THE FOOTHILLS PAPER - FEBRUARY 12, 2016

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! FREE

FRIDAY • FEBRUARY 12, 2016

TELLING THE TRUTH FOR OVER 11 YEARS!

Vandals Hit The Foothills

VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 4

Bobcat Visits Neighborhood

Approximately 40 vehicles damaged by

David DeMullé

Last week, vandals started smashing windows of parked cars on Foothill Boulevard in front of the Auto Zone store at the corner of Valaho and Foothill, leaving five-pound boulders lying in the street where they were thrown. Car and truck window glass had exploded and in the morning still covered the ground.

There were four cars vandalized that first night.

The vandals returned early

A large bobcat sighted on Tranquil Place. by

On Day Street, one of the more than 40 vehicles that were vandalized last week.

see Vandals, page 12

INSIDE: The NEW Backdoor Bakery Opens ................

2

Ride Along 2 movie review ................

4

AHEAD WIth Horses ............

12

DEPARTMENTS

News from Your Clinic........... 2 View from the Rock.............. 3 Chef Randy........................... 5 Pets Page............................. 7 Jim Laris............................... 8 S-T Crime Stats................... 10 Take My Card..................... 11

West L.A. VA Returning to Homeless Mission by

David DeMullé

Neighbors got a surprise visit from a large bobcat Monday morning taking a stroll up Tranquil Place in Tujunga.

This is the mating season for many species of animals and

they are not aggressive towards most domestic animals.

Residents are encouraged to keep their dogs on a leash or secured behind a fence as they might try to attack a bobcat with disastrous results to the dogs.

Threatening Transient Causes School Lock-down

Ken Olsen

Veterans will have access to permanent supportive housing, free legal assistance, family counseling and innovative mental health treatment under a new plan for the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center campus announced Thursday. Many of the new services will be funded or staffed by UCLA under an agreement that allows its baseball stadium to remain on VA property but allows veterans to use the facility.

VA Secretary Robert McDonald and attorney Ron

Belligerent transient caused school lock-down.

The West L.A. Veterans Administration Olson announced the plan, which is part of last year’s legal settlement between veterans and the VA, at the West Los Angeles campus. see V.A., page 9

A resident with the best of intentions made a mistake with a Sunland Park Transient.

She invited him to her home on Apperson and he became belligerent and wouldn’t leave.

She had to call the police. He returned Tuesday morning and started an altercation with the homeowner. The police

were again called and he took off, but he was captured down the street. No one really knew what he was capable of doing, and Apperson Elementary School was put into “lockdown” mode.

The transient was arrested, the actual charges are not yet known.

All these stories and more can be seen at:

http://facebook.com/thefoothillspaper

OVER 200 DISTRIBUTION SITES IN THE FOOTHILLS AREA

2 — FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER

www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 4

News From Your Urgent Care Clinic

Constipation by

Sam Samalin, PA-C

Nothing can cause patients to want to excitedly run from the clinic like telling them the magic secret to once and for all ending their lifelong misery from constipation.

First of all, make high fiber food choices: beans and nuts, dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale, fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains like oatmeal.

Properly cooked beans cause very little gas. Constipation can cause gas, so eating high fiber foods on a regular basis relieves gas. Get enough fluids and exercise. Avoid low fiber choices such as white bread, meats, white

Dr. Sam. rice, packaged foods, pizza, french fries, cheese and restaurants. And here’s the magic secret: there’s a super concentrated source of fiber: flax meal, ground flax seeds, sold in bags in the baking

see Constipation, page 9

Dr. Sam is a Physicians Assistant and is certified at the Urgent Care Clinic, 7204 Foothill Blvd.

Tujunga Student Named to U of RI Dean’s List The University of Rhode Island is pleased to announce that 4,986 undergraduates have qualified for the Fall 2015 Dean’s List. The students represent nearly all of Rhode Island’s cities and towns, all six New England states, New York and New Jersey, other states and 18 countries.

Eduardo Hermosillo Guzman of Tujunga, CA, was named to the Dean’s List. To be included on the Dean’s List, students must have completed 12 or more credits during a semester for letter grades with at least a 3.30 quality point average qualify for the Dean’s list. Parttime students qualify with the accumulation of 12 credits with a 3.30 quality point average.

The University of Rhode Island’s pioneering research extends the University’s influence well beyond its coastal borders, while its unique interdisciplinary courses provide its 16,637 undergraduate and graduate students with global opportunities in an intimate environment. In May 2015, more than 3,200 undergraduate and about 660 graduate degrees were awarded. The University now has more than 120,000 alumni worldwide.

•••

Valentine’s Day Love Potions at The Arboretum On Sunday, February 14 at 10 a.m. and again at 12 noon, take your sweetheart to the garden and enjoy an entertaining and informative tram tour about love potions from the garden.

Known for its usefulness in flavoring Italian cookies and sausage, anise seed was also used by the ancient Greeks and Romans who believed the seeds could increase desire. They may have been on to something; anise seeds have been found to influence human hormone levels.

And as so many artists have demonstrated, flowers are among the strongest and most evocative symbols of love.

Learn about other love potions from the garden during a Valentine’s Day Tram Tour.

Tours are $8 for Arboretum members and $14 for nonmembers (includes admission).

Reservations required; space is limited. Please call (626) 8214623. The Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden, is located at 301 N. Baldwin Avenue in Arcadia. The Web site is www.arboretum.org. The Peacock Café is open for lunch.

•••

The New Back Door Bakery & Cafe Opens

Inside the Back Door Bakery. by

Vince McManus

The Back Door Bakery has quickly become one of the most popular restaurants in Sunland Tujunga. Originally, we welcomed the bakery to our area in 2011. Its opening was highly anticipated, and it lived up to high expectations in its first incarnation.

Only a couple of years later, however, the building that it occupied burned to the ground in a tragic fire. Some might argue that this fire was a gift of some kind.

About one year after the fire, the Back Door Bakery has reopened to the community with new life. Now much more of a full-service restaurant, the place is seeing huge crowds of customers from day to day.

We visited the Bakery on a Saturday afternoon. Upon arrival, I was shocked to find a dining area with a person in every chair, especially at around 3:30 p.m. Additionally, I was surprised by the atmosphere of the place. The beautiful blackboard menus, the mountain of pastries and breads on display as you walk in, the modern artistic features on the wall, the eclectic blend of music playing in the background; the list goes on. I can easily picture this place doing well in some place such as downtown Glendale.

As we stood in line, we were greeted by an employee who asked if we had any questions. We ordered pasta dishes to see how the see Back Door prep page 9

10

%

off

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Come check out one of the largest selections of wild game meat!

Fresh Free Range

Harmony Farms Turkeys available for your dinner parties—all sizes

818-248-3068

For the absolute best steak, get Harmony Farms’

Australian “Kobe-style” Wagyu Beef!

THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016 — 3

VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 4 • www.thefoothillspaper.com

It’s getting time for the STNC elections again, and the Cleghorn machine is out there pumping up their stooges to take their places.

Three of the candidates that I take to task is Cindy Cleghorn herself as well as Nina Royal and Mark Seigel. In the past three elections, these three truly dedicated individuals have managed to stay in power in spite of their contributions and participation in destroying the credibility of the STNC. Remember Tomi-Lyn Bowling, the chairman of the Outreach Committee? Ms. Bowling ran the bogus “Best of Sunland-Tujunga Awards” for three years, doling out the awards to her friends and fellow church members. Why is this important you ask? It’s because Ms. Cindy okayed it and allowed it to happen. And it gets better.

Mark Seigel is the one who

broke into the logistics manager’s office and stole the ballots. They tried to protect Ms. Bowling by “losing” the ballots and later saying that no one could see them because of the HIPAA requirements. Boy oh boy, did she think you people were stupid.

Then we have Ms. Royal who was elected for three terms as STNC Treasurer. That’s not bad considering that Ms. Royal has not the slightest idea on how to keep the STNC books. In fact, she is so inept that she had to have Ed Rock (a city employee), Bill Skiles and Mark Seigel do the books for her. It’s a sorry state of affairs when the STNC board members, lie, cheat and steal and no one cares enough to take them to task.

That is the way the STNC has been running for the past three terms: corruption and downright fraud with them passing the posi-

tions around their little group like cookies at a marijuana growers convention.

Oh, did I forget to mention that these same people are also on the board of the chamber of commerce and have cut a sweetheart deal for themselves? Did you know that the STNC is paying $600 for 80 square feet of office space with the chamber that only pays $600 for the whole 500 square-foot office? And that the minutes attesting to that have not been published by the STNC Secretary, which happens to be Ms. Cindy Cleghorn?

Are you following me yet? The STNC’s current board is corrupt and nobody cared about it until now.

This year, there is a whole new group that wants to make the STNC credible again. I want you to check the list over carefully and check the qualifications of

VIEW

ROCK those running. This is the election that will make or break our community, and it’s up to you — the voters — to select those who have the ability to make our community whole again.

This is really your last chance, and please: Don’t blame it on the water!

The Foothills Letters & Perspectives The Cost of A Question 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 STAFF ASSISTANT Dyan McManus 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, Now I’m only 32, and all I want to do is read The Foothills Paper without having to squint at the small type.

Would it break the bank if you went up a couple or three points and printed an extra four pages to accommodate the increase? Just wondering.

vigilant and take matters into their own hands during the upcoming election.

To shed light on the situation, I have released a Youtube video which explains the role that Eric Garcetti plays in the increased crime rates.

More information regarding my 2017 mayoral candidacy for Los Angeles by visiting my Web site at www.FrantzForMayor.com.

A. Reader, Sunland, CA

Frantz Pierre •••

Thank you for your comment.

We’ll try out different font sizes. I’m 74 and haven’t had any trouble reading The Paper — but then again, I write a lot of it.

-Editor •••

Time to Stop the Raping and Pillaging in L.A. Dear Editor, For the first time in over twelve years, crime rates are going up in Los Angeles.

Over the last year alone, homicide and rape crimes have jumped by nine percent.

I and several anti-rape activists believe that current mayor Eric Garcetti is partly to blame.

During his tenure as mayor, Garcetti has been notoriously soft on crime. It is important for the public to remain

Learn Modern Calligraphy

A beginner workshop with Truly. Madly. Ink at the Modest Fly Gallery will take place on Sunday, February 21 starting at 12 noon until 3 p.m.

Beginner’s Calligraphy can be learned by signing up now

and glean the how-to’s of with Angela Kazanchyan. All materials are included! Seats are limited. Save your space before it’s too late!

Learn more about Angela on our Web site and at: trulymadlyink.com

AMERICAN LEGION POST 377

4 — FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER

www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 4

Movie Review: Ride Along 2 by

Attention All Veterans,

Sons, Daughters and Wives of Veterans

Come and Enjoy your local American Legion Post Help support Veterans and Veterans’ Causes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

KARAOKE NIGHT, 8 P.M. Saturday Feb. 13

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oscar Night Party Sunday, February 28

Festivities begin at 4 p.m.

Event starts at 6 p.m.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Birthday Dinner/Dance Saturday, February 20, 7 p.m.

Are you man enough for this “Fru-Fru” drink?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

American Legion Post 377

10039 Pinewood Avenue, Tujunga

(818) 353-9856 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

Bob Garver

Back in 2014, Ice Cube and Kevin Hart made the idiotic comedy “Ride Along.” The film followed a familiar “hardboiled cop and pesky sidekick” formula that’s been done to death with the only variation being that it starred the constantly-yapping Hart. Hart’s appeal was, and still is, lost on me, but the man’s fanbase turned out in droves, giving it the biggest opening weekend of any movie to officially open in January. A sequel was pretty much inevitable, and equally inevitable was that “Ride Along 2” would be just as useless as its predecessor.

The new film opens with Ben (Hart), now officially a rookie cop, screwing up an undercover mission for his veteran cop mentor James (Cube).

Ben should be kicked off the force for that alone, but instead James lets him tag along on an even bigger mission to Miami. There they meet up with local cop Maya (Olivia Munn) and panicking techie A.J. (Ken Jeong) and work to take down criminal kingpin Antonio Pope (Benjamin Bratt). By the way, Miami movie cops, if you’re wondering who in your area is probably a drug kingpin, start with the rich guy who’s always throwing parties at his mansion with a religious-sounding last name like Pope (Saint and Gabriel are other good examples) and is played by Benjamin Bratt.

Ben fights ever so hard to

win James’s approval, but James doesn’t show him respect. James especially hates that Ben refers to the two of them as the “brothers in law,” as Ben is about to marry James’s sister. For the record, I actually think that’s a pretty funny name, and it even could have been incorporated into the title of the movie. (“Ride Along 2: Brothers in Law” wouldn’t have been too bad.) But I don’t blame about the movie is Ice Cube, James for disliking Ben. Ben is a grating person and a horri- who gets a few good dry lines (heh, Dry Ice Cube), especialble cop, never knowing when ly at the end when he gives an to shut up and let James handle things. Sure, he gets to play unimpressive wedding toast and them makes a minimal efthe unlikely hero a few times, fort to correct it. but it’s usually in situations where he’s already endangered There are only so many ways lives by botching an operation I can say it: Kevin Hart is annoying in “Ride Along 2.” He that didn’t call for an unlikely was annoying in the first “Ride hero in the first place.

Along.” He’s annoying in ev I’d say that Ben’s constant ery movie outside of his standrambling ruins the movie, but up concerts, where it makes there’s not much of a movie sense for him to be constantly without it. I’ve seen comedic talking. If your idea of funny Miami crime movies before, is Kevin Hart forcing himself and this one brings nothing down your throat for 102 minnew to the table. Munn is exutes, this is the movie for you. actly what you’d expect from Yes, a small handful of jokes a tough female cop (the film tries way too hard and way too connect, which is why I can’t bring myself to give it the late to make her charmingly dreaded One Star review. awkward so we’ll think she’s funny, but no dice). Bratt is ex- One and a Half Stars out of Five. actly what you’d expect from “Ride Along 2” is rated PGone of those bragging villains 13 for sequences of violence, who talks too much (though sexual content, language and not as much as Ben). Jeong some drug material. Its runis surprisingly less annoying ning time is 102 minutes. than usual, though Hart more than picks up the slack in that Contact Robert Garver department. at rrg251@nyu.edu.

Probably the funniest thing

Karl Heinz Stratz 1941 – 2016

Karl Heinz Stratz died on Tuesday, January 26, 2016, as the result of a terrible accident in which he was struck by a car. Karl was born October 14, 1941, in Waldkirsch, in the Black Forest of Germany, the older of two sons born to Georg and Martha Stratz. Georg died in World War II, and his widow remarried to Istvan Horvath.

Karl served in the U.S. Marines from 1960—1964, and he received many medals, including one for marksmanship.

He met his future bride, Connie White, in the Chicago Midway Airport, both en route to Los Angeles. The two married at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Highland Park, California, on August 1, 1964.

A Rosary service will be held on Friday, February 12 at 7 p.m. at the Chapel at St. Francis High School, 200 Foothill Blvd., La Canada. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 13 at 10 a.m. at St. Bede the Venerable Catholic Church, 215 Foothill Boulevard, La Canada. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in the memory of Karl Stratz may be made to St. Francis High School’s Scholarship/Financial Aid program (St. Francis High School, 200 Foothill Blvd., La Canada, CA 91011.

THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016 — 5

VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 4 • www.thefoothillspaper.com

Celebrate Leap Year With a Kiss

Artfully

SPEAKING

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c

k

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t

a

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Hard Times for Art

Chef Randy

Western Calendar, was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII That there is an extra day in 1852. It replaced the Juin the month of February lian calendar as a more acmay have escaped you. After curate way to calculate dates all, who has time, for crying for Easter. Don’t ask me why. out loud, to notice that this is The answer is tedious.

Leap Year? Why do we even The good news is that as I have a Leap Year anyway, was doing research for Leap you might ask? Isn’t Daylight Year, I saw this Leap Year Saving Time bad enough? recipe on a 1908 postcard Blame it on Julius Caesar that was offered on eBay for who replaced a totally ade$24.97 plus $3.95 for shipquate Roman calendar in 45 ping. I wondered if shipping BCE adding an extra day to meant they placed a 49-cent the month of February every Forever Stamp on it, mailed four years to balance things it via USPS, and kept the difout. February, at that time, ference. I may be cynical was the last month of the year. about Leap Year but whoev Then to muddle things a lit- er penned the prose on this tle more, the Gregorian calpostcard was a dyed-in-theendar, known today as the wool romantic. by

Here’s the recipe taken verbatim from the postcard: Take one armful of pretty girl, 1 lovely face, 2 laughing brown or blue eyes, 2 rosy cheeks and 2 lips like strawberries. Mix well and press to lips. The result will be astonishing.

For frosting take one piece dark piazza and a little moonlight, and press into one large or small hand so as not to attract attention, 2 ounces of romance and 1 or 2 whiskers. Dissolve onehalf a dozen glances into a quantity of hesitation and 2 ounces of yielding. Place kisses on blushing lips or cheeks. Flavor with a slight scream and set aside to cool.

For additional recipes, see Chef Randy’s website at

valley-vegetarian.com

Art is having a hard time.

When a choice has to be made whether to pay rent or eat or buy art, it becomes a no brainer which one to choose. After all if you don’t have a roof over your head it stands to reason you also won’t have a wall to hang art. In this depressed art market there are also many new art grad students out there hanging up their teaching shingles and sadly they have little idea what the real world is like in the trenches.

In my view, so much in general is wrong with our present teaching/learning processes; add into this equation new teachers with fresh ideas eager to impart their knowledge and one has to wonder who is going to search out these new teachers and pay for art lessons.

Music and Art programs are disappearing from school curriculums and interest in art waning. It is scary to realize the importance art occupies in the minds of today’s young people. If art isn’t in your life at an early age, it becomes increasingly difficult to learn and appreciate later on. I understand why art isn’t prevalent; at the top of our list of things to learn. America is an industrial nation and technology rules.

Without Art true we have lost our imagination. We have lost our vision. Without Art we are losing curiosity. Technology in America is also changing our view of Art. What it is and how it’s made. Much of art created today services commercialism. It is used increas-

ingly to sell consumer orientated minds.

It is no longer created to show us the beauty of the world; the wonders of living a full life.

But what we have lost is what we once called “downtime”; time to relax and re-energize our minds and hearts.

Art has the ability to slow you down; help lower your blood pressure and in general positively affect your emotional wellbeing.

I find today, most aspiring artist’s either don’t care to learn or don’t have the time to learn or just plain aren’t interested to learn to draw. The fundamentals for making good art.

New artists struggle with excruciatingly bad results. In general today, if you teach art, you will have to overcome the fact most students will not know how to draw. They are not being equipped with the tools to make the process of creating art a lot easier.

I audit drawing workshops and watch people making these little tiny figure drawings from a live model and the instructor critiquing the work.

What can you learn doing tiny drawings? How do you articulate the bones and muscles of a figure you can barely see? The émigré Chinese artist’s here are kicking our proverbial butt’s with the training they receive back home.

In America, we need to realize drawing and painting are essential worthwhile endeavors, and invest in real training for our youth. Western art students are in for a very hard, disappointing time.

6 — FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER

WE ARE HERE WHEN YOU NEED US MOST

(818) 352-8333 7204 Foothill Blvd.

Tujunga

www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 4

X-RAYS LABs PEDIATRICS EKG B-12 DOT Clinica Medica Abierto 7 Dais De La Semana De 8AM A 8PM

Meet Sam, your family care specialist Shawarma House is now serving Burgers, Fries & Pizza!

THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016 — 7

VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 4 • www.thefoothillspaper.com

Foothills Pet Page Tribute To A Loyal Dog by

Evelyn M. Ceasaresco

Shortly before Christmas, a man named Angelo Testoni arrived at Milan from Brescia accompanied by a fox terrier.

He took a room where he and his dog began a humble life in common, the dog being left in the room during the day, while his master, having found some small employment, earned a scanty living. At midday the portinaia* took the dog his dinner, and in the evening, when Testoni returned, the two supped together, after which they went out for a walk in a lonely street. On the man’s return from his daily rounds, the dog could not show his delight sufficiently, and the evening hours made up for the solitude of the day. Finally the man went to bed, and the dog was allowed to lie at his feet.

One day the man did not appear as usual, and the people of the house went up to see what was the matter. They found him lying motionless with the dog beside him. Here begins the story of the cane fedele — the faithful dog.

The dog absolutely refused to let anyone approach his

dead master—for dead he was. He barked frantically, and threatened to bite all who came near. A doctor was sent for, but he threatened to bite the doctor. Something had to be done: the municipal dog-catcher was summoned, who threw a rope round the devoted animal’s neck and dragged him by main force from the room. Alas for the fate that menaced him !

This was the tale that wrung many a heart the next day. claimed, and if a sum of about Related in the columns of £3 were not paid. Long before the Corriere della Sera, the the fatal date, a Milanese lady daily newspaper out of Milan, paid the fee and carried him it quickly spread over Italy. off in triumph though others The day was Christmas Eve, had offered to pay it. The which made things worse. artillery officer of Savona, the Imagine the dog dying for nobile possidente**, and all his fidelity, perhaps even on the other applicants remained Christmas morning! Then dogless but happy at the began to pour in telegrams, fortunate ending to the story. telephone messages, express It seems that the sum paid letters; such a day at the to the municipal authorities municipal kennels had never was applied to placing a small been known. Visitors came slab on Testoni’s grave. The with anxious faces; they went money sent from other quaraway reassured, since the dog ters for ransoming the dog was not dead, but in good was handed over to the Milan health and able to enjoy two Society for the Protection of meals a day.

Animals.

So far so good, but on *female caretaker January 7, he would die if not ** noble landowner

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8 — FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER

www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 4

I’m Looking to See if I Have a Look

by Jim

Laris

I bet you didn’t know I was a fashion plate. Well, you would have won that bet. But, you know, I don’t even want to be a fashion plate. I really don’t. But I would like to have a look.

Most of my friends have a certain look to them. And it seems to fit them quite well.

One guy I know lives out on a ranch, and he looks like a damn rancher kind of guy.

Jeans, Western shirts, belts with buckles bigger than bull genitals and stallion-dungencrusted boots. This guy looks the part. Jesse James would walk on the other side of the sidewalk if he saw him coming.

Another guy I know has a great, what I call urban casual look. He just looks so damn comfortable in his soft leather moccasins and cuddly corduroy pants and flannel shirts. I want to hug the guy. But I’m afraid I would become gay and have to spend all my time lobbying for same-sex marriage, so I don’t. Instead, I just tell him he looks like Pat Boone, only he looks older and poorer

and uglier than Pat. the doctor told my mother, just polyester, too. It has Another friend has an earthy “Ma’am, you have the first a lot of other, shall we say, look to him. His clothes are baby we’ve ever delivered accessories to it. Yes, I have all in shades of brown and who is not naked. Too bad he inadvertently accessorized beige and green and burnt is wearing polyester.” without even knowing what orange and pomegranate I don’t think my mom ever accessorizing is or does. I pumpkin. He just blends right got over that. In fact, when also like to wear SC T-shirts. into the damn planet. Someshe breast-fed me, I remember Or Dodger T-shirts. Or LA times I’m not even sure if he reaching up with my eager Kings T-shirts for variety. is really there. I’ll have to lips, searching for her tender They seem to go well with say, “Hey, Eggplant Lips, you breast, and she would turn polyester. here? Has your biodegradable me away and say, “Polly, my And all my T-shirts end up ass blended into the moist, breasts are on my back.” Oh, with holes in them. Cigar-ash black, organic sod yet?” the trauma of being called a holes. (Stop. Don’t say it.

Even when I was going girl’s name and searching for You wouldn’t be the first to school up at Humboldt the breasts that weren’t there. one to call me a Cigar Ash State College in Northern I only got over it 37 years Hole.) I don’t try to put holes California, I never quite fit later when I heard Johnny in them. They just seem to in. My look just didn’t work.

Cash sing “A Boy Named mysteriously appear after I’ve All the guys looked like damn Sue.” been driving and smoking, lumberjacks or outdoorsmen.

You know, I kid about and after I smell something They had these big, black polyester. But I have always burning. caulked boots that would liked it. I’m not sure why. I I also wear a navy blue make a Hell’s Angel sob into think it’s because it never jacket that used to be a nice his pillow, and they all wore needs ironing. It’s cheap. And jacket. Sixteen years ago. Yes, wide-ass suspenders over it’s easy to wipe mustard and it’s 16 years old, but it goes Pendleton shirts. They had spittle from it. And you know, well with my T-shirts, and a damn look! They looked come to think of it, I may it’s made out of some kind like they were ready to fell a have always had a look after of synthetic material, too, so Redwood or punch an elk in all. Here I have been bitching my polyester pants don’t the face and skin it right there. and crying about everybody get their panties in a bunch, Me? I didn’t skin too many else having their own damn either. Polyester, sports tees, elk, because the elk blood look and all the time I have synthetic jacket. It’s starting and elk guts would get on had a look, too. I was just too to come together, isn’t it? my polyester pants. Yes, I’ve envious of others not to have All you would need now is always liked polyester. What seen it. some really nice shoes. Kind can I say? When I was born, And my look is more than of a shame I don’t have any. I

Jim Laris is Jim Laris. wear black Rockford old-man shoes with orthotics in them.

What’s that sound I hear?

Could it be the pounding hearts of you lady readers out there? Thump. Thump.

Thump.

All this fashion talk reminds of when I was younger, and I hate to say it, but I will.

I looked pretty damn good in my leisure suit back then. It had pale blue polyester bellbottom trousers with a Nehru kind of button-less jacket.

And a puffy shirt that would have given Jerry Seinfeld a woody. I mean, I looked pretty damn good. Really good. John Travolta walked by and fainted.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

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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.

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THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016 — 9

VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 4 • www.thefoothillspaper.com

V.A., from pg. 1 “It’s with the strength of our partnerships and the momentum from the last year that allows me to announce today that we have finalized the master plan for the future use of VA’s 388 acres here in LA,” McDonald said. “Veterans of Los Angeles deserve a VA campus that can be a home for those who need one or a home away from home for those who come here for their medical care.”

The American Legion, part of a coalition of seven veterans service organizations that closely followed development of the conceptual plan, is guardedly upbeat about the future for the campus.

“We’re optimistic, but cautious,” said Larry Van Kuran, commander of The American Legion Department of Cali-

Backdoor, from pg. 2 non-bakery options were. We sat down and logged onto the speedy Wi-Fi for a few minutes, and our dishes were

Constipation, from pg. 2 section of most grocery stores or health food stores.

Take two inches of it stirred in water in a tall glass and that’s the daily recommend fiber amount, but no need to stop there, it’s a good food so feel free to drink down 4-8 or more inches a day. That way you will be getting enough fiber in your diet and in most

fornia and co-chairman of the veteran’s coalition. “Now the VA is at a critical point.

And the question is, are they going to follow through?”

Attorney Gary Blasi, one of the attorneys who represented veterans in a lawsuit challenging VA’s mismanagement of the West Los Angeles campus, is impressed by how much the master plan has improved since it was released in draft form in October. “It really is completely different and much more impressive and exciting,” Blasi said. “I think the plan – assuming the VA can pull it off – has the potential to make the campus a point of pride and a model rather than a national embarrassment.”

A transformed West Los Angeles VA campus also has the potential to significantly

reduce veterans homelessness considering the Greater Los Angeles area has the highest concentration of homeless veterans in the nation. The plan unveiled Thursday calls for initially establishing 1,200 units of permanent supportive housing on the campus – with work on 490 units to begin almost immediately.

Most of the private businesses that had negotiated sweetheart leases to use campus space for everything from a hotel laundry facility to school bus storage are gone as a result of last year’s legal settlement. Other nonveteran tenants, including UCLA and the Brentwood School, are being asked to contribute significantly more in order to stay.

UCLA has paid just $60,000 a year for exclusive

use of a baseball stadium built on a portion of the 387-campus by The American Legion. It will now pay $300,000 a year to use the stadium as part of the university’s new commitment to contribute about $1.5 million a year in cash for campus improvements. The university also is expected to donate $2 million in services over the next decade. This means new services including a counseling center to help veterans and their families, a legal clinic that can help veterans with benefits claims and discharge upgrades, and a Center on Excellence for Addiction and Mental Health that will treat veterans with these co-occurring disorders.

UCLA will staff all of these centers.

This level of commitment is appropriate, Van Kuran

said. “UCLA can bring a lot more to the table than they have been.”

Under an agreement that is still being finalized, Brentwood School will open its private athletic complex to veterans for a substantial portion of each day. The facilities also were built on acreage leased from VA. Initial efforts to create housing will involve transforming existing buildings that have been idle or underutilized. A 62-bed transitional housing center located in what is known as building 209 can become permanent supportive housing in the near future. Nearby buildings also are earmarked for renovation, which means that as many as 490 additional housing units could be available to veterans within a couple of years, Blasi says.

brought out to us. The food were good, both in taste and presentation. Portions were generous as well. Perhaps our only complaint relates to a blended vanilla coffee drink.

The coffee quickly separated from other ingredients, making it a bit difficult to drink.

However, many of the other coffee drinks have been reviewed very well, so this is

certainly not a deal-breaker.

Overall, the new Back Door Bakery is a fantastic addition to our community. My hope is that more establishments like it start popping up in town. It

was a breath of fresh air, and Sunland-Tujunga deserves more like it.

I highly recommend it to anyone, and I will be returning soon.

cases will have regular bowel movements. Constipation is a serious health problem so stop by the clinic if you have it. There are many things to consider such as needing a colonoscopy, emergency blockages, and bowel diseases such as colitis. Chances are though you will be excited to get to your new un-constipated future before the visit is over. .

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10 — FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER

Crime Stats Theft 01/23/16 07:20 PM 10400 BLOCK OF SUNLAND BL

Theft 01/30/16 06:00 PM 10800 BLOCK OF DELIBAN AV

Theft 01/24/16 08:00 PM 6900 BLOCK OF DAY ST

Theft 01/31/16 08:00 PM 10500 BLOCK OF NASSAU AV

Burglary 01/25/16 12:00 PM 7000 BLOCK OF SHADYGROVE ST Theft 01/26/16 11:00 PM 00 BLOCK OF SHERMAN GROVE AND FENWICK Burglary 01/26/16 06:00 PM 7500 BLOCK OF KYLE ST Theft 01/26/16 11:05 AM 2900 BLOCK OF COMMUNITY AVE Theft 01/27/16 09:30 PM 8900 BLOCK OF MULBERRY DR Theft 01/28/16 10:00 AM 10600 BLOCK OF SHERMAN GROVE AV Theft 01/28/16 09:15 PM 10500 BLOCK OF SUNLAND BL Theft 01/28/16 05:42 PM 2600 BLOCK OF FOOTHILL BLVD Theft 01/29/16 03:55 PM 10500 BLOCK OF SUNLAND BL Theft 01/29/16 04:50 AM 2700 BLOCK OF STARFALL DR

www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 4

Orthopaedic Guild Visits Pasadena Museum

Theft 01/31/16 04:00 PM 8100 BLOCK OF FOOTHILL BL Theft 01/31/16 09:00 PM 6400 BLOCK OF VALMONT ST Burglary 02/01/16 11:52 AM 4400 BLOCK OF OCEAN VIEW BLVD Theft 02/01/16 12:30 PM 8700 BLOCK OF FOOTHILL BL Theft 02/02/16 03:00 PM 2900 BLOCK OF COMMUNITY AVE Theft 02/02/16 11:00 AM 10100 BLOCK OF SILVERTON AV Theft 02/02/16 06:30 PM 10400 BLOCK OF MCVINE AV Theft 02/02/16 12:00 PM 6400 BLOCK OF DAY ST Theft 02/02/16 11:50 PM 10100 BLOCK OF SILVERTON AV Burglary 02/02/16 09:30 AM 7400 BLOCK OF VALAHO DR

Theft 01/29/16 05:52 AM 2600 BLOCK OF SEAPINE LN

Theft 02/02/16 06:00 PM 6400 BLOCK OF DAY ST

Theft 01/30/16 01:30 AM 11100 BLOCK OF MCVINE AV

Other 02/04/16 09:45 PM FOOTHILL BLVD & CA-118

La Cañada-Flintridge Orthopaedic Guild at the Pasadena Museum of History.

Arlene Massimino

open in May.” Thousands of provided with a private guidchildren who are treated each ed tour of the current display, La Cañada-Flintridge year by OIC will have the “Fabulous Fashions.” Fashion Orthopaedic Guild (LCFOG) benefit of the surgery center trends from uncomfortable held its February 4 meeting if needed and will not have corsets and ornate bodices at the home of Easy Delaney, to travel to another area for of the 1890s, loose-fitting LCFOG’s hospitality events their surgical needs. OIC’s dresses of the 1920s flapper chair. President Joan Cleven goal for all their patients is to style and the full skirts and called the meeting to order.

“Grow well; Play well.” princess dresses of the 1950s Treasurer, Joanne Plosajz an- Members of the Guild were displayed and more nounced LCFOG will donate brought donations of homethan one “Oh, I remember $17,268 to the Charitable baked and bakery-bought those,” was heard from the Children’s Guild (CCG) for cookies to the meeting. group. distribution to Orthopaedic Caryl Pettit, CCG liaison, Also displayed were the Institute for Children (OIC). will deliver the cookies to shoes, purses and undergarThis will complete LCFOG’s OIC. Each year in February, ments of three decades: 1890, pledge of $100,000 to OIC. members provide cookies to 1920 and 1950. The display LCFOG’s main goal is to be given to each department and the commentary evoked raise funds to support the at OIC as a “thank you” in many memories. construction of an Ambulaappreciation of the hard The La Cañada-Flintridge tory Surgery Center on the work the staff provides for Orthopaedic Guild meets on Los Angeles downtown children in need of medical the first Thursday of each campus. care. month, from September to “Construction is right on This month, members had June. Anyone interested in schedule,” said Mary Beth a special treat in store after attending a meeting is asked Perrine, Senior Director of the meeting. After lunch, to contact Marie Gilhooly Community Outreach, “and they traveled to the Pasadena (818) 248-5262 for further the doors should be ready to Museum of History and were information. by

Gatto Proposes Parking Bill of Rights Assemblyman Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) announced a package of reforms that will make parking policy more fair and affordable for California motorists. The California Parking Bill of Rights will change substantially how cities and other local governments manage and enforce parking laws, providing relief from unjust citations. The legislation is designed to make life a little easier by prohibiting some of the most vexing practices.

The reforms include: • Prohibiting cities from ticketing motorists who park at broken meters. The current

law governing this (authored

by Gatto in 2013) “sunsets” (expires) at the end of 2016.

• Prohibiting valet-parking operators from excluding motorists from metered spots or loading zones.

• Prohibiting cities from hiring private companies to act as parking “bounty hunters.”

to allow demand-based pricing. Motorists should not be required to pay the same fare at 11 p.m. that would be required at 11 a.m.

because a car was dumped on a city street.

“Occasionally the state needs to step in and remind our local governments that • Requiring cities to promptly • Reducing the ability of tow parking a vehicle should be make spaces available to mo- companies to fine individuals an efficient practice, and not torists after street-sweeping for cars illegally parked due another big hassle designed activities have concluded. to criminal activity that was to separate motorists from no fault of the owner. Cartheir money,” said Gatto.

• Requiring cities, when intheft victims shouldn’t face “These simple and practical stalling new high-tech meters, high towing and storage bills policy changes will make life

easier for Californians who just want to park their cars and go about their business.”

Mike Gatto is the Chairman of the Utilities & Commerce Committee and the longest-serving current member of the State Assembly. He represents California’s 43rd Assembly District, which includes Los Angeles, Glendale and Burbank. www.asm. ca.gov/gatto.

THE FOOTHILLS PAPER • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016 — 11

VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 4 • www.thefoothillspaper.com

SEE OUR NEW ADDRESS BELOW! 7035 Foothill Blvd., Tujunga CA 91042

Alyssa Arroyo Pitches 8-0 Shut-Out Eric Owen

Since walking five straight batters in her first game back in action, Tujunga Little League District 16 all-star champion Alyssa Arroyo pitched her Lady Dons junior varsity softball team to a 8-0 perfect two-inning performance at Garey Park on Saturday. Arroyo, last fall, helped her junior varsity ball team (13-1, 11-1) win league.

Arroyo isn’t the only family member to grace the colors red and black, her mother Denise guided her baseball team to a Northern League crown in 1991.

Denise also cheered for the Dons.

Congrats Alyssa on a great game!

8459 Foothill Blvd. photos: Eric Owen

by

Lady Don’s pitcher Alyssa Arroyo shows great form.

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12 — FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016 • THE FOOTHILLS PAPER

www.thefoothillspaper.com • VOLUME 12 • NUMBER 4

AHEAD With Horses Event This Friday

Jack and Jill is the theme for this year’s annual Fundraiser for the Foothill Auxiliary of AHEAD With Horses’ Valentine Luncheon and Chinese Auction. The event will be held on Friday, February 12 at 11:30 a.m. at Brookside Golf Club in Pasadena. Proceeds from the event benefit AHEAD With Horses, a nonprofit developmental therapeutic riding program for disabled children.

The relationship between children with special needs, therapeutic riding instructors and our amazing therapy horses, is the catalyst to miracles happening in the lives of the children we work with. We see children take their first steps, hear them speak their first words and reach many other milestones

Daniel Prince. that some thought would never happen.

AHEAD With Horses is located at 10157 Johanna

June Finish.

Ave., Shadow Hills, CA 91040. To learn more about this wonderful organization, to enroll a child you know

or to learn how to become involved, please visit www.

AWHLA.org or call the office at (818) 767-6373.

To get more information about the luncheon or purchase tickets, please call (818) 790-1947.

El Niño A No-Show So Far Threats of heavy rain and high wind have remained a pipe dream What happened to the El summer came early.

Niño winter rains?

Just in case: don’t let your Everybody was talking, and rain gutters fill up or get rid of the LAFD set up a sandbag your sandbags. Traditionally, program for residents to get February is our wettest month ready for the torrential rains and I’m betting that it is and mud slides. Then we had really going to rain in the next two really cold nights and couple of weeks. wonderful summer weather.

It’s not the intensity of the Even the animals got confused. storms that’s the problem, it’s And it wasn’t just warm; we the cycle of rain that keeps hitset records for the heat wave. ting us that can cause hillsides Trees that were falling down to saturate and mud slides from the two days of rain are to occur. None of the storms now falling down because that hit L.A. in February 1998 of the lack of rain. Who can were individually spectacular, figure that one out? S-T had but combined, they dumped daytime temperatures in the 14 inches of rain and washed 90s and evenings in the 50s. I out our bridges and roads. Just know that this is California’s be prepared for the worst, and winter, but it sure looks like hope for the best.

A frozen-over birdbath from last week.

Vandals, from pg. 1 last Wednesday morning traveling along Big Tujunga Canyon Road smashing side and rear windows. They appeared to have then traveled up to Apperson and Day Streets driving eastward into La Crescenta and smashing an additional 40 or more vehicle windows.

In speaking with the owners of the damaged vehicles, it happened sometime after midnight and before 3:30 a.m. Not one person heard or recognized the sound of breaking windows. One new Infinity had its roof smashed in as well as its rear window.

One thing they all had in common is that the vandals left the boulders behind.

On Wednesday morning,

It didn’t matter what make or model; even this older-model Mercedes got targeted

A brand new Infinity was hit with two rocks: one on the rear left fender and one on top, smashing the rear window.

LAPD and Glendale PD, along with the L.A. County Sheriff deputies, were patrolling the area and questioning anyone who may have seen or heard something out of the ordinary.

A few people said that they saw a white mini-van traveling with the side door open. They

also said that they did not realize it may have been the vandals’ vehicle.

Anyone who may have seen anything out of the ordinary is asked to contact LAPD Senior Lead Officer Caesar Contreras at (818) 634-0705.

Even a car parked in a resident’s driveway wasn’t safe.