natalie Freeman’s Little Free Library. 

SEPTEMBER

Bradley Calvert, director of Community Development (CD) for the City of Glendale, faced questions from concerned residents and business owners at a meeting of the Crescenta Valley Community Association (CVCA). 

The topic of concern was the general plan, which the CD staff was researching and working on. Calvert’s presentation to the CVCA was part of a larger effort to reach out to communities worried about the language it has heard, and the proposals it has seen, regarding several aspects of the plan. Of particular concern was the possibility of parking lots within the Montrose Shopping Park being listed as areas where housing could be developed.

A proposed development at 2413 Foothill Blvd., the La Crescenta Motel, is a five-story, 80-unit residential project that includes four studio units, 52 one-bedroom units and 24 two-bedroom units. Of that, one studio, three one-bedroom and two two-bedroom units will be restricted to extremely low income households. One one-bedroom unit will be reserved as a manager’s unit. 

The Crescenta Valley High School (CVHS) track and field, which was closed for repairs and to add stadium seating and lighting, reopened to the public.

The track and field was closed during the 2023-24 school year as construction began on stadium seating on the campus. Unfortunately there were construction delays – several of them – but the school finished installing the new track and field, and new tennis courts.

The Patriot Day Motorcade, sponsored by the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce, returned to the community without missing a beat – or a cheer – on Sept. 11. The motorcade featured more than 50 hot rod and classic vehicles that drove through La Crescenta and La Cañada Flintridge. 

Super Scoopers, amphibious firefighting aircraft designed to repeatedly scoop water from large bodies of water to drop on wildfires, arrived in the southland. In addition to the Super Scoopers on loan from the province of Québec was a Coulson Group Chinook CH-47, known as a Helitanker 55.

A ribbon cutting for a new track and field, bleachers and lights at Crescenta Valley High School was held that was attended by an assortment of dignitaries. These included members of the Glendale Unified School District board of education, the GUSD superintendent, members of the GUSD Citizen Bond Oversight Committee and Representative Judy Chu, who represents the 28th District of California.

Construction began at the former site of Rockhaven Sanitarium. A plan adopted by the Glendale City Council will renovate Pines Cottage for use as a museum and will allow for accessibility improvements including off-site parking. 

OCTOBER

Los Angeles County sheriff deputies from Crescenta Valley Station responded to See’s Candies at 1133 Foothill Blvd. in La Cañada Flintridge concerning an armed robbery. 

Despite it being a little rainy animals lovers were on hand to celebrate Neighborhood Pet Store Day at Andersen’s Pet Shop in Montrose.

Glendale Armenians and supporters gathered at Verdugo Park to celebrate Armenian independence at its annual festival.

The City of Glendale Design Review Board approved a new project at the site of the Glendale Garden Apartment Homes, 1303 N. Central Ave., a 149-unit complex with  affordable units, despite concerns about height and massing, citing limited discretion due to state laws and density bonus incentives required by AB130.

Community members attended the Crescenta Valley Town Council-sponsored Wildfire & Emergency Preparedness Fair at Two Strike Park in La Crescenta. Representatives from Los Angeles County Fire Dept., LA County Sheriff’s Dept., California Highway Patrol and CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) were just some of those on hand at the event. 

An independent report was released regarding the alerts and evacuations that happened during the January wildfires. 

The After-Action Report was commissioned by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and completed by McChrystal Group. It didn’t find a specific point of failure, but instead several areas of concern including “County policies and protocols on evacuation warnings and orders are outdated, unclear and contradictory and do not clearly spell out roles and responsibilities for issuing directives.” 

The Glendale Police Dept. hosted an open house and Touch-A-Truck event in front of the main station at 131 N. Isabel St. 

The Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce held its annual Oktoberfest celebration on Honolulu Avenue. An estimated 20,000 visitors came to celebrate all things German. 

It was noted that Ralphs Market placed a sign on the side of the cart return corral that states, “Attention. We use Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology to collect license plate information for security purposes….”

The privacy policy states: “At the Kroger Family of Companies (‘Kroger,’ ‘we,’ ‘us,’ ‘our’) your safety and trust are important to us. For that reason, we are committed to handling your information in a way that is transparent, fair and worthy of your trust. This Automated License Plate Recognition (‘ALPR’) Usage and Privacy Policy describes how we use, maintain and disclose information collected by ALPR technology at select retail locations in California.”

At a meeting of the Glendale Unified School District board of education, Crescenta Valley High School (CVHS) math teacher Alan Freemon asked about the investigation of accusations of misconduct by Crescenta Valley High School baseball coach Phil Torres. 

The Montrose Search and Rescue (MSAR) team hosted a hike tryout for those interested in being part of the team.

Nineteen prospective recruits were at Deukmejian Wilderness Park to take part in a timed hike, which was about two miles in distance with an elevation gain of about 1400 feet. Candidates were timed on how long it took them to hike up the trail to a rock circle – about two miles in distance; they could return at a more leisurely pace as that was not part of the timed hike. 

Bob Gurr, renowned ride designer and Disney Legend, was named grand marshal of the 2025 Montrose-Glendale Christmas Parade.

Hundreds showed their Halloween spirit at the trunk-or-treat event at the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station. The station was just one of several local locations where trunk-or-treat events were held and local families (kids and adults) were eager to show off their Halloween costumes. 

More than 5,000 people attended the No Kings rally in downtown Glendale, according to organizers of the afternoon event. It was one of 200 No Kings events held in California and one of more than 2,700 similar events across the country with an estimated seven million people participating. 

Crescenta Valley Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) leaders and local organization co-founders Paul and Lisa Dutton discovered the trailer they use for C.E.R.T. was stolen from their business driveway. 

Activists from animal rights network Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) gathered in front of the Trader Joe’s at 2462 Honolulu Ave. calling on the grocery chain to cut ties with Perdue Farms’ California subsidiary, Petaluma Poultry, claiming animal cruelty. The group has traveled to Trader Joe’s stores across the country sharing its demands.

NOVEMBER

Controversial Prop 50 was approved by California voters. The state’s unofficial results show 63.8% of voters approved the restricting proposal and 36.2% did not approve. A “yes” vote on Prop 50 would temporarily use new congressional district maps drawn by the state legislature. These new maps would be in effect for the federal elections in 2026, 2028 and 2030. 

A Veterans Day ceremony was held at Two Strike Park, 5107 Rosemont Ave. For veterans interested in finding out more about the American Legion Post 288 visit www.vetspost288.com or come to a meeting, which is held on the first Wednesday of each month at the Verdugo Hills Memorial Hall at 6:30 p.m. 

The Crescenta Valley Town Council Election Committee announced the results of its elections: Donna Libra received 66 votes (46.5%), Harry Leon received 46 votes (32.4%) and Jo Ann Stupakis received 30 votes (21.1%). 

The 7th Annual Montrose Holiday Wine Walk was held along Honolulu Avenue and Ocean View Boulevard. It featured more than 25 “pouring stations” that offered a variety of wines for ticket holders to try. 

The Toy and Food Drive at the Crescenta Valley Sheriff Station collected donated unwrapped toys for ages from newborn to 17 years old and non-perishable food items.

The contributions benefitted families in need within the local community and support the Spark of Love Toy Drive. 

Over 70 people, including many from the Kiwanis Club of Glendale, gathered to pack up 10,000 nutritional meals to be shared with local food banks. This was the first major service project of its new year for the Kiwanis Club of Glendale. It started when Albert Hernandez took on the role as president. 

The Burbank Police Dept. investigated an officer-involved shooting after Burbank Police officers conducted a traffic enforcement stop. During the stop, a passenger fled from the vehicle, ran up the I-5 on-ramp, and jumped over the freeway embankment wall into a nearby residential neighborhood. During a coordinated search, the canine located the suspect. The suspect fired multiple rounds, striking the canine, before fleeing on foot. 

The iconic Christmas tree at the southeast corner of Honolulu Avenue and Ocean View Boulevard came alive with lights when the Montrose Shopping Park Assn. hosted Plaid Friday. In addition to Glendale firefighters on-site the shopping park provided “snow” (soap bubbles projected from machines on poles) for the crowd to enjoy. Ending the celebration was photos with Santa.

Holocaust fighter Joseph Alexander celebrated his 103rd birthday.

The 100th anniversary of the clubhouse of the La Crescenta Woman’s Club (LCWC) was celebrated.

DECEMBER

Thousands of people lined Honolulu Avenue from Rosemont Avenue to Verdugo Boulevard to watch the traditional Montrose Christmas Parade. In 1956, Susan Paola and sisters Chrissy and Peggy rode in a homemade float in the Montrose Christmas Parade. In the 2025 parade the trio returned for another ride down Honolulu Avenue. 

The City of Glendale announced the departure of Police Chief Manny Cid, who has accepted a new role as the next police chief for the Anaheim Police Dept. 

Demitri Camperos, a Crescenta Valley High School alumnus, returned home after walking to Paradise, California to raise awareness of the fires in Altadena and Paradise. 

The Chabad of the Crescenta Valley hosted The Chanukah Festival 2025 at Memorial Park in La Cañada Flintridge. About 300 people attended the festive event. Later in the month, the Chabad of the Crescenta Valley hosted an additional event at the southwest corner of Ocean View Boulevard and Honolulu Avenue. 

The Burbank Police Dept. held an anonymous gun buyback event resulting in the collection of 165 firearms. 

Throughout the United States, services were held for those who fell in service to their country. Part of the services was the placement of wreaths on the graves. The wreaths were provided by Wreaths Across America. Locally, services were held at Verdugo Hills of Peace Pioneer Cemetery in Tujunga and Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena. 

Christmas came early this year for 26 Glendale families who received gifts from the Glendale Police Dept. as part of the department’s annual Cops for Kids event. 

Actor Aidan Delbis, star of the film “Bugonia,” spoke to students in the CVHS Drama Dept. Delbis is an alumnus of the school.