CVW continues its looks back to a year that was historic.

June

With the pandemic shutdown restrictions slowly starting to ease, restaurants and businesses were beginning to reopen with new rules for diners and shoppers to stay safe and slow the spread of the virus. Among these new policies from the LA County Dept. of Public Health for outdoor seating at restaurants diners were required to maintain six-feet physical distancing standards. In response, the City of Glendale installed K-rails along the back edge of select parking space areas on Honolulu Avenue in the Montrose Shopping Park to create a safe space for diners to eat outside.

According to the USGS, a 5.5 magnitude earthquake centered 11 miles south of Searles Valley just outside of Ridgecrest occurred in early June.

The school year ended on a virtual note for local high school seniors and middle school eighth graders whose graduation and promotion ceremonies included car parades at the schools and certificate and diploma distributions done observing socially distanced guidelines.

In response to reports of the scarcity of ventilators, VITAL (Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally) a ventilator designed and built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, was made available.

GUSD administrators and staff presented plans they would be looking at as they worked toward an August back-to-school in-person program.

Crescenta Valley High School student Lukas Fullner introduced Folding@home to his class. Folding@home splits larger computations into jobs and sends them to every participating computer, which can then do the math and send them back. Basically it helps these scientists set the models, which they can use to cure the disease. Through his efforts he and fellow students are helping to fight COVID-19.

The LCF Chamber board of directors cancelled its Fiesta Days for 2020. The Memorial Day weekend event was originally pushed to Labor Day weekend in response to the COVID-19 pandemic but, in an abundance of caution, the board decided to postpone the event this year.

July

High temperatures and fireworks put safety personnel on edge as public fireworks displays were cancelled and the number of in-home displays was expected to increase.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors issued an executive order that extended a temporary moratorium on evictions in parts of Los Angeles County in response to the coronavirus/COVID-19 health emergency. The eviction moratorium was to remain in place until July 31, 2020 and covered all residential and commercial tenants in Los Angeles County, except those who live or conduct business in cities that have already enacted their own eviction moratoria. The moratorium included a ban on evictions for nonpayment of rent, if the tenant showed they have been financially impacted by the health emergency, among other protections.

Homeless numbers that had been on the decline were on the rise since COVID-19 hit. But local organizations, like Ascencia in Glendale, stepped in to lend a hand.

The Glendale Unified School District decided that students returning to school would be learning remotely after determining it would be the safest and best thing for children and teachers.

Tournament of Roses officials announced the cancellation of the 2021 Rose Parade in accordance with Gov. Newsom’s Phase IV reopening schedule.

The Perseverance rover mission to Mars launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Work was nearly completed on a walking trail at Two Strike Park that would connect the Park and the Eagle Canyon Channel and will be ADA compliant.

Local community leader Harriet Hammons died from cancer. Hammons could be found at the many bingo fundraising events around town.

The Glendale City Council extended its emergency protections against residential evictions and agreed to freeze rents until Aug. 31. The city required tenants to provide documentation and notice to their landlords that they could not pay rent in advance of the day the rent is due.

Progress continued on the renovations of Gus and Andy’s Montrose Grill, the previous location of longtime diner Rocky Cola Café.

August

Learning had been virtual since March 2020. Keaton Kugler, an incoming Crescenta Valley High School sophomore, and his brother Lucian, an incoming senior, prepared for the beginning of the 2020-21school year by remembering what they did the previous school year.
“I did summer school and am doing band camp,” said Keaton. “Mentally, we are getting ready for [the type] of learning we had last year.”

The City of Glendale presented a virtual panel discussion on racism: past and present. City officials said this was the first of several in a series, part of demonstrating the city’s commitment to recognizing its past.

Regan Boone was out shopping when she returned home to find that firefighters had been battling a blaze that destroyed the interior of her home. Boone said it was surreal as she approached her home that was built almost eight decades ago. She later found out the cause of the fire appeared to be electrical and that it began in the attic.

The Light on the Corner Church finally got its steeple and cross after years of discussion about it. The steeple and cross are now proudly displayed on the church. Pastor Jon Karn said the best way to describe it was, “It feels like home.”

It was back-to-school … but only to get books. Crescenta Valley High School students observed COVID-19 requirements of practicing social distancing and the wearing of face coverings when getting their books.

“It’s going to be really weird,” said Christian Ovilla, an incoming sophomore, of returning to in-person class – whenever that will be.

In the commutation of the sentence and possible release of Thomas Waterbury from Gov. Gavin Newsom it states, “The act of clemency for Mr. Waterbury does not minimize or forgive his conduct or the harm it caused. It does recognize the work he has done since to transform himself.”

Waterbury was convicted of murdering his wife Deborah Bailey on Christmas Eve morning in 1980. Word of his commuted sentence hit hard a local family who had no warning of the possible release of their relative’s murderer until they saw the information on social media. Waterbury’s parole hearing to determine his release is on Jan. 7, 2021.

September

Rotting roofs were just one sign of the deterioration of the Rockhaven property. The historic property, which began as a vibrant haven for troubled women, was in a state of disrepair with an unknown future ahead.

Glendale Association of Realtors responded to the need of hospitalized COVID-19 patients to be in touch with their families by providing 50 iPad tablets to the Glendale Post Acute Center.

As wildfires began to take hold in the southland, SuperScoopers from Quebec arrived to help LA County firefighters.

Despite the pandemic, some creative Scouts were able to complete their Eagle Scout project to earn their rank of Eagle Scout. Among these was Trevor Hall who collected 269 handmade reusable facemasks and donated them, along with about $700, to Crescenta Valley High School.

The annual Patriot Day motorcade took place on Sept. 11. Members of the community joined the Early Rodders to travel throughout the area to honor first responders.

The Los Angeles County Dept. of Public Health (Public Health), in consultation with the board of supervisors, revised the Health Officer Order to allow for limited, on-campus operation for schools in LA County, as well as limited indoor operations of hair salons and barbershops.
Hair salons and barbershops re-opened for indoor services at 25% occupancy provided they were in full compliance with the Health Officer’s protocols. The Order encourages these businesses to continue outdoor operations when possible, and to offer indoor operations for those services that cannot be provided outdoors.

As if they weren’t burdened enough, firefighters leaving the Bobcat Fire came upon another small fire in the Angeles National Forest. It was quickly extinguished.

A new scam came in the form of letters from the Employment Development Department of the State of California (EDD). One reader came home to find 78 letters in his mailbox from the EDD. The letters were all marked “Time Sensitive Material” and were addressed to the reader’s address but to 36 different names. Each name had multiple letters addressed to that name.
“I called the police and they said, ‘We don’t handle this,’” he said. “It’s scary because someone has our address and are using it for this scam.”

Residents experienced stinging eyes and reduced visibility due to local fires that filled the sky with smoke.

Glendale City Council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution affirming Glendale’s racist past, including acknowledging that it had been a “Sundown Town” and apologizing for the pain caused by its past.

October

On Sunday morning, Sept. 27, Azerbaijan launched an unprovoked large-scale military attack on the peaceful Artsakh community of Armenia – artillery fire, bombs, Turkish F-16s targeting civilians in the most intense hostility seen since the 1994 cease fire. The Armenian community and fellow allies exploded with outpourings of goodwill and support, and condemnation of the Azerbaijani actions. Locally, members of the AYF and Homenetmen La Crescenta Shant Chapter gathered and packed hundreds of medical items to send to Armenia.

In Los Angeles, a massive protest demonstration, tens of thousands strong, marched from Pan Pacific Park through the streets of LA to the Azerbaijan Consulate.

For a couple of years, the veterans of Post 288 have been fundraising to repair the Hall’s parking lot and add some safety measures. The initial fundraising push was pre-pandemic. They were close to reaching their goal and looking forward to beginning construction when they got word from the City of Glendale that, due to additional construction requirements, more funding was needed. The veterans began another push to raise the last of the funds, but the pandemic has made this effort difficult.

Celebrating Halloween was definitely different this year. After guidelines were released by state health officials discouraging door-to-door trick-or-treating, some thought that the holiday – a favorite of many – was lost. Crescenta Valley Weekly immediately kicked into high gear to counter these restrictions with a fun way to celebrate Halloween while observing health guidelines. The Fun and Frights in the Foothills self-driving tour was born.

November

Members of American Legion Post 288 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1614 took part in assembling and distributing care packages for veterans living throughout Los Angeles County. This was done in partnership with Operation Gratitude, which this year observed Veterans Day by partnering with local volunteers nationwide to deliver more than 27,000 care packages to veterans.

The results of the Crescenta Valley Town Council were announced in mid November. The top three vote-getters are serving three-year terms; the next three took seats as alternates each serving one-year terms.

A new Welcome to La Crescenta sign was unveiled at the northeast corner of Briggs Avenue and Foothill Boulevard. Although it has been difficult to learn the history of the sign, according to Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce (CVCOC) President Mike Riley, members did find out some information.

“There was another [Welcome to La Crescenta] sign placed at the other end of town in the mid-1950s,” he said.

It was thought that this sign was placed at around the same time as the one at the Briggs Avenue location in the Pickens pocket park area.

As new COVID-19 cases remain at alarming levels and the number of people hospitalized continues to increase, the Los Angeles County Health Officer Order was modified to restrict dining at restaurants, breweries, wineries and bars as the five-day average of new cases increased to more than 4,000. The modified order took effect Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 10 p.m.

December

The Executive Office of the Board of Supervisors unveiled the official photo featuring an all-women board of supervisors for the first time since the board’s inception in 1852. The official board photo features newly elected Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell who will represent the Second District, a position held for 12 years by Mark Ridley-Thomas.

The City of Hope began its Phase 1 clinical trials with a SARS-CoV-2 [COVID-19] vaccine.
“We started in February of this year, like many of the other [companies],” said Don Diamond, Ph.D., who is a professor with City of Hope’s Dept. of Hematology & Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

The COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Los Angeles and staff members at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital rolled up their sleeves, ready for their shots.

“Our plan is to pick up [the vaccine today] and start rolling it out to staff,” said USC-VHH CEO Keith Hobbs.
The hospital will be receiving the vaccine in phases; the first will have about 475 doses then, gradually over the next four weeks, more will arrive until the hospital has 2,500 doses. The vaccine is administered in two doses, 21 days apart.

Officers from the Glendale Police Dept. accompanied Santa Claus as he made his way through the Crescenta Valley. Perched on a SWAT vehicle Santa called out to bystanders, wishing all a Merry Christmas.

According to Vince Ramirez, CHP, on a recent Monday morning a driver of a vehicle traveling eastbound on Foothill Boulevard near Pennsylvania Avenue for some reason lost control of the vehicle, hit a median and did major damage to the vehicle and to the Welcome to La Crescenta sign just east of Pennsylvania.