MAYBE COUNCIL CORRUPTION IS ON ITS WAY OUT! See “View from The Rock,” pg 3
FREE
FRIDAY • JANUARY 24, 2014
THE PAPER WITH AN ATTITUDE!
I N S I D E : Making A Difference Valley Relics at Bolton Hall .................
2
in the LAFD!
VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 2
King Ryan Kacer Finally Crowned! Christians=1, Lie-on’s Club=0
Bullies—Don’t Tread on Me! .................
4
Affluenza Bill Sought .................
4
Vegetable Barley Soup ................. Pot Politics .................
Capt. Kepner and the “A” Shift at Station 74
5 Ryan Kacer with his hard-won award.
5
By Michelle Pickering
Wally World .................
6
Three Arrested for Colby Fire .................
7
FIRE PAGE! Has Oil Lab, Burnt Beans, Hanson Dam and the 118 .............
12
DEPARTMENTS 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
“A Woman’s place is in the home” especially if she’s a Captain putting out a fire in someone’s kitchen. By Michelle Pickering After living here since 1999, I have noticed that there are a lot of things about Sunland-Tujunga that seem somewhat neglected, or below standards set by other communities. If you disagree, please look into the reason(s) we no longer host the Watermelon Festival after 51 years. Fortunately, that is not at all true when it comes to our Fire Department. A quick visit to Fire Station 74 introduces you to a top notch staff of Firefighters, Paramedics, and their Captains. Although a few years ago the Station was reduced by one engine and 4 staff members due to budget cuts, we again have a fully staffed station of 3 platoons on a rotating schedule, and 6 additional staff members join them on “Red Flag” days. Without having any less appreciation for all of the men and
women that are first responders at the most critical times for all residents and structures, we wanted to highlight a particularly inspiring young Captain who has proven that hard work and determination can remove perceived limitations, and unlock potential not always obvious to even those in our inner circles. Captain Kristina Kepner has worked very hard to become Captain 2 at Station 74, the highest rank at any individual Fire Station. The competition is extremely high for any employment within LAFD, for example, approximately 10,000 people will be tested to fill maybe 70 positions. And when it comes time for promotion, you are up against a top notch group and will have a LOT to prove, and probably twice as much being a woman. Captain Kepner has always been very focused, see LAFD, page 8
There might possibly be a conclusion to our previous two-article saga about the Watermelon Festival King mishap and the disturbing, clumsy handling of the crowning by the Lions Club. Surprisingly, with a certain degree of difficulty, perserverance, and a five-month delay YES! In a better-late-than-never scenario, our originally selected, and previously noti-
fied Watermelon Festival King recipient, Ryan Kacer, was finally given a Certificate of Congratulations from the City of Los Angeles for his achievement of becoming the 52nd Annual Watermelon Festival King. It was signed by our very own CD-7 Felipe Fuentes. After the major, politically incorrect, and downright stupid handling by Lion’s Club grand matron Marynance Schellensee Crowned, page8
Colby Fire Scorches the Southland
Two LACo firefighters from the 101 Company hold back the fire as it was raging across a local ranch-land.
2 — FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
Valley Relics at Bolton Hall Little Landers Historical Society announces the next in its series of monthly programs. February’s presenter is Valley Relics Museum founder and curator, Tommy Gelinas.Mr. Gelinas will give us some insight into his collection of over 10,000 items related to the history of the San Fernando Valley from the 1800’s to the present. Items from the Valley Relics Museum’s travelling exhibit will be available for inspection by program attendees. Join us to hear the story of Mr. Gelinas’ years of collecting and to view some of the MusePlease join us as Valley Relics Museum founder and curator Tommy Gelinas offers an overview of the museum's vast collection - considered to be one of the largest of its kind, as well as an opportunity to view some of these rare and valuable artifacts in the museum’s traveling exhibit.
ums’ rare and valuable artifacts. This program is free and open to the public.Everyone is welcome. The event is on Saturday, February 8 at 1:00 p.m. at Bolton Hall Museum, 10110 Commerce Avenue, Tujunga, CA 91042. Parking is available a few doors uphill at the Elks Lodge. Additional information is available from Little Landers Historical Society, (818) 3523420, www.littlelandershistoricalsociety.org or E-mail <littlelanders@verizon.net>. Little Landers Historical Society Presents
Tommy Gelinas founded Valley Relics over 15 years ago as a labor of love. A native Angeleno with strong ties to the San Fernando Valley, Gelinas made it his mission to collect artifacts from the region dating from the 1800s to the present. Rare photographs, yearbooks, postcards, documents, as well as larger items such as vintage signs of iconic businesses are included in his still-growing collection, now estimated at well over 10,000 items. The non-profit Valley Relics Museum opened to the public at its permanent location in Chatsworth in October, 2013.
Everyone is Welcome Free Admission Donations gratefully accepted Light refreshments served after the program
Saturday, February 8th, 2014 1:00 PM Bolton Hall Museum 10110 Commerce Avenue, Tujunga (corner of Commerce & Valmont) Parking available uphill at the Elks Lodge (818) 352-3420 LittleLanders@verizon.net
w w w. L i t t l e L a n d e r s H i s t o r i c a l S o c i e t y. o r g
L.A. County Seal to Include Cross A motion by Supervisors Michael D. Antonovich and Don Knabe to fix the inaccurate architectural depiction of the San Gabriel Mission currently on the Los Angeles County seal was approved on a 3-2 vote with Supervisors Antonovich, Knabe and Ridley-Thomas voting in favor and Yaroslavsky and Molina opposed. “To accurately reflect the role of the San Gabriel Mission in the historical and cultural development of Los Angeles County, today’s action corrects the current rendering of the mission on the county seal which is artistically and architecturally inaccurate.” said Supervisor Antonovich. “The history of Los Angeles County began with the found-
ing of the San Gabriel Mission by Father Junipero Serra in September, 1771. Also known as the ‘Pride of the California Missions,’ its doors opened directly to the El Camino Real which connected all of California’s great missions, pueblos and presidios.” “For hundreds of years, the mission has been the historic center for culture and art in our region and has had a vital influence on the expansion and development of Los Angeles County. It was the site of the area’s first hospital and the birthplace of the last Spanish governor of Alta California, Pio Pico.” “Learning about the missee Cross, page 11
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 2
Glendale Noon Concerts!
Sex & Mischief at the L.A. Zoo
GLENDALE NOON CONCERTS Every FIRST & THIRD WEDNESDAY at 12:10-12:40 pm
The Crescenta Valley Sierra Club Group presents Muriel Horacek’s, Sex and Mischief at the Los Angeles Zoo, on Tuesday, February 11, at 7:30 p.m. at the Los Angeles County Public Library, 2809 Foothill Boulevard, La Crescenta, California 91214. (Please enter on La Crescenta Avenue for the meeting place and parking.). Muriel Horacek is a Volunteer Field Rep with the Earthwatch Institute, world traveler and a docent at the Los Angeles County Zoo. Muriel returns with a new program for this evening. She will show slides and tell how zoos conserve species, those similar to a matchmaking service, and including the difficulties within the process. Muriel, always ready to share interesting stories she includes with her programs, will tell of zoo animals’ antics, and those especially relating to
FEBRUARY 5, 2014 CARY BELLING Viola Concerto (arr. for viola & piano) Victor de Almeida - viola Harout Senekeremian - piano http://carybellingcomposer.info/ carybellingcomposer.info/Welcome.html UPCOMING CONCERTS; FEBRUARY 19, 2014 CALICO WINDS A Woodwind Quintet in Residence at the Glendale Noon Concerts “Something Old, Something New” (will include Mozart and...) www.calicowinds.com Please note: programs subject to change.
the orangutaans. Our program begins following news of Conservation and Outings. This is a free event. Refreshments will be served. Please call Wayne Fisher at 818 353-4181.
The Conscious Life Expo Conscious Life Expo is February 7-10. 150 lectures, panels and workshops plus 3 Exhibit Halls. Keynotes: Gregg Braden, Lynne McTaggart, Susan Miller, Eric Pearl, Dannion Brinkley, Dr. Dain Heer, George Noory, Marcia Wieder, David Wilcock and more. Special Latino program, live music, healthy foods, The Conscious Life Film Festival and the new Permaculture Zone. General Admission: Friday-$15/Sat. & Sunday-$25 Advance/$30 Door, LAX Hilton Hotel -5711 Century Blvd., Los Angeles 90045. 1-800-367-5777. www.consciouslifeexpo.com
THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014 — 3
VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 2 • www.thefoothillspaper.com
By the time you read this, it will be too late for anyone to do anything about it. As we go to press, the deadline is just a few hours away and the machine is chortling about how they are going to continue raping the community. All the usual suspects are lined up to continue the lies, thefts and cronyism of the past eight years. Yup, they are happy that they all got their candidacy filed. Unfortunately—and I do love old sayings—there is a statement covering this. “Figures don’t lie and liars don’t figure!” Yes, sir-re-bob. They didn’t figure that someone would look into the candidacy regulations pertaining to tenure. Something obscure like, “No board member can run for an elected position if they have
served consecutively in other board positions over the past eight years.” Except for the Hatian president for life “Papa Doc Duvalier,” I can’t think of any other single person who has held so many self-elected positions— well, except for Cindy Cleghorn, Mark Siegel, Tomi Lyn Bowling, Ed Novy and Nina Royal. These people have manipulated the STNC for so many years, they think that it is their God-given right to rape and pillage the community. Favoritism, inside dealings, misuse of city funds, fake receipts, false statements about the financial reports, the fact that the STNC paperwork is not up to date, and on and on and on. The players are the same, but
V IV EIW EW
now, they’ve brought up their minions and are spreading the concept of favoritism through the entire neighborhood council network. By spreading their “word” through their bovine blogster colleague, they make normal, intelligent people look like fools. Add to it that their hitman, Joe Barrett, is the only one having access to the city camera, and that the machine refuses to have a G. A. A. P. format for the checking in and out of the camera equipment, and you have another elitist perk. By Cleghorn’s mandate, there is no requirement for an address or phone number for whoever is checking out the camera. What if Barrett goes off on one of his drunken sprees and loses the camera? No one will know how to find
RO RC OCK K him or that camera. What’s wrong with these people? What’s wrong with the stake holders who have let this go on for years? This coming election will really be interesting. I expect a whole new set of board members that aren’t in each others’ pockets. Get ready for the fun, people. This time, nobody will be able to say: It’s The Water!
The Foothills Letters & Perspectives 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!
Thank you for your efforts!
Things Are Bad All Over
Dear Editor, I have been reading foothills paper for a long while. I want to show my appreciation for your efforts to make our life better. You’re doing a great job reporting crashes and hit-andruns. I can see that your goal is to raise an alert for drivers. The articles like the organ donor girl and teddy bear drive touched my heart and reminded me that there’re beautiful things in our town. Keep up with your good work!
Dear Editor, A few months ago I moved up to Tujunga from Hollywood and began picking up your and others’ local papers to keep up on the goings-on in my new area. I noticed fairly quickly that The Foothills Paper has a beef with the Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council. For a couple years when I was there, I was on the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council. This experience disillusioned me from the NC system, so I have pointedly avoided getting involved in any way with the STNC, lest someone try to rope me into
thanks, Katherine
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
Top 10 Reasons to Advertise in The Foothills Paper 1. Read by 6,000+ local readers every two weeks, providing maximum exposure for your business 2. Growing newspaper – We’re not going anywhere. 8+ years 3. Free paper delivery to your place of business to provide to your patrons 4. Advertising increases traffic directly to your business 5. Your business is promoted at our website and on our Facebook page 6. 20,000+ Facebook likes in the last 18 months 7. Facebook activity of over 2,000 views per day and growing 8. National and international exposure 9. Personalized attention and service 10. Local repeat advertisers. Why? Because advertising increased their business traffic Go with a winner – Advertise with The Foothills Paper and watch your business grow! Special Business Expo promotion September 18-20
SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE: ASK FOR DETAILS.
818-951-0943
something with it. I did want to participate in the elections, though, so I was doing some research on what the NC has been doing, how they structure their elections, and who is running. I noticed something that I found interesting that you might want to keep an eye on: the STNC by-laws state that “No community stakeholder may serve in any combination of voting positions on the Board for more than eight (8) consecutive years.” 8 years back from the upcoming election takes us to early 2006. Noticing some names that seem to have appeared a lot over the years, I got curious so I went to look and there are a handful of people who look like they will be term-limited out
of running this year. Specifically I noticed Mark Siegel (who has put in his paperwork with EmpowerLA to run already: http:// empowerla.org/stnc/sunlandtujunga-nc-2014-elections/) and Cindy Cleghorn (who has not been posted as having filed paperwork, though I know from experience that they can be slow about getting this online at EmpowerLA). In poking around the STNC website, I saw that there is a section that lists historic board rosters going back to 2004, but this is missing 2006 entirely. You can see who were voting members in 2006 from the minutes available here: http:// www.stnc.org/minutes_arsee STNC, page 7
4 — FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 2
A Legislative Cure Bullies - Don’t Tread On Me B R K for “Affluenza” Hi, readers of The Foothills y
Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) introduced legislation Tuesday to forbid the use of “affluenza” as a defense at trial or as a mitigating circumstance in post-trial sentencing. “Affluenza” in the criminal-defense realm is the notion that an affluent or overly permissive upbringing prevents a defendant from fully understanding the consequences of criminal actions. Gatto’s AB 1508 would forbid a judge or jury from reducing the sentence of a defendant who claims that being raised in a wealthy or excessively lenient household somehow explains or absolves that defendant’s guilt. The “Affluenza” defense was recently used successfully in a case where a drunken teenager named Ethan Couch killed four good-Samaritans, including a mother and daughter, by running
them down on the side of a road as they stopped to help a stranded motorist. Couch’s defense team argued that, because of his family’s wealth and lenient child-rearing style, the defendant never learned that his actions had consequences. Couch was sentenced to ten years probation and will serve no jail time, despite killing four people and leaving another paralyzed. “Perhaps the notion of personal responsibility seems antiquated to some,” said Assemblyman Gatto. “But I think the majority of us believe that people should own up to their actions, and that criminals should not be able to use their wealth or privilege to lessen the severity of their sentences. Spoiled children shouldn’t be able to spoil the chances of victims to obtain justice when a criminal act has occurred.”
yan
acer
Paper. I hope you enjoyed my last article. As this is my fifth anti-bullying article, I would like to just get right into talking about bullying with ASD (autistic spectrum disorder), even though I’ve promised to recap and tell you guys something about myself in each of my articles. In recent months I have discovered many situations and events that have happened involving kids with ASD. And it doesn’t just happen in elementary, middle, or high school, it happens in college, in the work environment, and even outside of our country. Special needs kids and your typical stereotype “normal kids” have two things in common, they both get bullied and both have discrimination laws in place to help them. For example, your normal kid has Title 6 and 9 protection, however special needs kids only have one legal ally, which is the Special Needs Disiblility Act of 2001.
Me when I was young. Now as a CEO of an antibullying organization, I say that it is not right that special needs students don’t have more laws that protect against bullying incidents. One example is the incident that took place in Mississippi, where an ASD kid was sucker-punched in the face, and the legal justice system did nothing about it. The police said it is not assault becuase the ASD student did not bleed. This all happened during school in P.E., everyone laughed and one student video taped the assault and posted it
on Facebook. All of the kids involved were suspended for five days, and the father of the student that was assaulted was told they could not pursue criminal charges becuase there was no blood shed. Can you believe that a kid has to bleed in Mississippi for a school to pursue criminal charges for assault? It is irresponsible and outrageous. The least they could’ve done is pressed charges for battery. Thankfully, the laws here in California see ASD, page 11
Abuse is Ageless (Don’t Disrespect Our Elders) Al Timins won’t go quietly after being served an unlawful eviction notice
By Daniel Willsey
Local humanitarian Al Timins has told us of a travesty he appears to be in imminent danger of experiencing. It seems the owners of the property where he now resides have chosen to claim “It’s our property and we want it now!” Being forced to move is always traumatic but the hardships some have to go through are at times not only unfair and unjust but are virtually inhuman. Earlier this month Mr. Timins, the 93 year old current Seniors’ Representative on the STNC Board, received a notice from the two children of the
woman he’d rented the property from six years ago. The notice directs him to move out “on or before February 15, 2014,” a scant six weeks away! The sole consideration for being a model tenant over the years? The successors to his landlord “apologize for this inconvenience and wish [him] the best of luck in finding a new residence.” The following facts, as revealed by Mr. Timins’ letter to The Foothills Paper, apparently mean nothing to Mr. Glenn Schmuetz of La Crescenta and Mrs. Susan Nolan Schmuetz of Simi Valley, children of Irma Schmuetz, now deceased: Mr. Timins has received awards
from two sitting United States Presidents, President Reagan awarded him the “Humanitarian Award” for the year 1988 and President and First Lady Clinton awarded him a “Community Service – A Noble Endeavor Award” for the year 2000; Mr. Timins has also been named in resolutions and received awards from other government offices and officials at the city, county and state senate and assembly levels. He is a World War 2 veteran who was captured and tortured by the enemy on behalf of his country and is a Town Hero, Outstanding Citizen, Man of the Year, Philanthropist, and is on the
Roll of Honor. Will, or should such a man go quietly? Not him! He has done his research and believes the law is on his side. He plans to assert his age and disability status give him the right to a one year notice of termination and to the award of relocation benefits under state and local law, e.g. Government Code Section 7060 and Sections 17.23, 17.31 and 17.32 of the Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance. Can he prevail? We cannot say but we do wish him the best and will do whatever we can to support his effort to receive treatment as humanitarian as he has shown others.
THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014 — 5
VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 2 • www.thefoothillspaper.com
Vegetable Barley Soup
Artfully
By Chef Randy
This is a hearty vegan soup that is as tasty as it is easy to prepare. Even better than that, barley is a wholesome, highly nutritious grain and is thought to be an excellent food choice for those concerned about type-2 diabetes. It contains essential vitamins (niacin & thiamine) and minerals (iron, magnesium, zinc) and is an excellent source of dietary fiber. For those of us that watch our cholesterol, it is naturally cholesterol free and low in fat. When I first made this for my wife many years ago, I remember her reaction. She said, “I don’t really like barley or at least I didn’t until now”. I like it because it is different. I think you’ll appreciate its nutty flavor and pleasant chewy texture. Ingredients: 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil 1 cup chopped onions 3 cloves garlic (minced) ¼ teaspoon dried thyme 1 pound fresh mushrooms 2/3 cup pearl barley 2 stalks celery (sliced)
SPEAKING
b
2 large carrots (sliced) ½ bay leaf 5 cups vegetable broth Salt and pepper to taste Dash of nutmeg Directions: Sauté onions in a large soup pot on medium-high heat for approximately 5 minutes. Clean, remove stems and cut mushrooms into quarters. Add garlic, thyme and mushrooms. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Add barley, cel-
ery, carrots, bay leaf and broth. Taste this base and if it is a little watery or not just tasty enough, add a teaspoon of vegetarian “Better Than Bouillon” to perk it up.Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 30–35 minutes or until barley is tender. Add nutmeg and salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf before serving. I like to serve this to our friends and family with a dollop of sour cream on top.
http://valley-vegetarian.com
Pot Politics Perhaps I am more ambivalent than I should be about the legalization of marijuana. I lean toward letting the law remain as it is, but my hostility toward the nanny state pulls me in the direction of individual responsibility and letting the chips fall where they may. Therein lies my concern, though. Letting the chips fall where they may could lead society to pick up the pieces of shattered lives. Largely, the same class of people now most invested in and vocal about drug legalization in the United States are the same who advocated the loosening of sexual mores during the sexual revolution of the late 1960s and early ‘70s. The white, upper income, educated elites had a lot invested in breaking down social mores in their pursuit of unchecked and unbridled hedonism. On the superficial exterior of shattered souls marching progressively through the sexual revolution, it appears not to have turned out terribly. Now, years after doing drugs in the privacy of their homes, the same class of
R
i
Finish
See Chef Randy’s food blog for more recipes at
By Erick Erickson
y
people want to be as open with it as with their bodies. In the never-ending hedonistic alliance between college stoners and adults who will not grow up, they’ve pooled dad’s trust fund into a political campaign for pot legalization. They tell us marijuana is not a gateway drug. They compare its prohibition to alcohol prohibition despite serious and significant historic differences. Ultimately, however, they rely on individual responsibility, choice and a war on drugs that has largely failed to do more than overpopulate prisons. That is where they get many of us. Society has refused to exercise discretion. Instead of turning blind eyes toward transgressions, society has decided every transgression must be either punished or celebrated. Society has lost its moderation. So in a world where the progressive left wants to make pot legal and ban fast food, many of us decide it is better to have it all legal than to have it all banned. In all of this, though, we ignore a critical point. The sexual revolution may have not turned out too
terrible for those who came from upper-income families of privilege and means. It may not have turned out terribly for those with access to higher education and connections. But the sexual revolution has helped ruin poor and middle class families. The rise of single households in minority communities, the rise of teen pregnancy, the incentive for young men to go from one conquest to the next and the relaxing of attitudes and societal judgment have degraded the stability of the nuclear family. Combine that with the federal government’s war on poverty and there is decay, collapse, crime and social breakdown in too many poor neighborhoods and a harder path for the poor to climb to the middle class. Now add the legalization of drugs to the mix. Gone may be the crime and gangs funded on the drug trade. Maybe. That is not a given. But young men and women in loosened social mores now with more readily available drugs might not turn out so well beneath the upper incomes. Upstairs and downstairs in the American manor see Pot, page 6
c
k
There are several kinds of finish for an artist when it comes to a work of art. The first is when a work of art has reached a stage of completion where one more stroke would be too many. Another finish is when you’ve accomplished your idea or concept. When you have managed to say what you needed in a particular work of art. Finish also can mean the final stages of work on a piece, even though it could take several more session to complete this stage. Finish, in this circumstance is only a final stage or application of touches of paint. Ultimately, it is hard for an artist to say when a work of art is truly finished. Many artists, throughout history, have believed a work of art is never finished and have continued to rework them, remarkable as it is to believe, even after having them sold or giving them up for exhibition or for that matter purchased by a museum. There are recorded stories of artists sneaking into museums at night and re-working a painting. I have read a tale about a sculptor who saw one of his purchased works in a gallery and climbed up onto it and re-bent a section in a different direction while others watched horrified. When later asked by the authorities why he did this, he simply replied –“it wasn’t finished.” If artists look into their souls and are honest with themselves they will notice a pattern
R
o
t
a
n
t
e
which crosses over into their daily life. If we have trouble with finishing our artwork, it’s a sure bet we do the same in life. Art cannot be separated from who we are. Who we are is inherent in what we do. Many of my works are “finished” in one sitting. This doesn’t necessarily mean they are ready for sale or exhibit A work can be considered finished only when the artist feels the idea he set out to paint was achieved or the concept was accomplished before it is ready for public viewing. Alternatively, it may never be seen, but only used by the artist; along with the knowledge gained from doing the work; to use it toward subsequent works. Finish also can mean the final stages of a work in progress, even though it would take several more sessions to complete the art work. Finish, under these circumstances only means the next application of another paint layer. Finishing one work allows me to move forward. Art is more about feeling and the moment We feel and express in our art what is happening to us today. Putting things off in your life means these things will have to be revisited and finished at some other time in the future. Doing this leaves holes in your personal development. Tomorrow is for procrastinators Look to see if this is a pattern in your daily life first before you can think of finish in your artwork Finish the one and the other will follow.
On Wednesday, February 19th at 7:00 p.m., Center for Spiritual Living - La Crescenta is hosting Douglas Sutton who will present “Receive ‘Three Mysteries’ Healing and an ‘Effulgence of Amitabha Buddha’ Dharma Meditation Transmission” from the Chinese Esoteric lineage. Experience the power of its teachings and rapid spiritual advancement with practices handed down by an unbroken lineage of Awakened Masters. Founded 716-720 A.D. with support of Tang Dynasty Chinese Emperor, the teachings spread across China for the next 125 years. The lineage then went underground and the teachings were handed down in secret from one awakened master to another until 1990 when the 49th lineage holder revealed the existence of the lineage and began public teachings of its practices. The Center is located at 4845 Dunsmore Avenue, La Crescenta. For further information, please call (818) 249-1045.
6 — FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 2
Pot, from pg 5 There’s a TOWN HALL MEETIN’!! Images come to mind of ruddy-faced farmers in overalls, ample-bosomed matrons in flowery dresses and young folk with scraped knees in their Sunday Best. You’re thinking “The Music Man.” Well, for THIS reporter, it was more like “The Hangin’ Tree.” This S-T Town Hall, the first of its kind, was STNC Education Rep./BONC Commissioner Lydia Grant’s baby and as informal as it was intended to be, with 3 rows of folding chairs arranged in a welcoming half-circle and a lovely snack spread in the back, tensions ran high among certain factions of our community. Namely, Chamber of Commerce President/STNC 2nd VP/Outreach Committee Chairman/Election Committee Chairman Cindy Cleghorn and Yours Truly. As Lydia gave her heart-felt introduction I darted around the room taking pictures of the attendees. When my focus turned to Cleghorn, a vision in pink, she jumped up turned her back to the camera and screamed at me to STOP disrupting the meeting. I got two pics—one of her backside, the other well out-of-focus as she chased me back to my seat. She then leaned over me menacingly and said: “IF YOU DON’T STOP DISRUPTING THIS MEETING I WILL HAVE YOU THROWN OUT, DO YOU HEAR ME?? I WILL HAVE YOU THROWN OUT, SO STOP IT NOW!!!” “But Cindy, this is a public meeting held in a public facility. You have no right to say that and I can take pictures if I want to.” “YOU ARE DISRUPTING THIS MEETING!” She repeated her battlecry as STNC Treasurer Nina Royal made her way around the room taking pictures in the same fashion. “Nina’s taking pictures. Why can’t I?” Nina promptly gave me “The Evil Eye.” This was just the first of several Wallybased Uncomfortable Moments. Mark Siegel begged Cindy to back down. Most people stared into their laps or got up to get another egg roll. At least I got a few sympathetic eye rolls from Honorary Mayor/STNC Board Member Tom Smoker and Stakeholder/ fellow blogger Desiree Dreeuws. Whew! That was one close call with The Clegster! “I don’t have a problem with it,” said Lydia Grant. I SHOULD HOPE NOT--- IT’S A PUBLIC MEETING!!! HELLO? ANYBODY WITH ANY INTELLIGENCE HOME?? Other STNC board members were there: Michael Jones, Kristee Clark, Pat Kramer (visibly upset because her computer had crashed--- I can relate!), Kresse Armour as well as Scientology’s favorite “Branding Queen” Paolina Milana-Ed-
house may behave largely the same, but the upstairs lords and ladies will have a harder time ignoring the blight their pursuit of hedonism has caused downstairs.
Making it about personal responsibility is all well and good until those of us who were personally responsible must cover the cleanup costs of those who were not. Perhaps we should just wait a few years then re-examine
Colorado before rushing on. My heart says go in for personal responsibility and let the chips fall where they may. My head says to slow down and watch Colorado for a few years before going any further.
Follow the breaking news and local events on:
Facebook.com/ TheFoothills Paper by Wally “Weirdo” Wharton wards. (I got no sympathetic eye roll outa that Hot Mess.)Famous Equestrian advocate Mary Benson was there. (It’s amazing how she manages to tuck her neck into her shirt collar the same way she tucks her shirt tails into her pants!) Potential STNC candidate Greg “Mickey” Holzer lumbered in, as did Land Use Committee member Jessie “David” Barron. Upon Lydia’s request, we went around the room stating why we’d shown up. When it came to me I said: “According to Cindy Cleghorn I showed up to disrupt the meeting.” “SHE NEVER SAID THAT!” interrupted Mark Siegel. “I NEVER SAID THAT!” screamed The Clegmeister. Undaunted, I went on to express my hopes that the neighborhood council system, being just another useless layer of bureaucracy, would be abolished in favor of a strict “town hall meeting” format led by our actual Councilman, since THEY are our true representative with the power to create measures and ordinances and affect the laws by which we live. Lydia tried to stick to her “issue-by-issue” format, until the guest speaker, some fireman named Drake showed up to get us to take some strategic plan survey for the L.A. Fire Dept. First topic? The Great S-T Business Debate. What kinda businesses did we want to see MORE of? Predictably, everybody opted for the negative, i.e., what kinda businesses we DIDN’T wanna see here, namely the pot shops. I stuck up FOR the pot shops, saying that they were the only retail outlets doing any REAL business in ST. Shaded of “Trouble, Trouble, Trouble” from “The Music Man” ensued. A lady name “Amelia” sanctimoniously declared herself a proud member of the Homeless Committee (there’s a new one!), and had TWO homeless people currently living with her-- some see Meeting, page 11
-Sun d e W Open .m. p 6 12 It’s Almost Tax Time Again
Owe the IRS or State? Call today! Professional bookkeeping services offered for personal and small to mid-size companies. Over 10 years experience. Knowledge of QuickBooks 2003 through 2012.
Call for a quote today:
(818) 605-0640 $10 OFF 1-800-567-PEST (7378)
(818) 768-3549 Rats • Earwigs • Fleas Ants • Cockroaches • Spiders
ANY SERVICE AIRTIGHT ENVIRONMENT PEST CONTROL
TEN DOLLARS BUG BUCKS
Referred by
Foothills Paper
THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014 — 7
VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 2 • www.thefoothillspaper.com
WreckS O Ff T H E W E E K Slow Down and Live. . .
FOOD TRUCKS CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH! Especially if you run into the back of one. This Lexus also side-swiped a Toyota as he tried to miss the truck.
Another left-hand mishap. The gold car actually hit an SUV and then rolled into the Durango.
“You can’t get there from here” comes to mind. Motorcyclist drove into parking structure (not his) and crashed into the wall. LAFD & LAPD responded.
It could happen to anyone. Coming out of Irma, this Toyota was flagged on by a stopped driver, as she came out of Irma, she was hit head on by an oncoming car that didn’t see her.
There were way too many accidents to cover here; visit
Facebook.com/thefoothillspaper
Three Men Charged in Federal Court for Colby Fire Ignition Three men were charged this afternoon in United States District Court with illegally setting a campfire above Glendora that erupted in Santa Ana winds last week to become a destructive wildfire called the Colby Fire. Federal prosecutors filed a criminal complaint that charges the three men with unlawfully setting timber afire, a felony offense that carries a possible five-year prison term. The three men named in the criminal complaint are: • Clifford Eugene Henry Jr, 22, of Glendora; • Steven Robert Aguirre, 21, a transient; and • Jonathan Carl Jarrell, 24, also a transient. The three men were taken into custody by local officials last Thursday after the fire started. Henry, Aguirre and Jarrell are expected to be turned over to federal authorities this afternoon. The defendants are expected to make their first appearance in federal court tomorrow, possibly as early as 11:00 a.m. The Colby Fire started on the morning of January 16. By that evening, the fire had consumed more than 1,700 acres of federal, state, local and private
STNC, from pg 3 chive.html To find the section of the by-laws: 1. Go to the Documents page: http:// stnc.org/documents.html 2. Scroll way down to the bottom to “Current STNC Bylaws Version 3.00” : http://stnc.org/ByLaws/ STNCBylawsV3.00.pdf 3. In this PDF, on page 7 is “Section 4: Terms and Term Limits.” The whole text here is: Section 4: Terms and Term Limits - The normal term of office for all Board seats is two (2) years. An Executive Officer or Representative may serve up to two (2) consecutive terms in any particular office, and may thereafter run for any other seat for which he/she is qualified by community stakeholder group or residency status. No community stakeholder may serve in any combination of voting positions on the Board for more than eight (8) consecutive years. There is no restriction on the term of service of the Parliamentarian, but the Parliamentarian is not a voting member of the Executive Committee or of the Board. To see who was on the board in different years, you have to go a few places:
lands. The fire had also destroyed five residences, damaged 17 additional structures, and resulted in injuries to one civilian and two firefighters. Henry, Aguirre and Jarrell were detained by Glendora Police Officers after they were seen escaping the fire. During interviews with Glendora Police and personnel with the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Arson Investigations Unit, all three defendants admitted playing a role in the starting of a campfire that started the Colby Fire after wind blew burning paper into the brush in the hills above Glendora, according to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint. A United States Forest Service fire investigator has determined that the origin of the Colby Fire was at a point near a fire ring built by Henry, Aguirre and Jarrell; the cause of the fire was embers from the campfire that set dry grass adjacent to the campfire ring afire; and both the campfire ring and the origin of the fire are clearly located on federal lands within the Angeles National Forest. The investigation is being conducted by the United States Forest Service, the Glendora Police Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department. 2012-2014: http://stnc.org/Officers. html 2010-2011: http://stnc.org/Officers2011.html 2008-2009: http://stnc.org/Officers2008.html 2007-2008: http://stnc.org/Officers2007.html 2004-2005: http://stnc.org/OfficersTeamChairsArchive2005.html For 2006 and anything before 2004, you have to be a little more creative. Go to http://stnc.org/OfficersTeamChairsArchive2005.html to see all the old Minutes back to 2000. If you look at the roll on any of the Minutes from a regular meeting in 2006, you can see who was on the board then. By my reading of it, anyone who was a voting member of the Board from 2006 to present can’t run again this year. Not having been around the area long enough, I don’t have a dog in the fight between you and the STNC. However, I did want to bring to your attention that it appears as though some of these folks are going to try to run for seats against their own rules, which I don’t think is right. You can do with this what you will. Best Regards, R.V.
For Breaking DAILY NEWS, follow us on Facebook: Facebook.com/TheFoothillsPaper
8 — FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
Crowned, from pg 1 bach, a crown was finally awarded to Ryan. After being rebuffed by the Lieon’s club president and the Watermelon festival chairman Ara Zeithlain, Ryan’s mother, Cindie, took the matter to city hall. In fact, she contacted anyone that would listen to her complaint. Ed Trimis, Principal of VHHS just gave her lip service and dismissed it as a Lieon’s Club matter. She then contacted Cindy Cleghorn, president of the Chamber of Commerce (2nd VP of the STNC) and representatives at the North Valley City Hall about the problem. Wesly Hernandez took the time to hear her out and agreed to look into the matter. Even though this was a “political football” that would rain further disgrace on the Sunland-Tujunga Lie-on’s Club, once he was shown the email notification from the Lie-on’s Club of his award, Ryan’s previous year’s Watermelon Festival Prince Award, and was told the entire story of the how Lie-on’s Club notified Ryan that he would be
crowned king in front of the media, and requested his presence at the awards ceremony at 4:00 am, ONLY to tell him that he was ineligible upon his arrival, the CD-7 representatives agreed the Lie-on’s Club had acted in error, and that Ryan was entitled to the award. In addition to the obvious details, there was also evidence presented that Ryan WAS eligible due to a grade change made on the first day of school, August 13, 2013. So the claim that he was ineligible was also false. Could this have been handled any worse? Is it appropriate to “take back” an award at the last minute, due to your own mistake, which then turns out to be another mistake? Was it appropriate to shatter the dreams of a special needs student? The Certificate of Congratulations was picked up January 14 at the North Valley City Hall, who’s representatives were a major help in correcting a blatant mistake and bad decision made by the people involved in the 2013 Watermelon Festival awards ceremony.
ATTENTION! All Veterans, Sons, Daughters and Wives of Veterans
Come support your local
American Legion Post ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday, February 1 at 6:30 p.m.
Rocking Super Bowl Eve
Dinner Dance $8
Pulled Pork, Tater tots, Cole Slaw, Dessert
Music by Heller Highwater American Legion Patriots Hall Available to rent for office parties, birthdays, memorials and special occasions
Please contact Dan at 818-521-1137 10039 Pinewood Ave • Tujunga Ca 91042
Saturday, February 15, 6:30 Valentine’s Dinner Dance $10
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 2
LAFD, from pg 1 and had decided her career would be within the LAFD at the young age of 16, after spending some time in the Explorer program at Station 39 in her home town of Van Nuys. Although she applied for employment at LAFD when she was 17 1/2, she was not hired until she was 24. After graduation, Kristina obtained her Associates Degree in Fire Science, trained at a private Fire Academy, and then went on to get her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Criminal Science. She was originally hired as a firefighter, then trained and worked as a Firefighter Paramedic. She was promoted to Captain 1 in 2008, and then to her current position of Captain 2 in October 2013. In addition to rigorous training, and competing in areas of strength and agility with much larger men, LAFD applicants are required to go through an enormous amount of testing. This includes a thorough medical exam, a physical agility test, a written test, an oral interview, and drill tower testing, a 19 week training program during which you can be dismissed at any time due to low performance levels. Captain Kepner has managed to develop a very high level of strength to compete in this outrageously competitive and physically demanding environment, through a regular exercise regimen which includes weights and strength training, core training, and cardio. Although about 85% of the calls throughout the city Los Angeles are medical emergencies, we are a difficult area to be stationed in with the high risk of brush fires. Fire Station 74 covers the SunlandTujunga area from Lowell to Floralita, including the Angeles National Forest bordering the foothills. With 3 platoons, LAFD staff members work about 10 or 11 twenty-four hour shifts each month, and on her days off Captain Kepner keeps busy with projects within the LAFD, and also enjoys traveling. Her advice to anyone considering a career with the LAFD, is to join the Cadet/ Explorer program in their local area, as you will go out on the actual calls and learn exactly what is involved in the job. Keep a clean police and driving record, and maintain good physical condition. Absolutely no narcotics are tolerated, and cigarette smoking is not allowed by Firefighters, as they are already at high risk for lung damage from smoke inhalation. Female applicants can feel comfortable knowing that all fire stations are equipped with a separate restroom, shower and locker room for women, and
staff members become like family members, as they are working together in environments that require absolute trust and confidence in your co-workers. It is the difference between life and death for this brave group of people, who make the difference between life and death for many civilians each and every day. The next level of advancement is Battalion Chief, which would put the Captain in charge of several Fire Stations. And I have a feeling we will see her there sooner rather than later. Captain Kepner has set the bar extremely high, and reached a level not common for many firefighters, let alone a female. She is an inspiring person to speak with, and her focus and level of professionalism is clearly visible. After Battalion Chief is Assistant Fire Chief, Deputy Chief, and then the citywide (and highly political) Fire Chief position. The highest position a woman has reached within the LAFD is Deputy Chief, who recently retired. Despite having such a demanding, dangerous job, Captain Kepner couldn’t be happier. She is very proud to give back to her community, and spent many of her 14 years with LAFD at Fire Station 39, in the neighborhoods where she grew up. She truly enjoys her work, and the mental and physical challenges, and strives to learn and improve her skills every day. Her staff is like a second family, and they have fun in between the hard work and stressful environment. She is, as well as each and every member of our LAFD and LAPD staff members, a local hero that works harder than most of us ever will, serving those other than herself. The Foothills Paper would like to sincerely thank Captain Kepner and all Station 74 staff, you are truly an inspiration to all.
Everyday brings another adventure at Station 74. The men and women firefighters make a strong team.
Roast Loin of Pork, Mashed Potatoes/Gravy, Vegetables, Salad, German Chocolate Cake
Live Band Entertainment - Raffle Prizes Canteen Hours - 7 days a week, 2- 10 p.m.
818-353-9856 For hall rental, call Commander Dan (818) 521-1127
8459 Foothill Blvd. Sunland, CA
VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 2 • www.thefoothillspaper.com
Mt. Waterman Ski Lifts
Hiring Lift Operators & Ticket Hut Cashiers
Call Beth for information and details
619-708-6595
THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014 — 9
10 — FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
Lions, Coyotes and Bears—Oh My! They come amid our dreams at night, the wild ones who feed on our pets before light. Why are the dogs and cats not being brought inside when they are sitting ducks? The weather has been warm for January and still we are in the dead of winter. Too many people are leaving their pets outside not realizing the danger that puts them in. Many pet owners forget that we live in a very wild area. The line between wildlife and human space is blurring. Coyotes, deer, deers and mountain lions roam our neck of the woods daily. Before the dawn many animals search for prey and feast on our pets that have been left outside. Across from us in the San Fernando Valley some mountain lions are trapped in a relatively small area of the Santa Monica Mountains. Our human freeway system for our increasingly fast paced society has again affected our wildlife’s treks. The wild animals are trying to survive in an environment of increased human population and traffic that has changed the ecosystem. Crossing the various local freeways following scents, the wild animals roam into suburbs ranging from Sun Valley to La Crescenta on over to Agoura Hills. The mountain lions in our region have a large area in the Angeles Forest to roam free, feed, breed, and prey on our dogs and cats left outside. Bad things happen in the night when wild hungry animals lurk outside our hillside homes. We are seeing on the news more frequently that mountain lions are seeking anyway to survive and feeding on dogs and cats. Sightings of mountain lions lurking around homes, sometimes attacking pets, have people worried. “We’ve also investigated 400-plus kills by mountain lions, and we’ve yet to find a single one that was a pet, fortunately,” said wildlife ecologist Seth Riley. Not only are the attacks on domestic pets alarming, but so too is how these large animals are struggling to thrive in the mountains. In regards to the Agoura and Calabasas area the 101 freeway slices a big cat path right through the middle. Male mountain lions are searching for mates too close to home. According to a CBS news story, three mountain lion kittens in the Santa Monica Mountains were born last month. “In this case, the kittens were the result of a father mating with his daughter,” said Riley. “And that is something we’ve seen more than once, actually. That’s very close inbreeding.” Reduced genetic variety is one problem, and a low adult male population is another. Riley says 15 male adult mountain lions, at the most, roam the Santa Monica Mountains. Caltrans, state parks and others wildlife conservationists are trying to figure out a safe passage for all wildlife in Agoura Hills. We are losing our native animals at such a rapid rate. What are we going to do about it? This is a question one might ask our mayor or our local community councils. In the meantime please protect your pets and bring them indoors for their own safety and security. ••• 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 818-6059675 or her Web site: www.auntiegailspetsitting.com.
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 2
Free Income Tax Preparation Beginning February 5, residents can receive free income tax preparation under the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program provided through AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, a tax-exempt charity of AARP. Membership in AARP is not required. Free income tax preparation can be obtained on Wednesdays and Fridays at La Crescenta County Library, 2809 Foothill Boulevard (corner of La Crescenta Ave.) from Wed., Feb. 5 through Wed., April 9. Services will not be offered on Friday, April 11. Enter from the upper level parking lot. The hours are Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Taxpayers will be helped on a “first-come, first-served” basis; no advanced reservations are available. The mission of AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is to provide high quality free income tax assistance and tax form preparation to low- and moderate-income taxpayers, with special attention to those age 60 and older. However, as a practical matter, very few taxpayers are
turned away if their return is within the scope of services established by AARP Foundation. All tax returns, both federal and California, are filed electronically using IRS-provided tax preparation software. Tax returns are prepared by volunteer tax counselors who are trained and certified by IRS; all returns are subject to a quality review by a second certified counselor. After the tax return is prepared and reviewed, it is e-filed within 24 hours; copies of filed tax returns are provided to the taxpayer. All tax counselors must adhere to IRS Volunteer Standards of Conduct as well as AARP’s Standards of Professionalism. This means taxpayers can be assured their tax information is treated with strict confidentiality and security. Taxpayers should bring: • Last year’s tax returns; • Social Security Cards for you, your spouse (if filing a joint return), and all eligible dependents; • Picture identification for you and your spouse (if filing a joint return) issued by a government agency; • Income related documents:
SSA 1099, 1099R, W2s, Unemployment Compensation statements, and other 1099 forms showing interest, dividends, and other income; • Expense related documents: forms showing federal and state income taxes paid, 1098 forms, summaries for medical, dental, prescription drugs, charity, or business expenses, property and vehicle tax statements, property taxes and home mortgage interest paid. Receipts for expenses need to be in reasonable order and legible; • Brokerage statements or other documentation showing the cost basis (purchase price) and date purchased for all securities or property sold or transferred during the tax year; • A check with your name on it, if you want direct deposit or debit for any refund or balance due; • If you receive a pension or annuity from a former employer, please bring the date you began receiving these payments; You can find other AARP Foundation Tax-Aide locations at www.aarp.org/applications/ VMISLocator/searchTaxAideLocations.action.
ot l hsake g. l a in Smcold serv 2014. or per n. 31, a 1¢ p. J Ex
For Breaking DAILY NEWS, follow us on Facebook: Mountain lion in hills
Facebook.com/TheFoothillsPaper
THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014 — 11
VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 2 • www.thefoothillspaper.com
Cross, from pg 2 sions is a part of the California 4th grade curriculum where students are asked to build model missions and complete reports on a particular mission. In addition, two other California counties, Ventura and San Benito, have missions with crosses
ASD, from pg 4 would not allow this type of criminal activity to go unpunished. The ASD student is terrified to go back to school but has to. And the school won’t even consider transferring the kids that did the wrong. He now is suffering prom PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). Some autistic kids are bullied because they have a hard
on their seals, as does the city of San Luis Obispo.” “At the time that the seal was redesigned in 2004, the cross had been missing from the top of the Mission since 1989, when it was taken down to retrofit the structure after damage from the Whittier Narrows earthquake. The cross was subsequently re-
turned to the top of the mission in 2009.” “We appreciate the input and participation from the community whose strong support for the mission, its significance to our county and the need to ensure the architectural accuracy of the county seal, resulted in today’s action.”
time understanding social cues. For example, you can take a kid with ASD and tell them to say a dirty word that they don’t understand, and you just might get them to say it. This happens a lot, and is a form of mental, psychological and verbal bullying. Two-thirds of ASD kids have been bullied at some point in their life, and shocking evidence and research shows that ASD kids are bullied intentionally be-
cause they are prime targets, because of social akwardness and having trouble understanding social cues. If the bully pushes the right buttons the ASD kid may be pushed over the edge. 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.
CD-7 Fuentes is a Flop When It Comes to Homeless and Crime! Sunland-Tujunga
Crime Stats Assault 01/10/14 10:00 PM 7600 BLOCK OF WYNGATE ST Theft 01/12/14 07:00 PM 7000 BLOCK OF SHADYGROVE ST Theft 01/13/14 11:35 AM 10400 BLOCK OF MOUNT GLEASON AV Theft 01/13/14 12:00 PM 8200 BLOCK OF GRENOBLE ST Burglary 01/14/14 02:00 PM 10600 BLOCK OF ORO VISTA AV Burglary 01/16/14 09:30 AM 10700 BLOCK OF RADWIN AV
Meeting, from pg 6 gal from the Ukraine and some parolee who’d just done 26 YEARS. Dave Spry? She said she didn’t want to say his name, the poor baby. Then Amelia had the NERVE to suggest that we ALL take a coupla homeless people into our homes and into our hearts! And she’s all for building more Day St. facilities! Oh, yeah? And she left her house with those two creeps left alone unsupervised? You can bet that while she was pontificating on the behalf of the bums, the excon was RAPING the comely comrade from the Ukraine as she bent over Amelia’s jewelry box-- HA! (“They’ll find HER bludgeoned to death in a week,” remarked Greg “Mickey” Holzer.”) Talked a lot about the problems with the Watermelon Festival and the Easter Carnival, and it deserves its own boring, complicated article. But I gotta hand
Come check out one of the largest selections of wild game meat!
10
%
off
On selected items.
FRESH FREE RANGE HARMONY FARMS TURKEY available for your holiday dinner - All Sizes
818-248-3068
Theft 01/16/14 11:00 AM 9800 BLOCK OF CREEMORE DR Other 01/18/14 06:30 PM BIG TUJUNGA CANYON AND N TRAIL CANYON Other 01/18/14 06:41 PM BIG TUJUNGA CANYON AND N TRAIL CANYON Theft 01/18/14 03:00 PM 6800 BLOCK OF VALMONT ST Theft 01/19/14 11:00 PM 6800 BLOCK OF NORTHFORD DR Theft 01/19/14 10:00 PM 7000 BLOCK OF ESTEPA DR Assault 01/21/14 01:00 AM 11200 BLOCK OF TUJUNGA CANYON BL
it to Amelia this time around. She mentioned how difficult Marynance Schellenbach was to work with and how she wouldn’t budge on anything. The naming of names was quickly discouraged by Lydia “I just wanna get along with everybody and accomplish nothing” Grant. “How ‘bout a ‘Homeless Resource Watermelon Festival?’” I suggested “Anymore suggestions about what you wanna see get done in our community?” was the final query of the event. “I wanna see the $3,000 STNC camera tape and broadcast the STNC meetings in their entirety, instead of allowing Joe Barrett to edit and censor as he and Cindy and Mark see fit.” “We’ll consider your suggestion, Wally, said Mark Siegel condescendingly. “But we don’t censor!!” “Oh, c’mon--you do too.” The cacophonous Tide of Rancor washed over This Fearless Girl Reporter once more…
12 — FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2014 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
Fire at Hansen Dam
A fire at Hansen Dam January 9 burned three acres of brush before the combined resources of the LAFD, LACo, ANF and the Life Guard Service were able to contain it. Located by the south wall of the dam, the fire was suspicious in nature, but residents of a homeless encampment were seen leaving the area as the firefighters arrived. This fire was a precursor of the Colby Fire in Glendora where a homeless mans fire caused millions of dollars in structural damage and destroyed 1,900 acres of watershed.
Hash Oil Lab Fail
Last Wednesday night brought out three companies of the LAFD for the report of an explosion at the Galaxy Motel in Tujunga. Two people an man and woman checked into the motel, provided drivers license and vehicle information, and then went upstairs to their room. Within a couple of hours, the top floor of the motel was filled with dense brown smoke, forcing the evacuation of the residents there. The couple who checked into the room had set up a “Honey Oil” extraction lab that unfortunately, went wrong. Using liquid Propane to extract oil from tightly packed marijuana is dangerous at best. But when you take two really stupid dopers, add liquid propane, try to cook in the bathroom of a motel, you have the ingredients for a disaster. Because it was a High Fire Risk day, LAFD Station 74 personnel were augmented by two other companies. There were four fire captains on scene scoping out this event. There were no injuries except for the reported burns on the male dope cooker.
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 10 • NUMBER 2
Fire on The 118 Freeway
A fire erupted on the 118 Westbound at Tampa Monday morning endangering condominiums and bringing traffic to a standstill for two hours. The LAFD, using a new tactic of aggressive attack and combined forces with LACo firefighters were able to contain the fire within 35 minutes. Policing up the area and making sure that there were no burning embers that could re-ignite took over three hours.
Beans Cause Evacuation
It sure seemed like a good idea: save time and dinner will be ready when you return! Someone put a pot of beans full of water on the stove to simmer and decided to go out. Unfortunately, the water boiled out, filled the apartment with smoke, set off the fire/smoke alarms and required evacuation of some tenants. LAFD 74 under the direction of Captain Kristina Kepner made short work of the fire after they were able to locate it in the smoke filled hallways. NEVER LEAVE ANYTHING ON THE STOVE IF YOU’RE GOING TO BE AWAY. This could have been a disaster.