THEY’RE OFF AND RUNNING! See “View From The Rock,” page 3
FREE
FRIDAY • MARCH 3, 2017
TELLING THE TRUTH FOR 12 YEARS!
VOLUME 13 • NUMBER 5
Paid for by Karo Torossian for Council 2017
INSIDE:
Gov’t refuses to Pay Guardsmen
................ Dale Gibson
4
interview from Horse Trader
................
7
Winter shelters remain open
............
10
DEPARTMENTS Foothills Happenings............. 2 Community Help.................... 2 View from the Rock.............. 3 Letters / Perspectives........... 3 The Credit Score.................... 4 Legion Post Calendar............. 4 Chef Randy........................... 5 Crime Stats......................... 10 Take My Card..................... 11
Paid for by Monica Rodriguez for Council 2017
GET THE DAILY NEWS BY JOINING THE FOOTHILLS INSIDER! Write to: editor@thepaper.ws
2 — FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 13 • NUMBER 5
Community Help by Amelia
Homeless Connect Day: Another Success Story
11 from 6 to 9 p.m. Crescenta Valley McGroarty 2017 on ForMarch more information, please visit mcgroartyartscenter.org Chamber of Com- Artists Show ••• McGroarty Arts Center will merce Events be holding its 2017 McGroarty Pasadena SymMarch Mixer at Arthur Murray Artists Show Reception on phony in March: Dance Center, Wed., March 8, March 11, showcasing the art6-8 p.m. 2260 Honolulu work of the center’s students Mendelssohn, in Montrose and staff with live entertainment, free craft beer, wine and Schubert & Mozart 2017 Smart-a-Thon, Wednesday, March 15, 11:30 to 1:30, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital Great fun for a great cause! Proceeds benefit the Mary Pinola/CV Chamber Education Fund.
DMH worker gives out information on services available. by
Babz Rowe
Amelia lost her home to a fire on Sunday and Babz Rowe helped with the column.
On Thursday, February 16, a Homeless Connect Day was held at the Tujunga City Municipal Building. Those who attended were greeted with an ocean of kindness. Dozens of agencies and organizations were there to provide information and services like flu shots, information on obtaining access to housing, mental health counselling, veterans’ affairs/outreach, public social services, agencies for recovery referrals, and more. As folks circled the room, at their last stop were the tables provided by our own “Mother Teresa,” Pattee Colvin. There they found warm socks [courtesy of Doc], gloves, blankets, water bottles, toiletries, umbrellas and more, all to help those there get through this cold, wet and stormy winter. And there were even children’s books as well. These caring providers furnished boxed lunches for the participants, and there was a shower truck waiting for those who wanted a hot shower. The next Homeless Connect Day will be held in Sylmar, date to be determined. Calendars should be marked for the free mobile medical clinic that will be held at The Chapel of The Hills (across the street from Oro Vista Park) from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 8. This event is sponsored by Medical Mission
Adventures and Pattee Colvin’s Making It Happen organization, which can be reached at (818) 433-2148. It wasn’t that long ago that the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) released its 2016 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count. Sadly, homelessness in the Valley jumped 35%. While the City Council tries to figure out how to better spend resources in various communities. We are now awaiting the results of the latest homeless count. These counts are important in that it gives us the figures that will help us come up with strategies and solutions to address homelessness in our neighborhoods. Thanks to past CD-7 Councilmember Felipe Fuentes, the Los Angeles Family Housing (LAFH) and LAHSA -moved their staff into the SunlandTujunga municipal facility to address this very issue. Already, the two organizations have made some in-roads in helping our neediest community members on our streets in Sylmar, Sunland-Tujunga, Sun Valley and more. Not too long ago, the LA Times highlighted the organization’s work in our District. We have a challenging road ahead, however, I know that working with our non-profit partners and stakeholders we will find solutions towards ending homelessness in the City of Los Angeles. For more information, contact Amelia Anderson at (747) 218-1070.
Amelia Anderson is a Homeless Advocate elected to both the SunlandTujunga Neighborhood Council and also to Mayor Garcetti’s Homeless Committee.
Day at the Races Sunday, March 19, 11 a.m., Santa Anita Race Track, Top o’ the Stretch (Includes 9 exciting thoroughbred races, parking and fresh BBQ lunch!) $25 (or $15 for kids 17 and under.) Benefits the CV Sheriff Support Group and the CV and Montrose Chambers. •••
10
%
off
On selected items.
snacks. “We are excited to show the community the artwork of our students and teachers, and we are thrilled to see a rebirth of creative community at McGroarty,” said Dawn Jenkins, cocurator of the event, along with local artist Carolyn Young. This is the first time in over a decade the center will be featuring two-dimensional artwork by McGroarty’s own students and teachers. The event is part of McGroarty Artists Show 2017, running March 8-14, with the open reception
Principal Guest Conductor Nicholas McGegan returns to lead the Pasadena Symphony at Ambassador Auditorium on Saturday, March 18 with Mendelssohn’s Scottish Symphony, Schubert’s Overture in the Italian Style and Mozart’s Turkish Violin Concerto No. 5 with performances at 2 and 8 p.m. The concerts take place at Ambassador Auditorium, 131 S. St. John Avenue in Pasadena. Tickets may be purchased online at PasadenaSymphonyPops.org or by calling (626) 793-7172. •••
ST. PATRICK’S DAY is coming! We have Free-Range
Turkeys all year long!
818-248-3068
For the absolute best steak, get Harmony Farms’
Australian “Kobe-style” Wagyu Beef!
THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 — 3
VOLUME 13 • NUMBER 5 • www.thefoothillspaper.com
Now this is going to be one hell of an election. With 19 candidates running for the seat vacated by Felipe Fuentes, it will be fun seeing who got how many votes. Yup, I’ve never seen so many hopefuls putting out the effort to contact their neighbors and build up a grass roots group to push them to the top of the pyramid. I applaud each and every one of them. What is interesting to me is the old western feud of the ranchers and the farmers. Keep that simile in mind as we look at who would best represent US here in SunlandTujunga. We have three ranchers from Shadow Hills that really know ranching and what it would take to make Shadow Hills and the equestrians happy for the next four years. Then we have the good ol’ boys and girls from Tujunga that are drawing from the local watering hole and have a vested interest in keeping the Big-T safe for everybody (except the homeless). Then there are those who have
some actual experience in home town politics, connections with the Cleghorn machine, and are trying to make a name for their own organizations. And for once I’m not going to name names, I want them to have the benefit of gathering all their friends together for one hell of a good run against the real politicians. You may be saying to yourselves, “Doc’s full of crap; he can’t even count how many people are running.” And you might be partially right. I really take umbrage (do you like that word?) when a for-real carpetbagger candidate like Mike Schaefer shows up from Vegas, rents a trailer on St. Esteban to establish residency, gets a kid from Craigslist to trailer-sit for him, and then ends up suing the landlord for not letting him get away with it. What’s really in it for him? This is small-town politics at its best. I really love Bonny Corwin for fighting against all odds to do something wonderful this town. And then there’s Connie Saunders who is so
clean-cut that I thought that she was a Jehovah’s Witness. That is until I received her “community package” where she slipped in some propaganda for the Church of Scientology. Yup, looks can be deceiving. Look around you at the local candidates, they are really good looking. From Dapper Dave Barron and Rancher Dale Gibson to the rest of the boys and girls running, we could have our own fashion magazine. Hell, even Art Minor put on real clothes and shaved for the event. I’m proud of all of you. And the best man or woman will win this event. Even Jose Castillo’s MBA has shown a new trend in Social Media exposure. I like his spunk. Now here is a candidate that would take on city hall with a vengeance. Unfortunately I got tired of his posting 5-10 times a day on all the forums. He’s a politician in-training. He’ll make a really good aide to whoever wins. Now let’s look at the real politicians. I know that Karo Torossian isn’t as pretty as his oppo-
V IEW
ROCK nent Monica Rodriguez, but they are the ones with the most political clout in city hall. And, boys and girls, that’s what is going to turn the tide this election. You have to think to yourselves — who’s my friend, or who’s actually going to kick ass and get things done for all of CD-7? Remember, we’re still the bastard step-child of L.A., nothing’s going to change that. But you can vote for that person that you think will actually make a difference when March 7 comes around. You can go drink your booze, smoke that funny stuff or just chill out. But whatever you do, don’t let me hear you say, “It’s the water!”
The Foothills Letters & P erspectives Why aren’t teachers teaching? 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 is a non-profit newspaper produced by the OSS-Spectrum group.
EXECUTIVE EDITOR/PUBLISHER Dr. David DeMullé
editor@thefoothillspaper.com TECHNICAL EDITOR Randall Fleming ftp@thepaper.ws WITH THANKS TO The ILS Foundation for Their Support
THE FOOTHILLS PAPER TheFoothillsPaper.COM P.O. Box 444, Tujunga CA 91043 818-951-0943
L.A. Press Club Press Photographers Association of Greater Los Angeles International Combat Camera Association
Dear Editor, I’m a single conservative/ small business owner, raising a 12 yr old daughter in a left wing society! It’s been a crazy election year at that! But also raising a child is pretty crazy too! Not being able to afford private school for my child, I have to depend on our local public school system to do their job of teaching her! (and teaching her what they should, like math, English etc.) So during this election time my child comes and tells me how 1 of the 2 teachers in question is having the t.v. On in class during teaching time
and she is in deed watching CNN! The 2nd teacher in question is bashing Trump on a Daily basis and talking and teaching things (like social justice) that have nothing to do with the class subject itself! How is this fair??? So I stand to say indoctrination is in our middle schools and I believe in elementary! Myself and my child’s father met with the assistant principal to address these issues, instead we felt he was trying to discredit our child into suggesting she was a bad child!(we had to redirect him as to why We were there)! He said with a written statement he will address our concerns! I truly hope so, because what the teachers are
doing is wrong! What is happening to our town I love so dearly? What is happening to our country? God help us! D.G., Sunland •••
K-Mart needs to be utilized! Dear Editor, I want to use this letter to communicate some important information about the future of the Sunland-Tujunga community to those reading today’s Foothill Paper. I imagine that most of you who have lived here since 2004 or before are aware of the community’s fight to
prevent Home Depot from opening a store on the old K-Mart property at 8040 Foothill Blvd., on the corner of Foothill and Woodward Ave. A truly dedicated group of community volunteers spent endless hours picketing at the property, petitioning Home Depot Corporation, and cajoling our then council member Wendy Gruel and the City Planning Department to equitably apply existing City ordinances to prevent the opening of a store that would have had numerous unmitigable negative effects and would have been in violation of the City’s Foothill Blvd. Corridor Specific Plan. Due to the steely determinasee Letters, page 9
America, Reality of Death, Will we save our country? by
Glenn Mollette
A few Americans will live their entire lives and never vote. Many Americans will never marry or have children. Millions of Americans will never serve in the military. Many Americans will never own a house. There is much about America that not one hundred percent of Americans will share or experience. However, every American will experience death. Many of us will be affected by the loss of a family
member before we experience our own death. Death is universal. My father, now deceased, often said “We will not get out of this world alive.” A relative of mine has recently moved in with another relative due to the diagnosis of terminal cancer. His doctor said that his time is short. Over the next few weeks or maybe only few days we will watch and try to help as our loved one becomes weaker and life more difficult. Hospice is involved. When morphine begins to be routinely adminis-
tered then it won’t be long until he succumbs with a final breath and his life will be over. I have officiated or eulogized between 450 to 500 funerals in my lifetime. Possibly more. In every scenario there was a common thread - life was over for someone. We are all preoccupied with the present. We have so many concerns and stresses, goals and hopes that we have difficulty numbering our days and grasping that our existence on this planet will only last a few more years or maybe even a
few more moments. We are all only one heartbeat from death. I realize you are not enjoying this column a lot. I’m not enjoying writing it very much. Death is a downer. No pun intended. For people of faith it’s an upper, we believe. Death is saying goodbye to all people and all things as far as this world is concerned. We say goodbye to the spouse, the friend, the children and hobbies such as gardening, recreation, travel and writing. We say goodbye to the world besee Reality, page 9
4 — FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 13 • NUMBER 5
Boy Scout Troop 315 Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser
Unfair Treatment For Guard and Reserves by
Charles E. Schmidt
Want to fight a war on the cheap? Well, if you’re a Pentagon bean counter, one way to save money is to deploy National Guard and reserve forces under Bill 10, Section 12304b. Under this little-known provision of the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, reservists and Guard members can be involuntarily activated without receiving service credit toward benefits such as the Post-9/ll GI Bill, health insurance or early retirement. Even more alarming is that the military has other authorization mechanisms that can be used to deploy these men and women. But they can choose to not use 1 hem. The main purpose of this insidious code appears to be budget savings. Take the deployment of a task force of 294 Marines to Honduras last year, for example. Approximately 200 were reservists, according to Marine Forces South. While the active-duty Marines were able to accumulate full benefits, the reservists were not. Adding insult to injury, many of the reservists who deployed thought they were volunteering but learned later that their orders
To benefit:
National Commander Charles E. Schmidt were classified “involuntary.” During the last Congress, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., introduced legislation to correct this injustice. It never made it out of committee. The American Legion hopes to see better results in the 115th Congress. As bad as 12304b is, the misuse of l2301(h) medical orders is even worse. In 2010, Capt. Bryan Lowman of the North Carolina National Guard deployed to Afghanistan, where he contracted typhoid and went into a coma. After multiple surgeries overseas, he was notified while recovering at Walter Reed that his orders had been changed to reflect his medical status. Based on the active-duty time listed on his DO 214, Lowman should be entitled to 90 percent of his GI see Deployment, page 9
Sons, Daughters and Wives of Veterans
Come and Enjoy your local American Legion Post Help support Veterans and Veterans’ Causes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Are you man enough for this “Fru-Fru” drink?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SADDLES FOR SOLDIERS March 18
6:30 DINNER • 7:00 BAND, 4 NO MORE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
American Legion Post 377
10039 Pinewood Ave., Tujunga
(8 1 8 ) 3 5 3 - 9 8 5 6 Events open to the public
Canteen Hours - 7 days a week, 2- 10 p.m.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For Hall Rental, call Commander Dan at (818) 521-1137
Saddles for Soldiers is a program designed specifically by the Shadow Hills Riding Club to assist United States Veterans and their families cope with the traumas and stresses of returning from combat, long term depression, reestablishing life skills and readjustment into civilian life through the use of horses.
Hosted by Sunland/Tujunga American Legion Post 377
10039 Pinewood Ave Tujunga, CA
Reach 7,000 viewers per week. Advertise on our Facebook site.
E-mail Doc for details!
Movie Review: Fifty Shades Darker by
Attention All Veterans,
Bob Garver
The “Fifty Shades” franchise is commercially successful but critically despised. I’ve heard all manner of nasty things said about the books, and 2015’s “Fifty Shades of Grey” tied for Worst Picture at the Razzies. “Fifty Shades Darker” is no redeemer, I assure you. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say the series likes the abuse it takes from people with good taste. Okay, that’s not fair. The franchise isn’t about people who like abuse. It’s about a woman who infatuates a man who likes to be abusive. And not even really abusive, just roleplay abusive and otherwise merely controlling. Actually, she’s the one who gets to decide when he gets to play abusive, and she does so as a rare treat, so in a way, she’s in control. Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) broke up with dominating billionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) at the end of the first movie because of her disgust over
his proclivities. She has since gotten a job with a book publisher (Eric Johnson, thankfully no relation to
Dakota because that would be too gross even for this series) who clearly has eyes see Fifty Shades, page 9
THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 — 5
VOLUME 13 • NUMBER 5 • www.thefoothillspaper.com
Root Tarte Tatin by
Chef Randy
A Birthday Party for Dr. Seuss
Tarte Tatin is generally an upside-down tart of apples or other fruit. This one features vegetables and is a cross between my Back To Our Root Vegetables and Tomato Tarte Tatin recipes. It combines tasty root vegetables with fresh herbs and puff pastry. In addition to taste, this dish looks amazing when brought to the table. Ingredients: 1 medium new potato (peeled and sliced ½-inch thick) 1 medium rutabaga (peeled and sliced ½-inch thick) 2 medium carrots (peeled and sliced ½-inch thick) 1 medium parsnip (peeled and sliced ½-inch thick) 1 small onion (peeled and sliced ½-inch thick) ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste ⅓ cup sugar 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Saturday, March 4, 2017 2 to 4:30 P.M.
Puppet Show at 3:O0 P.M.
Crafts at 2 p.m.
Face Painting Starts at 2 p.m.
Lots of FUN! 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (chopped) 1 teaspoon fresh sage (chopped) 1 sheet puff pastry Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Liberally spray a 9 or 10-inch round baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. I use a 10-inch round
(not fluted) white Corning Ware quiche dish for this. Add the first six ingredients (potato through oil) to a large plastic bag and toss all vegetables until evenly coated with oil. Pour vegetables onto a rimmed baking sheet and spread out into a single layer. Bake until tender – about 35 minutes. Remove see Tarte Tatin, page 9
For additional recipes, see Chef Randy’s website at
valley-vegetarian.com
BOOK SIGNING on MARCH 6
A new cookbook, Ojai Valley Gluten-Free Cookbook, by Ojai chef and author Randy Graham is now available for purchase for $16.95 including tax. All of the 87 recipes in this book are gluten-free and vegetarian. Graham will be signing books at the Ojai Coffee Roasting Company in Ojai on Monday, March 6th from 9:30 a.m. until noon. Come by to say Hi, get a good cup of Joe, and buy a book (or two).
Wear a silly costume to the library!
Generously sponsored by The Friends of the Sunland-Tujunga Library Sunland-Tujunga Branch Library | 7771 Foothill Blvd. | (818) 352-4481 www.facebook.com/LAPLSunland @LAPLSunland
Fifty Shades, from pg. 4 for her and is a harassment lawsuit waiting to happen. She goes to an art show for her friend Jose (Victor Rasuk), who we know from the first movie wants to be more than friends, and sees that all the pieces are of her. There she sees Christian for the first time since their breakup. He’s there because he’s been stalking her. We’re about 10 minutes into this movie and the main character has three guys tripping over each other to be with her because they’re obsessed with her. Anastasia is plenty attractive and sweet, but I find it hard to believe that she has three guys revolving their lives around her like this. Anastasia agrees to go on a dinner date with Christian, and agrees to resume their relationship under the condition that she doesn’t have to agree to any rules or punishments this time. Christian agrees, though to him, taking away the rules and punishments is probably a rule and a punishment. Anastasia and Christian begin dating again, and their relationship is filled with “hardcore” sex scenes that are laughably softcore because of the limits of the R rating. There are also twists along the way, such as a former submissive of Christian’s who wants to know what Anastasia has done to deserve a “no punishments” relationship, and Christian’s former dominant (Kim Basinger) who wants to break up the couple because she thinks Anastasia
just wants Christian for his money. I don’t blame her, because Christian is so devoid of charisma, charm, and consideration that money is about the only thing he has going for him. Then there’s a bit toward the end where Christian goes missing after a plane crash to force some suspense into this movie, but all it does to draw attention to how badly it needed some sort of danger. By now, everybody knows the kind of trashy movie they’re getting with “Fifty Shades Darker.” Not trashy because of its sexual content (don’t get me wrong, this movie is a hard R), but trashy because its characters and conflicts are so poorly written and the movie thinks it’s so much more erotic than it is. The only enjoyment you’re likely to get out of it is that it’s fun to giggle and heckle (I couldn’t help but shout out that a certain political leader would approve of a scene of inappropriate grabbing in an elevator). But this movie is awful on every legitimate level. We’re sure to get many more bad movies in 2017, but “Fifty Shades Darker” is an early frontrunner for next year’s Razzies. One and a Half Stars out of Five. “Fifty Shades Darker” is rated R for strong erotic sexual content, some graphic nudity, and language. Its running time is 118 minutes. Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.
6 — FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 13 • NUMBER 5
Flood insurance: Does your excuse hold water? does it make sense for everyone? As an insurance professional, Morrison has heard all the explanations. Here are some of the most common misconceptions about flood insurance:
provided by
Ed Castellanos
We know the old saying: when it rains, it pours... and when it pours, it floods. With winter storms coming to an end, the threat of flooding increases. It’s easy to forget about how powerfully destructive water can be. In fact, nine out of 10 natural disasters include flood, making it the number one disaster in the United States according to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). However, only 15 percent of homeowners have flood insurance. From 2006 to 2015, total flood claims cost more than $1.9 billion per year and the average claim was more than $46,000 during that time. “Even just a few inches of water can cause thousands of dollars in property damage,” says Corise Morrison, executive director of underwriting at USAA. “While it’s possible to mitigate flood damage, complete prevention is nearly impossible. If you don’t take the proper precautions, it can be devastating to your family finances.” For most homeowners, that means looking into flood insurance. But
“Flood is covered by my homeowners insurance policy.” Typically, flooding is not covered by a homeowners insurance policy. Therefore, homeowners must purchase a separate policy through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) from their insurer. If the homeowner does have flood insurance, it’s important to regularly reevaluate it to ensure it provides adequate coverage. “Flood insurance is too expensive.” To emphasize an earlier point, the average cost of a flood claim hovered around $46,000 from 2011 to 2015. The average annual premium for flood insurance in the U.S. is $650, according to NFIP. Do the math. “I don’t live in a flood plain so I don’t need flood insurance.” The Federal Emergency Management Agency found that as many as 20 percent of flood claims come from moderate-to-low risk areas. These are areas in which lenders don’t require the purchase of flood
insurance. However, “less likely” doesn’t equal “no risk.” Complete this quick self-survey: “Does it rain where I am?” If the answer is yes, consider flood insurance because it can flood anywhere it rains.
“Flood insurance won’t provide me with the coverage I need anyway.” It is true that the NFIP limits coverage of a single residence to $250,000 for the structure and another $100,000 for contents to the home, but they aren’t the only source for coverage. Excess flood coverage can also be purchased above the $250,000 limit. “I’ll just wait until it rains.” Sorry to break this to you, but most insurers require a 30-day waiting period before a policy is effective. Unless your own forecasts rival the best science and technology have to offer, it might be wise to stick to the mantra, “better safe than sorry.” The consequences for being ill prepared for a flood can be long lasting. Research and carefully weigh the risk to you and your property. Chances are that you’ll find that it might be more reasonable than you thought. Visit USAA.com/flood for more tips and information on flood insurance and what to do before, during and after flooding occurs.
Edgar Castellanos BRE# 01855534 LAHOMES247.com
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THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 — 7
VOLUME 13 • NUMBER 5 • www.thefoothillspaper.com
Dale Gibson Interview With Horse Trader Mag This interview originally appeared in Horse Trader Magazine Horse Trader (HT): Dale, are there any similarities in the role of a movie stunt rider and running as a candidate for L.A. City Council? Dale Gibons (DG): Being on budget and being on time are the most important things dealing with the city and, especially, on set. In either place, if you get known for being undependable, a big spender and never on time, you are not going to be very popular.
Verdugo Hills Liquor Store
7119 Foothill Blvd.
REACH 7,000 viewers per week.
Advertise on our Facebook site.
editor@thefoothillspaper.com
HT: It’s been pointed out that “stunt man” is just one item on your resume. You’ve been president of your local neighborhood council that works closely with the Los Angeles City Council on neighborhood issues, you are the current president of the Equine Advisory Board, working closely the last seven years with the L.A. City Council on equestrian issues. And you’re a businessman in L.A. going on 18 years now. DG: For the neighborhoods, I’d like to strengthen the neighborhood council’s voice, which is more in tune with local issues. As for horses, L.A. is second only to Texas with the number of horses, a big economic business for L.A. I’d also like to see more filming brought back to L.A. Many jobs and tax revenue was lost to other states when L.A. took away tax incentives to filming. HT: You have been working to make a difference for years — ranging from your water reclamation project to leading the L.A. Equine Advisory Council. What’s your message to horse people as far as getting involved in their communities? DG: United we stand, divided we fall. My message is to stand together — yes, it’s the motto of Kentucky, where I’m from. But most equestrians want to go ride and be left alone. I tell horse people and non-equestrian voters in this district that we REALLY need to stand together. One person rarely makes a big difference, but a community that stands together can make great things happen. Horse people are very independent, self-sufficient folks, but a loner can easily be picked off by wolves and there are lots of wolves out there. The other thing is to stand for your community.
Dale Gibson. HT: What are the pressures horse communities face? DG: A realtor told me a long time ago, “we fight and we fight, and one day we win.” And that’s how our ranchlands disappear, to developers who have a lot of money. But once the lifestyle is gone, it’s gone forever. HT: Different types of horse people bring different strengths to the community. What are the urgent items to address in northern Los Angeles? What are some of the ways horse people can get involved? DG: First, just stand together. Infrastructure, homelessness, zoning, water conservation and retention of rain runoff. These are just a start. HT: What’s your vision of having horses in the mid part of this century? DG: I have watched the equestrian lifestyle slowly fade away. I understand its not cheap, but kids that grow up around horses are the most respectful, caring and responsible kids I know. Taking care of something or someone else is a huge responsibility, and it leaves an impression on kids. I hope our lifestyle survives, it shouldn’t be just for the wealthy, but a choice for everyone who wants it. Captain Kirk loved horses in the future. Read the entire Horse Trader interview with Dale Gibbons online at http://bit.ly/703_Dale.
8 — FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 13 • NUMBER 5
The Foothills Community P age
Finn Community Garden: Making Us More Fruitful It was the day after that crazy Friday in February, when the torrential rains flooded our freeways, toppled our trees and brought down power lines. The Finn Community Garden members wondered if they’d be lucky enough to get a break from the storms, so that they could get down to business…garden business. They had planned to hold their monthly meeting, collect garden dues, and prepare for a busy day of digging. Thankfully, on that following Sunday morning, the heavens opened, the sun shone down, and our neighbors added 10 donated fruit trees to our local garden. To say that our community garden has had its “fair share of obstacles” would be an understatement. And I’m not even talking about the breakin and vandalism that occurred a couple of weeks ago. Our community garden project has been struggling for years. But now, with a
community crusader like Eve Sinclair at the helm of this garden’s ship, you better believe she won’t steer us into troubled waters. The garden was created in 2003. It was a great idea with a great location. However, after a couple of years, the garden fell into neglect. Year after year, a noble citizen or two would try to revive it. They soon realized the revival was quite an undertaking. Many brave enough to step up to the challenge were also met with neighborhood opposition. So for a while there, adversity and red tape won, strangling every bit of life out of the garden like a gigantic weed. All of that changed one year ago in February, when Sunland mommy, Eve Sinclair, stepped up to the plate for a chance at bat. Last winter, Eve noticed the dilapidated garden, while her daughter played at the adjacent park. She simply thought, “Gardening would
Eve (at right in gray shirt) with Finn Community Garden members. be a great opportunity for the neighborhood kids.” So, she ventured through the available channels of communication, funding and political support that would allow this to happen. Turns out, she had the game winning swing: community. “Going it alone” would have left the garden waist-high in weeds. But Eve, gathering people and resources from all walks of life, didn’t only get on base. She hit a home run.
Her idea of reviving the garden began last winter. She called the right people, and in spring, a community garden cleanup event (85+ people) took place, which even saw the likes of our very own disliked former Councilman, Felipe Fuentes. In summer, she hosted the garden grand opening, where members picked plots and assigned duties. In autumn, the members got together and started planting. And now, one year after she be-
gan with a simple idea, the plots are green and teeming with life. On Sunday, February 19th, the garden members dug way for 10 new trees donated by Fallen Fruit, a fruit-asart collaboration based in Silver Lake. The garden’s collective of green-thumbs shoveled into the rain tempered soil, planting tree after tree, making way for apples, peaches, plums, apricots and pluots. Hopefully, that’s see Finn Gardens, page 9
Hundred-foot Oak Tree Falls
NOTICE TO CONSUMERS: The Compassionate Use Act of 1996 ensures that seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use cannabis for medical purposes where medical use is deemed appropriate and has been recommended by a physician who has determined that the person’s health would benefit from the use of medical cannabis. Recommendations must come from an attending physician as defined in Section 11362.7 of the Health and Safety Code. Cannabis is a Schedule I drug according to the federal Controlled Substances Act. Activity related to cannabis use is subject to federal prosecution, regardless of the protections provided by state law.
Resident Linda Brand stands beside the mighty Oak that fell on Hillhaven just after the rains. by
David DeMullé
Southern California was cleaning up Sunday after its biggest storm in years unleashed a wave of rain and snow that killed at least three people and triggered flooding, mud slides and high winds. Vital highways and railways were shut down and sinkholes opened on main roads under the heaviest rainfall in the drought-stricken region in at least five years, according to the National Weather Service. In one of wettest spots near Santa Barbara, more than 10 inches of rain
fell on Friday with several other stations in Southern California reporting at least nine inches. “It’s been a very active winter and rainy season for the entire state of California,” said Patrick Burke, a meteorologist at the Weather Prediction Center. “But sometimes droughts end with a flood and we’ve gone from one extreme to the other.” Parts of Southern California have been the slowest to exit the drought. The state’s reservoirs are 22 percent more full than the average, according to the California Department of Water Resources.
WE DO SMOG CHECK, BRAKE & LIGHT INSPECTION, ENGINE DIAGNOSIS AND ELECTRICAL.
THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 — 9
VOLUME 13 • NUMBER 5 • www.thefoothillspaper.com
Finn Gardens, from pg. 8 something sweet enough to temporarily pull the kids’ attention away from the swing set and into the garden. We can expect the first harvest in about a year. And, at long last, Eve is accomplishing what she had set out to do. She is starting a kids’ gardening club, where
Deployment, from pg. 4 Bill benefits. Instead, VA downgraded his rating to 40 percent, and he was forced to take out student loans to attend Clemson University. Sadly, Lowman’s story is not unique. More than 20,000 reserve and Guard members
Tarte Tatin, from pg. 5 from oven and allow to cool. While the vegetables are roasting in the oven, cook sugar with 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat
Letters, from pg. 3 tion of so many local residents, from a true cross section of our community, we won a miraculous victory. But that victory has turned out to be just half of the battle. Since then the property has stood vacant. As part of my personal research on the position of CD7 candidates for the upcoming local election, I recently spoke to Karo Torossian about his ideas for the future use of this key property. Very much to my surprise, the proposal he felt was best for the property was a mixed use project, combining a multi-unit residential facility with attached commercial spaces. I have never before, neither during the Home Depot fight nor since then, heard of anyone suggesting this type
Reality, from pg. 3 cause when death occurs this world is over. In view of our upcoming appointment of finality we should at least know that life is short regardless if you live a hundred years. There are numerous centurions in the world. You might make the club but you might not. We should all have a Will and Last Statement that an attorney or you personally have put together. Whatever directives or decisions you want to make must be made before death. You can’t direct or control any-
children will be able to plant vegetables, build birdhouses and bring their own creativity into the garden. The kids’ gardening club begins in April and will be held every other Saturday morning. “This was always for the community,” Eve explains. “It has and always will be a way to bring us together.” You are invited to like the
Finn Community Garden on Facebook. There you will learn about upcoming events, all of which are an open invitation to the Sunland-Tujunga community. Also, be sure to look out for the huge Earth Day event they have planned in April. It will be held in conjunction with Finn Park, our city hall and the public library.
have been placed on 1230l(h) orders since 2007. Some of these veterans were wounded or injured in combat. Since our organization’s founding in 1919, The American Legion has been a champion for veterans’ health care and other benefits. We wrote the original Gl Bill and backed
passage of the Post-9/11 version. As I say so often, the Legion’s influence depends on a robust membership. To do our part in correcting the unfair treatment of our nation’s heroes, we need numbers so that Congress will continue to hear our voice and act. We exist to advocate for
people like Sgt. Mark Wong, a Marine Corps reservist in Cleveland. “Once I heard about the (GI Bill) exemption, it blew my mind,” Wong told Stars & Stripes. “We work the same hours as active-duty people doing the same job. The government is saying our sacrifice isn’t worth as much as it
is for those on active duty. But we leave behind families and our civilian careers too.” Sgt. Wong, the Legion believes your sacrifices are worth every bit as much as those made by your activeduty comrades. This inequity needs quick correction by Congress.
and add vinegar and a pinch of salt, again stirring to combine. Quickly pour this mixture into the prepared baking dish. This will taste good but mostly helps with providing a “sticky” base for the arrangement of the roasted veggies. Arrange potatoes, rutabaga, carrots, and parsnips in a sin-
gle layer in the baking dish. Try to arrange them so they are very close to one another. Use smaller carrot and parsnip pieces to fill in any open spaces. Sprinkle herbs (rosemary and sage) on top of veggies. Scatter onion rings on top of this layer. Cut the sheet of pastry to
fit baking dish. Place the sheet on top of the vegetable mixture. Bake until brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. To serve, use what I call the “upside-down pineapple cake maneuver”. Carefully run a knife around the
inside of the dish to loosen the side crust. Put a large round plate on top of the dish and, using a hot pad, hold the pan against the plate and flip them over together. Tap the bottom of the dish to make sure tart has not stuck to bottom. Bring to the table with pride.
of use at this location. Personally, I believe such a project would be a completely misguided idea, totally out of character with the nature and spirit of Sunland-Tujunga. I have come to learn that such a project could legally be built there, but it would assuredly involve a number of significant negative consequences, such as (but not limited to): increased traffic, increased noise and illumination effects for adjoining residences, and, most probably, an excessively high structure due to an exemption from the prevailing height restrictions. Additionally, if this type of proposal were to ever be pursued in the future by a developer or City official it should meet all existing City ordinances and Planning requirements, and, as impor-
Now, I can’t even sleep at night and everyone on Odell Ave. is on edge and up all night standing guard waiting for the next crime to happen. My neighbors and I have become the police department because the Foothill Police Department seem to have nothing to do but sit at 7 11 and drink coffee. There have been car break-ins, people sleeping in backyards, Peter Moen, bikes being stolen, and people Tujunga speeding down the street. ••• I called the police to report a crime and waited to see if they would come. I called back and they LIED to me and said they did. The police need to ride around at night and watch the Dear Editor, neighborhood instead of sit I used to brag to my family ting at 7-11! and friends about how much We pay taxes for the poI loved living in Sunland, CA. lice to do nothing. He stops
at 7-11 every evening and sees the police sitting in their cars doing nothing about the homeless people. Since the police are useless in our area everyone is now installing security systems, buying guns, and dogs for more protection. A homeless person used a chair to jump over a wall and slept on top of a shed. We can’t believe the Foothill Police Department does nothing! We spend our days checking and watching out each other. This had become a serious matter. My neighbors and I have now purchased guns to protect our families and homes. So, whoever you are committing these crimes: we will get you!
ly temporary caretakers of this world and rapidly throughout the centuries everything is passed on and on. Sadly we fight over land, natural resources, strategic power positioning. We fight among ourselves and hate each other. For years, America has been taunted as the Christian nation. There is so much hate in America today that we should be ashamed to call ourselves a Christian nation. Prejudice, hate and violence are still ugly realities of what is supposed to be the greatest nation in the world. The political parties and political figures
that they will preserve this great country. Or, we can fight each other until what we have is simply taken over by China, Russia, Japan or someone who is simply watching us die slowly and intends to be ready to step in and take over. If every American would wake up before we die we might save this country from dying with us.
thing after death. Realize we are only stewards or managers. We talk about my land, my house, my car, and my money. Someone else will own all of this. Nothing we have or think we own is ours forever. Everything is passed on to someone else. You should start practicing now not talking about everything as “mine.” You are only a manager of your millions or of your pennies. Someone soon will have it all. Seems to me that everyone throughout America and the world would work together better if we realized we are on-
A bountiful feast and learning experience awaits you at Finn Gardens.
tantly, be vetted through the local communities on a very widespread basis. My aim in publishing this letter is to raise community awareness about this possible threat to our community. We have waited too long to see a truly community friendly use for the old K-Mart property and should not have to settle for anything less.
Police lied — Again!
drag our nation down with constant backbiting and war against each other. All the while many media groups have aligned themselves with political parties and contribute to the national devouring. Death comes to every individual and sadly history records even death comes to great nations and empires. We die by disease, disaster and design or just do nothing and eventually die anyway. America doesn’t have to die. We can have a nation for our children and grandchildren. We can pass all that we have on to our families and children in hopes
B.A., Sunland
Glenn Mollette is an American Columnist and author. Contact him at GMollette@aol.com. Like his facebook page atwww. facebook.com/glennmollette
10 — FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
Crime Stats Robbery 02/24/17 08:40 PM 00 BLOCK OF GREELEY AND TUJUNGA Burglary 02/22/17 09:00 PM 10300 BLOCK OF SILVERTON AV Theft 02/22/17 04:00 PM 6300 BLOCK OF FOOTHILL BL Burglary 02/22/17 03:30 PM 9000 BLOCK OF MULBERRY DR Theft 02/22/17 09:45 AM 10200 BLOCK OF SUNLAND BL Theft 02/22/17 09:20 AM 10200 BLOCK OF SUNLAND BL Theft 02/22/17 11:00 AM 10700 BLOCK OF RADWIN AV Assault 02/20/17 07:00 PM 10000 BLOCK OF PINEWOOD AV Theft 02/21/17 05:30 AM 11000 BLOCK OF ODELL AV Burglary 02/20/17 06:30 PM 8500 BLOCK OF APPERSON ST Burglary 02/19/17 02:00 AM 6500 BLOCK OF FOOTHILL BL Burglary 02/19/17 02:35 AM 8000 BLOCK OF FOOTHILL BL Burglary 02/19/17 04:20 AM 10500 BLOCK OF SUNLAND BL Assault 02/18/17 09:30 AM 8600 BLOCK OF LE BERTHON ST Burglary 02/18/17 09:30 PM 8400 BLOCK OF FOOTHILL BL Theft 02/17/17 07:30 AM 9600 BLOCK OF SALUDA AV
Theft 02/17/17 11:00 PM 10300 BLOCK OF WHITEGATE AV Theft 02/17/17 05:00 PM 6900 BLOCK OF SAINT ESTABAN ST Burglary 02/16/17 07:00 PM 7500 BLOCK OF VALAHO DR Burglary 02/16/17 03:00 PM 9800 BLOCK OF CRAIG MITCHELL LN Theft 02/16/17 01:40 AM 00 BLOCK OF VALMONT AND TUJUNGA CANYON Theft 02/16/17 05:00 PM 8600 BLOCK OF LA TUNA CANYON RD Theft 02/15/17 11:30 PM 7000 BLOCK OF SAINT ESTABAN ST Theft 02/15/17 09:00 PM 10000 BLOCK OF PLAINVIEW AV Burglary 02/15/17 06:30 PM 7600 BLOCK OF HILLROSE ST Theft 02/13/17 11:00 AM 7300 BLOCK OF FOOTHILL BL Theft 02/12/17 06:40 PM 10400 BLOCK OF SUNLAND BL Burglary 02/10/17 05:00 PM 6800 BLOCK OF GREELEY ST Theft 02/10/17 04:30 PM 10200 BLOCK OF SHERMAN GROVE Burglary 02/09/17 11:00 AM 10500 BLOCK OF PAINYON AV Theft 02/06/17 03:00 PM 6600 BLOCK OF FOOTHILL BL
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 13 • NUMBER 5
Winter Shelters To Remain Open On Wednesday, the L.A. City Council extended for a month the winter shelter program for the homeless — meaning that eight temporary shelters will stay open until the end of March. The L.A. Homeless Services Authority, which runs the program that began Dec. 1, advised the council that the shelters should remain open for an extended time owing to this winter’s heavy rains. The program costs $1.85 million in Emergency Shelter Grant funding and about $297,000 in general funds. The council motion extending the program said that “as a result of savings, no additional funding is necessary for the extension.” On Tuesday, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted to extend the county’s overall winter shelter program for an additional month, to March 31, and a motion was introduced to explore converting the National Guard armory in Sylmar to a full-time homeless shelter.
The armory is currently being used for the city’s winter shelter program. Because a second location in the San Fernando Valley was being removed from the extension program, Councilman Paul Krekorian noted that the armory would be the only winter homeless shelter in that region. “The Sylmar armory is the only winter shelter in the entire San Fernando Valley, a population of two million people and one of the highest rates of increase of homelessness in the entire county, and there is one winter shelter that is operating right now. So I urge that we go forward with this motion,” Krekorian said. The extension, which was approved on a 12-0 vote, will also provide an additional 10 days of round-the-clock operations, as needed, during inclement weather. The eight temporary shelters that will remain open are: — Testimonial Community Love Center at 5701 and 5615 S. Western Ave.;
A homeless person washes his clothes in rainwater at Sunland Park. — Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission at 12860 Arroyo St.; — Bethel Los Angeles CDC at 7900 S. Western Ave. and 5500 S. Hoover St.; — First to Serve, Inc at 1300 Federal Ave.; — First to Serve, Inc. 1177 W. 25th St.; — Weingart Center Association at 566 San Pedro St.; — Ascencia (with Recycled Resources) at 5619 Monte Vista St.; and — SSG (with Home At Last) at 2514 W. Vernon Ave.
THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 — 11
VOLUME 13 • NUMBER 5 • www.thefoothillspaper.com
ST. PATRICKS DAY GALA DINNER-DANCE
FRIDAY, MARCH 17
Sunland-Tujunga Elks Lodge, 10137 Commerce Avenue corn beef and cabbage dinner served 6:30-7:30 p.m. with dance music provided by
NOEL COLLINS’ GOLD COAST GOLD SWINGIN’ BIG BAND 8-11 p.m. dinner & dance: $3O per person • no-host bar OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Come one - come all and bring your friends! ample parking in rear of lodge
Villa Terraza is Now Serving Beer & Wine Yes, after literally years of going without a beer and wine license, a temporary license was issued to Villa Terraza at the beginning of December — and now patrons can enjoy the full ambiance of eating Italian! There are two eating areas: one inside and another outside surrounded by trees and blooming plants. This is a great place to come to for a casual family dinner or a date. Villa Terraza is located at 9955 Sunland Boulevard in Shadow Hills, CA 91040.
A serene walk besides the old waterwheel.
Spacious outdoor dining area.
The hours are: Mon, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Tue, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Wed, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Thu, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Fri, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sat, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Sun, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
View of the Villa Terraza restaurant.
12 — FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2017 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER
www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 13 • NUMBER 5
LOOKING FOR MORE TENANTS
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