Remember December 7th and all who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor!
FREE
FRIDAY • DECEMBER 6, 2013
THE PAPER WITH AN ATTITUDE!
VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 24
Miss Tujunga: Local Hero’s Surprise Visit Gissele Tohom ..................... 2 INSIDE: Christmas at Our Lady of Lourdes
The Paper’s 9th Anniversary! .....................
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Paul Walker IV Dies in Car Crash .....................
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A Christmas Carol at Glendale Centre .....................
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L.A. Children’s Chorus .....................
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Wrecks of the Week! .....................
Sgt. Wayne Cabrales and his father Sonny. By Michelle Pickering
Miss Tujunga helps put Tujunga on the map! time and for helping this future leader realize her dreams to make a difference!
7 LASD Standoff
Glendale Noon Concerts .....................
Miss Tujunga Gissele Tohom took home three trophies at Nationals. Gissele will be going for Miss California in July of 2014. We are looking for sponsors from the community to fund her fees for this endeavor. As a potential sponsor, you are being asked to help her participate in the program by providing a portion of the sponsor fee for this outstanding young lady. The total sponsor fee for each age division is $480. As a sponsor, you and your organization will be featured beside her photo in the state program book. The sponsor fee is tax deductible for businesses as an advertising expense. Gissele is also looking for more community service and outreach opportunities. To support this young lady and advertise your business or have a service opportunity please email: lauratohom@ gmail.com. Thank you for your
at Verizon Store
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William A. Robertson Obituary .....................
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DE PA R T M E N T S What Folks Are Doing.................... 2 View from the Rock....................... 3 Letters and Perspectives................. 3 Chef Randy................................... 5 Artfully Speaking........................... 5 Take My Card................................ 9 Auntie Gail’s Pet Corner............... 10
L.A. County Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) prepare for the worst. By David DeMullé
all the other media, trying to put together the story of The Verizon store stand-off “what is going on and why made national news when are all these cops just standShawn David Weissenborn of ing around?” Santa Clarita robbed the The story is not about what RiteAid and holed up in the we could see through the Verizon Wireless Connect front window of the store. store. Yes, I was there with see Stand-off, page 6
I am not sure if I have ever seen a father more proud and genuinely overjoyed by a visit from his son, as Sonny Cabrales was when his son, Wayne came home for the Thanksgiving holiday this year. When Wayne Cabrales first told his parents Sonny and
Adela he was joining the US Army, not long after graduating from Verdugo Hills High School, class of 2007, they were very worried. Not only would he be far from home at the young age of 19, but also in dangerous regions and situations. He had begun training as an auto mechanic after graduation, but Wayne was see Hero, page 12
2 — FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 24
Christmas at Our Lady of Lourdes Our Lady of Lourdes (OLL) Adult and Children’s Choir will be having their annual Christmas Concert on Sunday, Dec. 8 at 5 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 7324 Apperson Ave., Tujunga 91042. Come celebrate with us this season of peace, joy and hope. In previous years, Ms. Balon-Kurpiewski’s Children’s Choir has performed on KCET live television, and at Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral in Los Angeles. They have participated in invitation only Choirs of America development clinics hosted at
So You’ve Inherited A Vegetarian . . . Now What?
the Crystal Cathedral in the city of Orange and they have performed for Bishop Jose Gomez at OLL. In June 2014, the OLL Children’s Choir will be traveling to New York to perform at the Choirs of America Music Performance National for High School and Youth Choirs conducted by Grant Gershon, the director of the Los Angeles Master Chorale and one of the world’s most respected choral conductors. This event is for “elite” choirs from across America and participation in this event is by invitation only. Needless to say, the OLL Children’s
Choir is very proud to have been invited to partake in this event. The children are working very hard to raise funds for their travel to New York and will be hosting a variety of fundraisers to offset their cost of travel. Donations to the OLL Children’s Choir are always welcome. Come and enjoy songs of Christmas as they are performed by the OLL Adult and Children’s Choir and help support these wonderful OLL choristers. For more information, please contact the OLL Parish Office (818) 352-3218.
The Foothills Paper Celebrates Its 9th Anniversary!
Avid supporters Neil and Margaret David gave a cake to The Foothills Paper staff for their 9th anniversary. And we’re still going strong. Thank you Neil and Margaret
Chef Randy’s new cookbook,
So You’ve Inherited A Vegetarian . . . Now What?
is in print and ready to be enjoyed.
This book is an omnivore’s guide to cooking vegetarian meals for friends and family. It was inspired by real-life events when, more than 30 years ago, Randy eliminated all meat and fish from his diet.
So You’ve Inherited A Vegetarian . . . Now What? includes chapters on vegetarian diets, how to cook for vegetarians, and how to stock your kitchen in preparation for visiting vegetarians.
It includes 88 original comfort-food recipes that appeal to vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Randy’s philosophy is: “There is nothing better than fresh, home-cooked food. The recipes in this book were created with this in mind. This doesn’t mean my recipes are mundane. They are, in fact, far from it. Look for my Lasagna Azteca or my Grilled Avocados to see what I mean. Who says vegetarian food has to be ordinary?” So You’ve Inherited A Vegetarian . . . Now What? is available locally and on-line at CreateSpace. Sprinkled with beautiful watercolor images by local artist and illustrator Colleen McDougal, it makes a wonderful gift for you or your vegetarian.
For additional information, see Randy’s website: http://valley-vegetarian.com
GET READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS! PLACE YOUR AD IN THE DECEMBER ISSUES
Reach 6,000 readers every two weeks. The Foothills Paper is the most-read newspaper in the Sunland-Tujunga area and our Facebook site draws more than 1,200 readers per day. We can insert your printed flyers for the Holidays.
Call 818-951-0943 for more information.
THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013 — 3
VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 24 • www.thefoothillspaper.com
Well, the fact that you’re reading this means that I should at least make you think out of the box. Can you believe it? We just finished our ninth year of publication. And what a time we’ve had. We’ve never had to toot our own horn, we have made enough enemies that they can do it for us. And along that same line, we’ve made so many friends that we really feel like we’ve accomplished more than we’ve ever attempted to do. Our unofficial motto is, “We Make Things Happen!” And we sure have. And everything just sort of comes out of the air. They call it serendipity – the looking for one thing and finding something else. Yup, that’s us. Like looking for Reverend Park’s “de-programming” room and finding a half acre of pot. Like looking for answers to the Watermelon
Festival and finding all the liars and how they pulled the wool over the eyes of the honest citizens of S-T. Like covering a story and discovering the body . Like talking to our councilmember and “discovering” that his field rep “misspoke” the truth. Yup, that’s us. The “little hidden thing” finders. But what really concerns me is the “little people” that work for the “big people” such as Councilmember Fuentes. They have to follow orders or they won’t have a job. Little people like Wesley Hernandez, who is out in the trenches trying to make his boss look good (and making a good name for himself in doing so). He’s actually one of the little people that are really making a difference in our community–one of the good guys. And then you have the big people that are trying to make
EW V IV EIW
sure they are reelected by running over the lives of the homeless. Hmm, how many of you have really thought about the local homeless? They’re our neighbors that, for some reason, have ended up on the mean streets of S-T. With the TVR and the Armenian gang members beating the homeless, stealing their welfare money and, in short, making their lives miserable, we discover that someone that could really help them is, instead, kicking them in the teeth. These past couple of weeks have yielded a barrage of well-meaning but self-serving individuals and clubs, doing truly miniscule things, and demanding proclamations of appreciation. Hey, you guys and gals out there! How many trees did you kill giving yourselves certificates of appreciation? Oh, I know, you are all going to
ROCK
ROCK say that it fits into a master plan. Perhaps you have forgotten the message that the Nazis taught the world – that in order to destroy a people, you have to dehumanize them. And that’s what you’re doing when you refer to our neighbors as “DJTs” or “drunks, junks and tweaks.” This is the Christmas season and maybe, for just a couple of weeks, you could look at the hardships these neighbors of ours are going through. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll realize what it means when I say......It’s The Water!
The Foothills Letters & Perspectives
Get Out the Vote!
THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
is published bi-weekly. All contents are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without written consent of the publisher. All submissions to this newspaper become property of THE FOOTHILLS PAPER and may not be republished in whole or in part. The opinions expressed by contributing writers do not necessarily express the views of the publisher nor staff of this newspaper. TFP is available free of charge. No person may, without prior written permission from TFP, take more than one copy of each edition (stated value: $1). Only authorized TFP distributors may distribute THE FOOTHILLS PAPER. THE FOOTHILLS PAPER has terminated its Non-Profit status so that it can more effectively address political and social problems within our community!
Dear Editor, This is OUR COUNTRY! We don’t have to accept the trash coming out of Washington, D.C. that’s being presented to us as “the fruit of the government of the greatest nation on Earth.” The president’s approval rating is 37% and that of Congress is about 9%. Collectively those we have elected to govern us are unfit to do so. It’s time for “change that really matters.” The President will be replaced no later than 2016. Approximately one-third of the senate is elected every two years; some 33 in 2014. The 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives are
another matter; they are all elected every two years! So of the 535 members of both chambers of Congress, some 468 of them could be replaced in 2014! Everyone gets to vote for 1 representative and at most 1 senator. Patriotic citizens MUST “take care of business” at the 2014 ballot boxes in their state and congressional district for “change that really matters” to occur. Finally, due to the states’ congressional district gerrymandering, effective change WILL ONLY happen in the primary elections. So, in order to save the republic YOU must get busy now. Do it for our kids and grandkids. -Glen E Terrell
EXECUTIVE EDITOR/PUBLISHER Dr. David DeMullé editor@thefoothillspaper.com PRODUCTION and DESIGN Randall Fleming ftp@thepaper.ws WITH THANKS TO The ILS Foundation for Their Support
THE FOOTHILLS PAPER TheFoothillsPaper.COM 6470 Foothill Blvd. Tujunga CA 91042 818-951-0943
L.A. Press Club
Press Photographers Association of Greater Los Angeles International Combat Camera Association
The Voice of the Village has fallen on hard times and needs to replace its entire “executive staff.” The “Good News” paper fills a need in our community to present all the “good news” provided by our local service organizations. All applicants will have to adhere to the tenets of “Lie, Cheat & Steal” as espoused by past Chamber president Sonia Tatulian. Using a stolen Business Plan, the Voice of the Village gained notoriety by trying to put The Foothills Paper out of business. Tatulian, in concert with the S-T Chamber of Commerce, the S-T Rotary Club, The Lion’s Club, The STNC and Barret’s Bimbos, fought a valiant three-year battle only to get caught up in their own lies. The SunlandTujunga, Shadow Hills Community Fund was never accredited as a California non-profit status, but was used to funnel cash out of community events. With Ms. Tatulian’s removal from all the above groups, the Voice has fallen on hard times. NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD TUJUNGANITES TO RALLY AROUND THE VOICE AND BRING IT BACK TO LIFE. Please call Dan McManus or Ellis Robertson and make a pledge of time or money. You cannot let The Foothills Paper continue to publish the truth. It makes the community look bad!
The Sad Truth
Dear Editor, At 10711 Sherman Grove, there’s a mobile home park that may look like a great place to live, but looks can be deceiving. The grounds which it sits on is famous because the very first Tarzan was filmed there, and yes, it is still famous, known near and far as a bad park. If you mention it to people, their reply is “I’ve heard about how bad that mobile park is.” It’s even been considered a dangerous place to live. Even some of the tenants are scared to be there, yet can’t afford to move. There is known drug activity, gang activity, people wan-
der in and out as they please, and there is no control and tenants do as they please. There are too many hazards in the park due to no maintenance, wild animals, as well as strays are being fed. The rumor is the coyote living in the park is our mascot. Management plays favoritism with some residents and nothing is confidential between management and tenants, yet no one complains if they have a problem because they don’t want to be harassed or pointed out to the person complained about. There is a multi-purpose room which is kept locked and the other park facilities are not kept clean. All oth-
see Trailer Park, page 7
4 — FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 24
A Christmas Carol Comes Paul Walker IV Dies in Car Crash to Glendale Centre Theater
Paul Walker the actor, Amie Kaz his sister, and Paul Walker III his father who resides in Sunland. Paul Walker IV was killed last group,” happy in the knowledge Saturday in a car crash in Santa that another local kid made Clarita. He was just 40 years good. old. It’s funny how memories I don’t follow actors or cover the actual person. Paul movies for that matter, just was a local resident, going to what seems to be fun. People Village Christian School, and are people to me. It is just started climbing the road to that he seemed to be related stardom doing bit parts and to everyone here in Sunlandcommercials. His family are Tujunga. His Uncle Rhett was all local with his father being my neighbor on Fairgrove. in a relationship with Jana Personally, I thought that he Wonderlich, a local Realtor, and really fit in the movie The Pawn all the other Paul Walkers I - III, Shop Chronicles. Everyone live near Foothill Blvd. Here in else remembers The Fast and the Foothills, we just took him Furious series. as being another “one of the Goes to show you.
It was a chilly Black Friday evening when we attended A Christmas Carol at the Glendale Centre Theatre. The story is one of my favorite Christmas books and it came to life at the theatre just down the hill from our cozy community in the Foothills. After waiting nearly an hour to get into the small community theatre the soldout audience of children and grandparents alike were finally seated and ready for the performance. The performances were good and the set and crew created the atmosphere of the English tale right down to an adorable Tiny Tim. What a great way get us all right into the core of the Christmas spirit. I suppose it is hard to compete with Patrick Stewart’s uncanny dramatic version of Ebeneezer Scrooge where he performed a few years ago at Pepperdine University. But Daniel Roebuck who plays Scrooge in this local performance was the best in cast. He was a softer version of the old Scrooge than what I expected but still the story was heartfelt sharing the will to change to be a better person
photo: Craig Schwartz
By Gail Carlson
The Ghost of Christmas Past confronts Scrooge. to keep the past, present and future Christmas’ in our hearts and actions throughout the year, not just during the holidays. A Christmas Carol plays through December 24 at the
Glendale Centre Theatre on 324 N. Orange St. Order your tickets early as the shows are selling out. For tickets, call the box office at 818-2448481 or go to www.glendalecentretheatre.com.
Reach 7,000
viewers per week. Advertise on our Facebook site.
E-mail Doc for details!
THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013 — 5
VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 24 • www.thefoothillspaper.com
Eggplant Parmigiano-Reggiano
Artfully
By Chef Randy When I served this eggplant dish the other night our friends asked, “What’s the difference between Parmesan and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese?” I replied by saying, “Well, they’re kinda the same thing but different.” Looking perplexed, Lol asked, “How can they be the same thing yet different?” It’s no wonder that he’s a successful trial attorney. This is what I told our dinner guests while they ate with gusto. Parmigiano is an alternative and more authentic spelling for Parmesan but it is much more than that. Parmigiano refers to the province of Parma where the production of Parmigiano cheeses are strictly controlled by Italian law. In 1934, cheese producers in both the Parma and ReggioEmilia provinces joined forces with producers in the Modena and Mantua provinces to form an association called the Consorzio del Grana Tipico. Cheese producers from the province of Bologna later joined the group. In 1954, they renamed their group the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano-Reggiano. Hence the name ParmigianoReggiano. My eggplant recipe features properly cooked, but not squishy, rounds of eggplant with a crisp crust, authentic Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and an aromatic tomato sauce. It is melt-inyour-mouth good. No more need be said. Ingredients: 3 medium eggplants (cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick rounds) 3 ¼ teaspoons salt 5 pounds fresh plum tomatoes 1 ½ cups plus 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 large garlic cloves (chopped fine) 20 fresh basil leaves (tear in
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Luck half) ¾ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 cup flour 5 large eggs 3 ½ cups Italian bread crumbs 2/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (finely grated) 16 ounces whole milk mozzarella (thinly sliced) Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss eggplant with 2 teaspoons salt in a colander set over a bowl. Let it drain out excess moisture – about 30 minutes. While eggplant drains, cut a small “X” in bottom of each tomato with a sharp paring knife and blanch them in a 5-quart pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Make sure the water is boiling before adding tomatoes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer tomatoes to a cutting board and, when cool enough to handle, peel off skin beginning from scored end. Coarsely chop tomatoes, then purée in batches in a blender. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add garlic and sauté, stirring, until golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomato purée, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened – about 25 to 30 minutes. Set aside.
Stir together flour, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper in a shallow bowl. Lightly beat eggs in a second shallow bowl. In a third shallow bowl, stir together bread crumbs and 1/3 cup Parmesan. Set all three aside. Gently wipe each eggplant slice with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and salt. Working with one slice at a time, dredge eggplant in flour, then dip in egg, letting excess drip off, and dredge in bread crumbs until evenly coated. Transfer eggplant to sheets of wax paper, arranging slices in a single layer. Heat remaining 1 1/2 cups oil in a deep skillet over moderately high heat and fry eggplant for 3 – 4 minutes per side. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain. Set aside. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in bottom of a rectangular (9x13x2-inch) baking dish. Arrange one third of eggplant slices in 1 layer over sauce, overlapping slightly. Cover eggplant with one third of remaining sauce and one third of mozzarella. Continue layering with remaining eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted and golden and sauce is bubbling - about 35 to 40 minutes. Serve with a fresh garden salad and freshbaked French bread hot from the oven.
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I consider myself a lucky guy. Not “win the lottery” lucky or “strike gold” lucky or “have my horse come in” lucky. I have the kind of luck that is intangible. You could say it’s the kind of luck that shapes my life while allowing me to learn and grow. I’ve had many experiences that have shaped me into who I am today. I suppose many can claim the same fact. I’ve had good and bad experiences. I’ve met people who have taken an interest in and allowed me to be me while guiding me. And I’ve been lucky to be able to create ART. I know this seems a cliche or casual comment, but when I consider how art makes me feel I have to believe I’ve been lucky to be given this ability. Now I don’t want to make it seem that I’m a natural or painting came easy. In fact, learning to paint is hard and was hard to get to this point. I also realize how much more there is to learn. It’s a process that may never end. There is much to learn and I’m limited only in my belief that I can’t go further. Or by what I choose to believe by the comments of others. I started drawing at an early age. Does anyone remember John Negy. I used to sit in front to the T.V. on Saturday mornings and draw along with John Negy. My coarse wasn’t a straight one to where I am today. I’ve deviated quite a bit. But art was always there. Sometime in the shadows.
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Sometime it helped me survive a crisis. It wasn’t until thirty years ago when I decided to make art my career choice that I began to realize how important art was and how much art was apart of my life. I believe making art a center point saved my life. I have now reached a point in my painting where I can control the medium and be expressive. It has become a part of my vernacular if your will. I can speak my mind with paint and express my feelings. I can manage my tools to the point where I can put my feelings and thought on canvas in a clear manner. I know there are other artists and those in other professions who know what I’m talking about. It transcends art. Chef’s and athletes or any person in any endeavor who has reached a pinnacle of proficiency knows what I mean. Your art becomes an extension of you. The two are one. This could also be interpreted as an artists “style.” There is great solitude necessary to create good work. In that solitude comes discovery. An artist needs to find himself, know himself to create a work that will speak for him. His voice needs to be clear and his words concise and accurate. I love to paint as much as I need to breath. So when I say to you that art has not only saved my life it has also shaped it and continues to make me get up every day and face the bitter cold of reality.
See Chef Randy’s food blog for more recipes at
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6 — FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 24
L.A. Children’s Chorus Spotlights English Choral Tradition cathedral anthems from Sir David Willcocks, John Rutter and others. LACC Artistic Director Anne Tomlinson conducts the chorus’ renowned Concert Choir and Chamber Singers. Associate Artistic Director Mandy Brigham leads the Intermediate Choir, Diana Landis leads the Apprentice Choir, and Dr. Steve Kronauer conducts the Young Men’s Ensemble. The choirs will perform separately and combined. Tickets are $26, $38 and $44; children 17 and under are half price. For tickets and information, please call (626) 7934231 or visit www.lachildrenschorus.org. Pasadena Presbyterian Church is located at 585 East Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101.
By Ryan Kacer
ful, and short tempered, which combined becomes a nice package that I like to call “little man syndrome.” Bullies can come in all ages and sizes and he was no exception. I was a good 1 1/2 feet taller than him, and about 150 lbs. heavier, so he obviously was trying to compensate for something, and seemed to have had something to prove because we were teammates. Now if you are going to puff up to a person like me who is 235 lbs. and 6’2”, and can lift a person his size up with minimal effort, you must be looking for trouble. After we exchanged some words and I told him to mind his own business, he decided to shove me which I wasn’t expecting.
My instinct was to shove him back and fight him, but I made a split second decision not to. If fists started flying, and with me being much larger and stronger, I could have broken a couple of his bones and he would have been out of commission for the whole season. Why did I not fight, you might ask. That split second decision I made was about me going to jail or not going to jail. Besides being a nice, non-violent guy, it is important for me to have no criminal record because I want to become a LAPD officer when I turn 21. So I opted not to fight, as I would have gone to jail and been charged as an adult because of how close I am to being 18. Also, there
Other people have done a better job than I in thinking this out, here is what they said: Lisa Bunnie at www.facebook.com/lisa.bunnie: “I have lived and worked in Montrose for 25 years before I became homeless last July due to economy. NO ONE would give me a chance at a decent livable wage job. I can understand his desperation. When you have hit rock bottom, there is NO ‘hope.’ It is just a word. Believe me. I do not condone his using force to harm anyone else. I do not condone his terrorizing. All I can say is, it is easy to ‘blame’ him unless you walk in his shoes. I have not but I am very close on his path. I sincerely wish peace
for his soul and comfort for wandering the streets of East his family and friends and LA, hair matted, spray-paintgratitude that no one else was ed blue and mean as a badger. harmed in this tragedy.” He took her in, spent god Joe Coffman at www.faceknows how much on insulin book.com/aceashby: “I am for her diabetes, and gave her no bleeding heart but our so- the best life a dog could have. ciety is not making much He had to put her down earlier provision for those with men- this week and I suspect that tal health and addiction ishe was heartbroken, lost and sues which are amplified in looking to self medicate. I these extremely dire econom- don’t condone what he did ic times. Some of these peobut he was a very good and ple need to be put away for decent person, a regular the treatment at least on a tempo- dog park off Duquesne. I rary basis.” hope he’s at peace now and Jessica Gill at www.facereunited with his beloved book.com/jessica.gill.16: “Be- dog.” fore the trash talk gets out of And it all boils down to hand I wanted to chime in and “the system failed to recogsay that the man who did this nize that he was desperate was one of the nicest, gentlest, and help him.” I see this evand most dedicated people ery day in our homeless peoI’ve ever met. He found a dog ple. Desperation and no way
photo: Craig Schwartz
On Saturday, December 7 at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, December 8, at 7:30 p.m. at Pasadena Presbyterian Church, the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus, acclaimed for its pure, agile, bel canto sound that has made it one of the most in-demand children’s choirs in the county, spotlights the music of Benjamin Britten and the English choral tradition and also performs a compelling array of music from around the globe at its popular annual Winter Concert on Saturday, December 7, 7 PM, and Sunday, December 8, 2013, 7:30 PM, at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. The repertoire includes Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols, Friday Afternoons and selections from his extensive collection of folksong settings, as well as a selection of English carols and
Los Angeles Children’s Chorus
Bullies: Don’t Tread on Me! part 3 Hi, readers of The Foothills Paper, I hope you enjoyed my last article. I would like to briefly recap on the previous article, and will do the same for future articles. In the last article I talked about cyber bullying, its effect on one person, and its statistics. I promised I would tell you a little about myself in each article, so I will tell you about one of my most recent bullies whose name I will never forget. This student bullied me off the Verdugo Hills High School football team during my last year, which happened to be this year. His attitude towards me was threatening, always wanting to fight, disrespect-
Stand-off, from pg 1 It’s more about the person inside and what drove him to this point. The real story is about depression and about how a person got addicted to prescription drugs and then fell through the cracks, and had to resort to robbery to fill his needs. It’s about how we actually spoke with him, and how his family and the negotiator all failed to get through to him, ending up in the despair that took his life. I couldn’t believe my ears when he said “Look, I’m kinda busy right now, I’m trying to stay alive and I’ve got SWAT on the other line.” Very calm, straightforward. Just another person trying to work things out.
are a lot of people on the football team that would not have been in my favor if I fought him, just as the school police were not when I tried to get a police report written up. To this day he still looks at me if he has unfinished business. If the police and the school are not going to do anything about it, I guess people that are bullied have to take care of business themselves. The Verdugo Hills High School administrators, school police, and also my so called friends did not do anything when I asked for help with the situation, so I have decided to take matters into my own hands. I will fight back in a constructive way, and take a stand because I am against
Ryan Kacer bullying. If someone my size can be bullied to this extent, imagine what is being done to those who do not have a size advantage. So, today we are going to see Bullying, page 11
to get help. This tragedy could have been averted if there had been help available. At least no one else got hurt. Volunteer with The Foothills Paper. We can use your help in the office, writing stories, taking photos, helping with our TFP Web site and lots of other newspaper-y things. Support your local independent newspaper!
VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 24 • www.thefoothillspaper.com
WreckS O fF T H E W E E K
THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013 — 7
Glendale Noon Concerts
Slow Down and Live. . .
This was the corner of Haines Canyon and Day Street, 10:30 Thursday night.
First accident of the day in front of our office: Foothill in front of Public Storage.
Second accident of the day in front of our office: Young kid+fast car=BANG!
Drunks and cars don’t mix. Valmont & Tujunga Canyon
There were too many accidents to cover here; visit
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Gary Solt (guitar) and Don Rader (trumpet) will perform at the Glendale Noon Concert On Wednesday DECEMBER 4, 2013 at DECEMBER 16, 2013 12:10-12:40 pm, Jazz Duo! Trios for Flute , Oboe & Piano DON RADER - trumpet J.S. BACH GARY SOLT - guitar Trio Sonata in G Major, BWV 1039 http://www.donradermusic.com/bio. MADELEINE DRING html Trio for Flute, Oboe & Piano http://www.mi.edu/about-mi/faculty/ Suzanne Duffy - flute gary-solt/ Catherine Del Russo - oboe Louise Lofquist - piano RELAX DURING YOUR LUNCH The first Wednesday HOUR WITH LIVE MUSIC in JANUARY 2013 is JAN.1, a Light lunch to go prepared by ANNational Holiday! GELA’S BISTRO There will be no concert. available for $6. Please place your order before the JANUARY 15, 2014 concert by 12:10 pm; MIKE PERLOWIN & Friends your order will be delivered by 12:40 A concert featuring the pedal steel pm. guitar! LOCATION: With Carole Mukogawa - viola The Sanctuary at FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF GLENDALE FEBRUARY 5, 2014 209 N. Louise St. (at Wilson) CARY BELLING Viola Concerto (arr. Glendale CA 91206 for viola & piano) 818 242 2113 Victor de Almeida - viola Map & venue info http://fbcglendale. Harout Senekeremian - piano net/ http://carybellingcomposer.info/carybellingcomposer.info/Welcome.html More info email teena.frazier@ fbcglendale.net FEBRUARY 19, 2014 UPCOMING CONCERTS in the same CALICO WINDS series: A Woodwind Quintet (every FIRST & THIRD WEDNESDAY at 12:10-12:40 pm; in Residence at the Glendale Noon programs subject to change) Concerts http://www.calicowinds.com/
Trailer, from pg 1 er mobile parks allow the residents to use multi-purpose rooms as they please. If anyone wants to sell their home, they could never get what it’s worth due to the reputation the park has. People as far as Canyon Country know what Sherman Grove mobile home park is like. There are many parts of the park that are considered a fire hazard and a few tenants are hoarders. Many residents bought in this park because it is nestled in among beautiful oaks and can look like a nice place to live, yet after they bought and moved in, it’s too late. And it’s sad because it’s a senior park or at least that’s what it says at the entrance, but you can’t believe what signs say. A concerned neighbor
The sign over Sherman Grove Mobile Home park.
8 — FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 24
WILLIAM A. ROBERTSON 31 July 1949-30 October 2013
The City of Los Angeles lost a good friend this past week when former Director of the Bureau of Street Services, William “Bill” Robertson of Tujunga died suddenly of a massive heart attack at the age of 64. Bill was a great friend to Neighborhood Councils and an active member of American Legion Post 377 in Tujunga. A dedicated worker, even after he had retired from his post with the City of Los Angeles, he turned up at “The Rally in the Valley” to encourage stakeholders to get involved with their Neighborhood Councils as candidates in the Board elections and even went so far as to give out his phone number in case anyone wanted assistance.
ATTENTION! All Veterans, Sons, Daughters and Wives of Veterans
Come support your local
American Legion Post
Wishing you all a very
Happy Holiday & New Year ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Boy Scout Car Wash
The scholars at the University of Southern California held Bill up as “an exemplary public administrator” and profiled him, highlighting the manner in which he “practices politics appropriately in his role in order to achieve great outcomes for his bureau, the citizens with whom he works, and the city as a whole.” Bill’s management style was all business, he was quick to size up assets, focus on the objective, collect data, measure performance, and deliver on his commitments but he is best remembered for his knack with people. Over the years, his popular “Professor Pothole” series demonstrated the skills that scholars loved to study and the personal style that endeared him to the community. “He was, without any question, the very best.” said Greg Nelson. “He was the first to come to me, after I was sworn in as DONE’s general manager, and offer ideas about how Street Services could connect with the Neighborhood Councils. This is shocking.” “Bill was a high quality person,” said Jack Humphreville, “a great manager and motivator of the people in Street Services, a straight shooter who you could trust. May he rest in peace.”
Sons of Norway Christmas
December 14 at 1 p.m. $5 Wash • $10 Wash & Vacuum Parking Lot of Post 377 10039 Pinewood Ave, Tujunga
818 353-9856
Help your local Boy Scout Troop and get a clean car to boot!
The Santa Lucia Procession and Christmas Program on Saturday, December 14 at 6:30 p.m. held by Sons of Norway Edvard Grieg Lodge is meeting at the Lutheran Church of the Foothills, 1700 Foothill Blvd., La Crescenta. Everyone is welcome and its free. Children who want to participate should come at 6 p.m. to be outfitted with red hats and capes as Julenisser (Santa Claus). One girl will be chosen as St. Lu-
cia. Older boys can be sternegutt (star boy) or magi. After the candlelight procession kids will be visited by Juleknisse, and everyone will circle around the Christmas tree singing traditional Norwegian and American Christmas carols. A Potluck will follow and there will be open-face sandwiches and pastries. Contact Patricia Hamilton 818-247-9042 or Jo Ness 818-2498102 with questions.
THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013 — 9
VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 24 • www.thefoothillspaper.com
7734 Foothill Blvd., Tujunga CA 91042
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10 — FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 24
THE HOLIDAYS ARE HERE ALREADY!
Lock in your pet sitting days before the holidays. You shop while I walk your dogs!
Holiday Pet Safety Tips As we enter the holiday season, there are steps you should take to ensure it’s a happy, healthy and safe season for both you and your pets. The holiday season means you may be doing a lot of entertaining at home. If you do any cleaning beforehand, be sure to keep all household chemicals out of your pet’s reach. Speaking of guests, odds are you’ll have lots of company entering and leaving your home. Be sure you know where your pets are at all times. We don’t want them slipping out the door! Be sure you and your guests don’t overfeed your pets... particularly with table scraps from those holiday dinners. Turkey is in abundance during these holidays-especially during Thanksgiving. Turkey bones lodged in tiny throats can be disastrous so safeguard your garbage cans and leftovers. Be sure to keep those holiday chocolates out of reach. Chocolate, which contains theobromine, can be particularly toxic to our four-footed friends. Also of concern are goodies containing Xylitol, a common sugar substitute found in sugar-free candies, gum and baked goods. Holiday plants such as poinsettias and mistletoe can be deadly, so keep them out of your pet’s reach. If you receive a plant as a gift and you are not sure of its toxicity, check with your local garden center. Christmas trees are tempting to our pets, especially our curious felines. To ensure that your tree is not knocked over, tie it to a railing or secure it to a banister. Avoid using tinsel when decorating your tree as it can become stuck in your pet’s throat. When decorating your tree, place all breakable ornaments towards the top of the tree... out of your pet’s reach. Remember, glass ornaments and Christmas tree lights can cut tiny paws if they shatter. Place only unbreakable items on the bottom of your tree. Speaking of holiday lighting, your pet may try to chew on the extra extension cords used with holiday lighting. Keep your eye on Fluffy or Fido and, if necessary, spray the cords with a deterrent product such as Bitter Yuck. If you are using a live tree, do not add chemical preservatives to the tree’s water. Your pet may drink the water and the chemicals might be toxic. Finally, there’s nothing like a roaring fire on a cool night. If you intend to use your fireplace or wood-burning stove, use a protective screen to prevent your pets from being singed. ••• Auntie Gail has a B.A. in Philosophy, is a certified veterinarian assistant and has a pet-sitting and dog-walking service in the area. She can be reached for appointments at 818-605-9675 or her Web site: www.auntiegailspetsitting.com.
Auntie Gail’s Pets—Serving the Foothills since 2008
818-605-9675
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THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013 — 11
VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 24 • www.thefoothillspaper.com
Bullying, from pg 6 talk about people who play sports and are bullied. In recent months the media has unveiled several situations involving bullies and sports. For example, the high school football team which had several players that bullied some of the kids, and the whole football team knew about the bullying issue but did nothing about it. When the coach found out about the issue he took care of it immediately by suspending every player on the team, and they had to pick new captains. Another issue was the Miami Dolphin’s player that was bullied, and if I’m correct took a leave of absence. When the coach found out about this he kicked the bully off of the football team, and as of right now he is not playing but is still owned by the Dolphins, however I do not have any further updates on that situation. On the brighter side, there is a story of a high school football player who is a captain and star QB, who took
care of a special needs girl that was being bullied and made the whole football team sit next to her to be sure that she did not have any more problems. The problem with some sports is that they are way too political, and when sports get political like the Verdugo Hills football team it becomes corrupt, unstable, and a losing team for everyone involved. This year alone they lost 2 outstanding coaches and about 10 amazing players, including myself, all for various reasons, except for me who was bullied off. The reason why JV football had such a bad season was because of the political bullies in the administration that appeared to be threatened by an outstanding coach who coached the JV football team through 2 good seasons, one season being 9-0, and at that point they felt they had to fire him. I don’t have a problem with the current varsity coach, but what I do have a problem with is when the coaches, players, and school administration are so politi-
cal that it seems they are running a dictatorship, instead of a sports program that is very important to some students, including myself, who may want to pursue college sports and will not get the proper referral due to staff incompetence and refusal to run the programs professionally. I urge anyone who has been affected by this to complain to the high school and pressure them to run a football program the way it should be run. For the students. For the school, and with rules that must be followed by everyone involved. Thank you for taking your time to read my articles, and remember if you’ve been bullied hit me up if you want to tell your story. Don’t forget bullies should not tread on us. Please check out my web page that is still under construction: bullyingisawound. org, my Facebook page and group: bullyingisawound and my email if you need to contact me: ceoofbullyingisawound@yahoo.com
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CD-7 Fuentes is a Flop When It Comes to Homeless and Crime! Sunland-Tujunga
Crime Stats Theft 11/16/13 06:50 PM 10200 BLOCK OF SILVERTON AV Theft 11/18/13 11:30 AM 7700 BLOCK OF FOOTHILL BL Theft 11/18/13 01:20 PM 7700 BLOCK OF FOOTHILL BL Theft 11/21/13 08:30 PM 7600 BLOCK OF MACHREA ST Theft 11/21/13 01:00 AM 00 BLOCK OF FERNGLEN AND APPERSON Theft 11/22/13 11:40 AM 10400 BLOCK OF PLAINVIEW AV Theft 11/22/13 11:30 PM 9500 BLOCK OF HILLHAVEN AV Burglary 11/23/13 12:00 PM 10200 BLOCK OF COMMERCE AV Burglary 11/23/13 04:10 AM 9600 BLOCK OF HILLHAVEN AV Burglary 11/23/13 03:15 AM 9600 BLOCK OF HILLHAVEN AV Burglary 11/23/13 12:00 PM 10200 BLOCK OF COMMERCE AV
Burglary 11/25/13 07:00 AM 10700 BLOCK OF REDMONT AV Theft 11/25/13 09:00 PM 10300 BLOCK OF SHERMAN GROVE AV Theft 11/25/13 06:15 PM 6500 BLOCK OF FOOTHILL BL Theft 11/25/13 10:00 PM 10000 BLOCK OF TUJUNGA CANYON BL Theft 11/25/13 06:15 PM 6500 BLOCK OF FOOTHILL BL Theft 11/25/13 10:00 PM 10000 BLOCK OF TUJUNGA CANYON BL Burglary 11/25/13 07:00 AM 10700 BLOCK OF REDMONT AV Theft 11/25/13 09:00 PM 10300 BLOCK OF SHERMAN GROVE AV 11/26/13 01:30 AM 9900 BLOCK OF PINEWOOD AV Theft 11/26/13 01:30 AM 9900 BLOCK OF PINEWOOD AV Theft 11/28/13 11:30 PM 10100 BLOCK OF MOUNTAIR AV Theft 11/29/13 09:00 PM 10000 BLOCK OF SILVERTON AV
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12 — FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2013 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 9 • NUMBER 24
training, which is the transporting of external loads up to 30,000 lbs. determined to enlist and pursue a during helicopter flight, including more challenging career as an supplies, heavy equipment, vehiAviation Mechanic, specializing cles, and downed helicopters. in helicopters. Most of us will not have this kind After completing 10 weeks of of experience in a lifetime, let basic training, he began aircraft alone within 5 years of graduatengine mechanical training in ing high school. Fort Eustis, VA, and was then Now, after more than 5 years of sent to Germany in December, service in the US Army, Wayne which is the dead of winter. This could not be happier about his was a harsh introduction to a difdecision to enlist, and he has ferent climate, after growing up made a believer out of his very here in sunny Tujunga. During proud parents. He has been able his two year tour, Wayne surto see many countries he would prised his dad with a completely not have otherwise had the opunexpected visit. He told only portunity to see, including Gerone friend he was coming home, many, Italy, and several other who picked him up from the aircountries in Europe. He has curport and brought him in uniform rently been stationed in Fort to his father’s specialty meats Campbell, KY. shop, Harmony Farms in La Wayne and his wife, Martha, Crescenta. I can imagine the his girlfriend from high school, smile on Sonny’s face expressed reside in Clarksville, TN, a milieven more elation than in the tary town where they both attend photo we have taken for this arti- college. Wayne is working on his cle. He surprised him again for BS degree in Aeronautical SciChristmas in 2012, once again ence at the campus on base, and showing up without any notice or Martha is studying Human Serwarning. vices at the Community College, Wayne spent about 6 months in and looking into Universities. A southern Iraq in Aircraft Support normal day for Wayne begins at Combat, and was able to clearly 5:00 am with a vigorous military define the US Military presence exercise regimen, and it would be there. To keep the Taliban from an early day if he finished by 5:00 trying to control the government pm. There is continuing training and country, the US Military has throughout the year, and maintebeen restructuring, building, and nance test flights run 24 hours a training the Iraqi Military to esday, so there is not much down tablish stability in the Iraq govtime for this soldier. His plans are ernment and in the region. The to stay in the Army for a while, US presence is welcomed by alcontinue his college classes, and most all Iraqi government, milihopefully end up stationed in Hatary and civilians, as the threat of waii. But in the meantime, Wayne the Taliban control has been sub- will be heading to Afghanistan in stantially diminished, however January 2014 for 9 months, to asthere is still much more training sist our troops there. necessary to enable Iraq to be His father, Sonny, has another come independently capable of son, Omero, who works for the maintaining control and stability. family business, and has every By far the US has the most adreason to be proud of both sons, vanced, state of the art equipment and the family’s contributions to and training in the world, and our the local area. We are proud to ongoing mission to stop terrorsee one of our local, hometown ism and terrorist control continheroes that has contributed so ues to be effective in improving much to our nation and accomthe overall state of the countries plished such a great deal in just a we have been working with in few years. It is an inspiration to these unstable regions. our young and old residents that Some of the major accomplish- our Foothills community has proments Wayne has made at his duced so many amazing people, young age of 24, have been belike Wayne Cabrales and his famcoming a Sergeant within 4 years, ily, who have started out here and completing Air Assault School, gone out into the world and made and completing Sling Loading us look good.
Hero, from pg 1
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