La Cañada PTA endorses legislation to protect minors drinking underage

The La Cañada High School PTA has endorsed legislation introduced last month by State Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada) designed to encourage teens to call for help in emergency situations.

The bill, AB1999, would protect a minor from criminal prosecution if he dials 9-1-1 and remains with a friend during a medical crisis. The bill is tailored for situations that may arise as a result of underage drinking.

It will be referred to the Public Safety Committee in the coming weeks; it has met no opposition thus far.

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Supreme Court to hear JPL background check case

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Monday to hear arguments in a case involving employee background checks at Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The Supreme Court justices will review an injunction issued by the 9th Circuit Court in January 2008 that barred NASA/JPL from requiring “low-risk” employees —those who do not handle classified material — to submit to extensive background investigations.

In an appeal filed by the Obama administration, U.S. Solicitor General Elena Kagan argued that the injunction would have broad implications for how the federal government vets its employees. … Continue Reading

FEMA declares Station fire neighborhoods a disaster area

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today declared the neighborhoods in the footprint of the Station fire burn area a federal disaster zone. The disaster declaration makes foothill communities impacted by debris flows eligible for federal funding.

Congressman David Dreier (R-San Dimas), backed by La Cañada city officials, had been pushing for weeks for the designation.

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La Cañada school district eliminates positions

La Cañada Unified School District Supt. James Stratton, left, School Board President Jeanne Broberg and School Board member Scott Tracy discuss additional budget adjustments at a meeting on Tuesday.

From the La Cañada Valley Sun

The La Cañada Unified School Board Tuesday approved the elimination of 2.5 permanent teaching positions and 2.2 temporary teaching positions, the latest in a series of cost-cutting measures taken by the district as it tries to manage a $4 million budget shortfall.

Three people within the La Cañada district will lose their jobs due to the cuts. One position was vacant.

The permanent positions were cut in conjunction with the closure of Foothills School, slated to be shuttered at the end of the school year, said Wendy Sinnette, assistant superintendent for human resources. Foothills School served the district’s special needs students, but enrollment was on the decline, reaching just five students this year. The district has been working to phase out the school, and transition students to a sister institution, Magnolia Park School in Burbank.

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All dolled up for American Girl Fashion Show

Makena Stimler, left, Taylor Stimler and Sphia McLaughlin, dress like American Girls Dolls. (Scott Smeltzer/Glendale News Press)

The American Girl dolls will take center stage, alongside their fans, this month at the 15th annual Flintridge Guild Childrens Hospital American Girl Fashion Show.

The fundraiser, which will take place at the Brookside Country Club in Pasadena March 19-21, includes an evening dinner and six day-time teas, event chair Savonia Angelica said.

She is expecting 250 guests, mostly young girls and their mothers, at each event. The girls will be models in the Flintridge Guild Childrens Hopsital American Girl Fashion Show on March 19, 20 and 21.
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Parts of 210 Freeway to be closed for maintenance work

The California Department of Transportation will close portions of the 210 Freeway in La Cañada for four days starting Wednesday. Road crews will be working to replace damaged concrete slabs.

Closures are weather permitting and subject to change. They will last from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. and include the following:

Three westbound lanes from the 2 Freeway to Gould Avenue; all connectors from the westbound 210 Freeway to north and southbound 2 Freeway;  Gould Avenue on-ramp.

Dolling up for Children’s Hospital

Girls dress like American Girls Dolls in preparation for modeling in the Flintridge Guild Children's Hopsital American Girl Fashion Show on March 19, 20 and 21. Back row left to right, Katherine Simone, Taylor Stimler, Makena Stimler; center, Christine Huston, Olivia Simone and Sohia McLaughlin; and front row center, Natalie Hanna.

Molly, Samantha, Josefina — the American Girl dolls that feed the imagination of youngsters across the country will take center stage, alongside their fans, this month at the 15th annual Flintridge Guild Childrens Hospital American Girl Fashion Show.

The fundraiser, which will take place at the Brookside Country Club in Pasadena March 19-21, includes an evening dinner and six day-time teas, event chair Savonia Angelica said. She is expecting 250 guests, mostly young girls and their mothers, at each event.

Since its inception the fashion show has raised more than $1 million for Childrens Hospital in Los Angeles, Angelica said, as well as promoted its mission to provide care for underserved and underinsured patients.

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City tree damages private property

From the La Cañada Valley Sun

The La Cañada Flintridge City Council is expected to reject Monday night a claim filed by Berkshire Avenue property owners Kevin and Julie Abbott seeking damages after a city-owned tree fell and damaged private property.

The city pays for the maintenance of trees on public property, said Carl Alameda, senior management analyst for the city. It does not assume liability for trees that have been properly monitored and trimmed.

“If we assume the liability on all the city trees we wouldn’t have them because it would be too great a liability for us to pay the claims on them,” Alameda said.

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La Cañada loosens evacuation policy

The city of La Cañada has implemented a modified evacuation policy that could be tested during a rainstorm expected to hit the foothills Friday.

Evacuation fatigue is a pressing concern in the Station fire burn areas where residents have been evacuated nearly a dozen times in six months.

The city has received complaints from residents saying that  evacuation orders have kept them from their homes longer than necessary. In addition, impacted residents were not permitted to return to retrieve clothing or personal possessions.

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YMCA of the Foothills launches fundraising campaign

Officials at the YMCA of the Foothills said they hope to raise $450,000 through the annual Community Support Campaign in order to meet increasing financial needs. The fundraiser, currently underway, runs through March 11.

Money generated by the campaign helps to fund YMCA financial assistnace, senior service and physical education programs, said Kim Beattie, director of communications and public relations.

Last, year the Community Support Campaign raised $390,000, money that helped 1,200 kids and families, Beattie said. … Continue Reading