CV to Dig for a Cure

For the second year in a row, the Crescenta Valley High girls' volleyball team will host a Dig Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Rally as a fundraiser for breast cancer research on Thursday. The Falcons have been taking pledges based on the total amount of digs the entire team will accumulate in their Pacific League match against Burbank at 3:30 p.m. At last year's rally, the two participating squads, Crescenta Valley and Burroughs, combined for rougly 100 digs. More information on the Sideout Foundation and how to contribute can be found at www.side-out.org/news-events/dig_pink/.

Point Denied

[caption id="attachment_2777" align="alignnone" width="630" caption="CV's Leah Gagliardi blocks a shot by Burroughs' Kathy Henry on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. (Roger Wilson/News-Press)"][/caption]

How sweet it is to be queen

At 9:30 a.m. Tuesday Natalie Innocenzi was named the 92nd Rose Queen. She and her Royal Court will act as official representatives of the 121st Tournament of Roses Parade and 96th Rose Bowl Game. I’ve covered the selection of the Tournament of Roses Royal Court and Rose Queen for the La Cañada Valley Sun for five years. And the paper itself has covered Court and Queen for decades. The naming of the Rose Queen is particularly fun for me to photograph and write about because it allows for one girl to be in the spotlight for a day. Once you’re selected as Rose Queen, you’re one for life. Sometimes the reactions to this great honor are priceless, as you can see from the following photos. ******* 1930 | Holly Halsted Holly Halsted is saluted as the Tournament of Roses Queen in 1930. ******* 2003 | Megan Chinen The Rose Princesses react as Megan Chinen, second from left, is named 2004 Rose Queen. The others are, from left, Christina Mills, Laura Stassel and Stephanie Barnes. (Scott Roby/News-Press) ******* 2004 | Ashley Moreno Ashley Moreno, center, gets hugged by Rose Princesses Lisa Pallay, left, Jennifer Propper, Alaire Hanashian, Kara Murphy, Allison Pedro and Megan Sheehan after Ashley was named 2004's year’s Rose Queen. I got to work with Ashley further in the months that followed her selection while  photographing La Canada High School's production of "Bat Boy" for the Valley Sun. I have a great picture of her in the green room wearing an black, curly wig. (Scott Roby/News-Press) ******* 2005 | Camille Clark Camille Clark (third from left) was announced Rose Queen for the 2006 Rose Parade. She receives hugs from court princesses Eliza Walper of Polytechnic, Alyssa Jones of Pasadena City College and Michelle Corral of Flintridge Prep. (Tammy Abbott/News-Press) ******* 2006 | Mary McCluggage Of all the Rose Queen I've photographed, this was probably my favorite. This was a split second reaction from Rose Queen Mary McCluggage, reacting as she hears her name being called by Tournament of Roses President Paul L. Holman announcing her as the Rose Queen for the 2007 Tournament of Roses Parade. (Michael J. Arvizu/Valley Sun) ******* 2007 | Dusty Gibbs Dusty Gibbs, center, reacts to being named the 2008 Tournament of Roses Rose Queen. This year probably marked the first time we ran a photo of the newly-announced Rose Queen without actually seeing her face, but I really enjoyed seeing her reaction, plus the reaction of Rose Princess Kelsey MacDougall reaching over to embrace her. (Michael J. Arvizu/Valley Sun) ******* 2008 | Courtney Lee Arcadia High School student Courtney Lee reacts after being named Rose Queen of the 120th Tournament of Roses Parade. I like how she seems to look around as if making sure she heard correctly. Or perhaps she’s just gasping? (Michael J. Arvizu/Valley Sun) ******* 2009 | Natalie Innocenzi Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy's Natalie Innocenzi, 16, center, reacts as she is named the 92nd Rose Queen during announcement by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses at the Tournament House in Pasadena on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. Flanking the Rose Queen are at left, Rose Princess Michelle Van Wyk, 17 from La Cañada High School, and Rose Princess June Ko, 17 from Arcadia High School, at right. (Raul Roa/Valley Sun)

Suicide rate in Burbank increasing rapidly

From the Burbank Leader: DOWNTOWN — The number of people who claimed their own lives in Burbank this year has more than doubled compared to last year, leaving experts to speculate if the economic slowdown has played a role. Thirteen people committed suicide since January, compared with six in 2008, according to records released by the Burbank Police Department. Anecdotally, calls for help from victims, family and friends have also increased , Burbank Police Sgt. Robert Quesada said. The calls for help come as a new federal government study showed more than 8 million Americans seriously consider suicide each year. About 32,000 suicides occur annually in the United States, according to the figures released last month by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Click here for the full story.

Detectives still on the case

[caption id="attachment_2762" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="A fire fighter watches fire burn on a ridge near the the top of Ocean View Blvd. in La Cañada Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009. (Scott Smeltzer/News-Press)"][/caption] Los Angeles Sheriff's Homicide detectives have received numerous tips regarding their investigation into finding the person responsible for causing the Station Fire, which killed two firefighters. But the tips haven't led to any arrests in their probe into the Station fire, Sheriff's Homicide Lt. Liam Gallagher said. "It's continuing [and] whenever we get tips from the public, they call them into our desk, we track them down, but that's about where it is right now," he said. Detectives arrested and charged Babatunsin Olukunle in connection with the smaller Lady Bug fire that occurred six days before and six miles north of the Station Fire. There is no evidence linking Olukunle to the larger Station fire yet,  Gallagher said. Anyone with details about the Station fire is asked to call the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

One Book One Glendale update

As I mentioned in an earlier post, after hearing one of the many announcements about the Glendale Public Library's "One Book One Glendale" program, where residents are encouraged to all read the same book and then discuss it, I decided to take part. [caption id="attachment_2753" align="alignright" width="98" caption="Courtesy of Glendale Public Library Web site"][/caption] I placed a hold on the book -- this year's selection Shanghai Girls -- and was immediately impressed with how quickly my copy made its way to the hold shelf. I finished the book this weekend, and overall I found it to be a quick and enoyable read, although the ending was a bit abrupt for my taste. As the description on the library's Web site reads, "the novel is the story of two sisters, two cultures, and the struggle to find a new life in the late 1930s Los Angeles while emotionally bound to China." As a part of the program, author Lisa See will give a free lecture at Central Library next Wednesday Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. Have any of you taken part? Did you enjoy the book?

The dirty details of charter schools

The La Cañada Unified School District is hosting a workshop on charter schools tonight at 6p.m. at the district offices,  4490 Cornishon Ave. As the Nov. 3 LCUSD Governing Board election approaches, charter schools have become a hot topic for debate. One of the six candidates, Dave Wilcox, said he strongly supports pursuing the idea. Several of the other candidates support at the very least exploring the idea.

A new ambulance at Glendale Community College

Glendale Community College became the first such college in California with its own ambulance, said Dawn Lindsay, the interim President/Supt. The ambulance was acquired from Pasadena Fire Department and will directly benefit Glendale's Emergency Medical Technician students. Students will work in the rig's tight quarters,  load and unload patients and familiarize themselves with the ambulance's various equipment. "An ambulance [is]  more than getting them from point-A to point-B -- it’s actually a tool box," Pasadena Fire Chief Dennis Downs said. "To get them experience [for] when they get out in the field, it’s exremly valuable." Below, college trustees and officials pose with the ambulance. (Taken and cropped with an iPhone so it is not up to Roger Wilson-quality.)

Event to raise money in former Providence athlete's name

A fundraiser, “Climb for Cancer,” will be held Sunday in memory of former Providence High athlete Shannon Hayes. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Young Set Club, 400 E. Rolling Oaks Drive, Thousand Oaks. With the support of Providence, the Young Set Club in Thousand Oaks will host the first event to raise awareness and money in support of cancer research, particularly melanoma, in the name of Hayes. Hays, who graduated in 2003, lost her battle with melanoma on Oct. 3. Hayes was a multi-sport standout for the Pioneers, playing girls’ basketball, soccer and volleyball, as well as softball. She went on to attend college in Colorado and returned to Providence as an assistant volleyball coach. In order to raise funds for The American Cancer Society in Hayes’ name, $2,500 needs to be raised. In addition to raising money and awareness, the event has a unique goal of having participants scale Young Sets, a 28-foot rock wall an astonishing 1,037 times in order to reach the height of Mount Everest. To help the cause, call Karri Kirsch at (818) 846-8141, ext. 608 or Kimberlee Kirsch at (805) 495-2104.

Day 52: Station Fire completely contained

From the Associated Press: [caption id="attachment_2734" align="alignright" width="140" caption=" (Roger Wilson/News-Press)"][/caption] LOS ANGELES — The biggest wildfire in Los Angeles County history is finally fully contained. The U.S. Forest Service says the 250-square-mile Station Fire was declared 100 percent contained at 7 p.m. Friday, 52 days after it began. Authorities had kept the containment figure at 98 percent since late September even though for weeks there were few signs of fire in the Angeles National Forest. After moderate rain last week, crews hiked in and completed containment lines on a portion of the fire in the San Gabriel Wilderness area. Two firefighters were killed during the blaze and 89 homes were lost. The fire got its name because it started in the vicinity of a ranger station. Investigators say the cause was arson.