Why I love Baccalaureate

Posted on 23. Jun, 2010 by kchristieh in education, religion

The night before my oldest child graduated from La Canada High School, our family attended the community-wide Baccalaureate ceremony at our local Catholic church, St. Bede the Venerable. The ecumenical ceremony included prayers, music, a featured speaker, and student speakers of different faiths. I’d never attended such a service, but I really appreciated having a chance to:

• Take time out to reflect upon what matters in life;
• Reflect upon how our children can make our world a better place;
• Appreciate the faith journeys of students of different faiths;
• Find our common ground;
• Gather together as a community of Seniors and their families. Graduation is so crowded, and so rushed afterwards. My best conversations with fellow parents, some of whom I’d met when our kids attended preschool together, occurred at Baccalaureate.

When I spoke to the organizer, she said that she’d tried to get student speakers from more faiths, but that some religious communities either didn’t have any teens they thought would speak or chose not to participate. I offered to help identify students that might be inspirational speakers when she organizes next year’s ceremony.

I’m all for separation of church and state, but I think that was adequately satisfied by holding this off-campus and making it completely optional. Also, because it was ecumenical, it wasn’t pushing one faith over another. I didn’t count, but I think about 1/3 of the students from the graduating class attended.

I meant to blog about this earlier, but I’ve been very busy. I finally did, however, because not only did I see a Facebook thread discussing it, but I hosted friends from Pakistan this morning who spoke about how they organize a big event after Ramadan to bring Christians and Muslims together. We’re so fortunate to live in a country where getting along is a blessing, and not critical for survival.

2010 La Cañada Fiesta Days Parade

Posted on 31. May, 2010 by kchristieh in local news

I love this town, where:

• There are more people in the parade than watching it
• Participants finish the parade with one group, then drive back to the beginning of the route to ride with another
• Girl Scouts get to ride on fire trucks
• Preschoolers decorate their trikes/bikes/strollers, etc.
• I can walk up to the corner 10 minutes before the parade starts and get a perfect seat
• Local businesses hand out drinks and coupons
• A Rose Princess is scootering in front of the entry for a Mexican restaurant aptly-named “Los Gringos Locos”, which is towing a band called “Misplaced Priorities”
• Every year we get to see miniature trucks and Smokey the Bear

Check out these pictures and be happy.  :)

Happy Memorial Day!!

Panera Bread coming to La Cañada!

Posted on 27. May, 2010 by kchristieh in local news

After years of rumors, there’s finally physical evidence that Panera Bread is moving into the Sport Chalet shopping center at the corner of Foothill Blvd. and Angeles Crest Highway. We can’t wait!

Here’s the sign that’s posted on the fence on Angeles Crest:

Does anyone know when it’s expected to open?

Missing Glendale woman found

Posted on 13. May, 2010 by kchristieh in local news

I found this flyer taped to a street sign in front of my house today. I haven’t blogged in awhile, since I owe so many things to clients and potential clients, but I thought this was worth posting.

It turns out that Nancy Salas entered at a store in Merced this morning and said she wanted to call 911. According to the KTLA.com,

A 22-year-old woman reported missing by her parents now says she was abducted at knife point and taken to Central California.

……

She told her parents she was going for her usual morning run up Chevy Chase Canyon.

When she didn’t return, her parents contacted police.

Salas had initially been been described as third-year UCLA student.

But as it turns out, Salas hadn’t been attending school in years.

“Our records show that she was a fourth-year sociology student last enrolled in 2008,” said UCLA spokesman Phil Hampton.

According to Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz, Salas had been deceiving her parents and her friends.

“There’s obviously a deception,” Lorenz said. “I don’t want to go so far as to call it a double life.”

Her mother and father had been planning a graduation party for her when she disappeared.

Lorenz also says Salas’ brother is being questioned.

How sad. But, thankfully, not worse. I was going to put the sign back after I blogged about it, but I guess I don’t need to now. That’s good.

Rice Krispies Treat symbolizes a new day for beleaguered city

Posted on 14. Mar, 2010 by kchristieh in food, local news

Once upon a time, a truck crashed. Then a bigger truck crashed. Then came fires. Then mudslides. Finally, the fair and gentle citizens of La Canada Flintridge gathered together to build a big, magical Rice Krispies Treat that would make all their troubles disappear. **POOF** Nothing bad ever happened again.

The End.

The stars of TLC's new "Mega Bites" reality series count down with the crowd that gathered at the Community Center of La Canada to unveil the World's Largest Rice Krispies Treat.

The crowd waited patiently to see the mega Rice Krispies Treat.

Finally! The Rice Krispies Treat was unveiled after many practice runs.

It weighed 10,460 lbs. The representative from the Guinness Book of World Records was on-hand to certify that it indeed beat the previous world record of about 3,500 lbs.

Everyone stood back when the sides came down. It smelled really good.

Volunteers desperately needed to build Rice Krispies Treat

Posted on 13. Mar, 2010 by kchristieh in food, local news

Help!!! The people building the World’s Largest Rice Krispie Treat at the Community Center of La Canada need more people to help them complete the task tonight! Head on over to the Community Center, and they’ll put you to work bagging marshmallows (my specialty), scooping butter, mixing ingredents, and more. All ages welcome. Be a part of La Canada history!

While you’re at it, you might make it onto the new reality tv show, “Mega Bites.” Woohoo! Learn more in my previous post.

See you at the carnival tomorrow, 1 pm – 4 pm.

San Gabriel Valley Bloggers Potluck 3/20

Posted on 24. Feb, 2010 by kchristieh in local news

All San Gabriel Valley* bloggers, families, fans and groupies are welcome to the 2nd Annual SGV Blogger’s Potluck at noon at Farnsworth Park in Altadena. We’ll meet rain or shine at the covered picnic area on the north end of the park. BBQ’s are available. To rsvp, call or email or . Hosted by Altadenablog, Altadenahiker, Altadena Above it All, Altadena Daily Photo and Open Mouth Insert Fork.

I love meeting great new people and catching up with the wonderful people I follow online in person, so I wouldn’t miss this! I hope to see you there!! Now to decide what yummy food to make…

* Hopefully we’ll see bloggers from Eagle Rock, La Canada, La Crescenta, Glendale, etc. there, too!

Let the merriment begin!

Gunslinger spotted at local Starbucks

Posted on 23. Feb, 2010 by kchristieh in local news, politics

Until last night, the only thing I feared when I entered my local Starbucks was that I’d order something that I’m allergic to. That was before a friend told me that when she was at the La Canada Starbucks yesterday, a man entered with a pistol in a holster strapped to his thigh. Here’s the email she sent to me:

I was at Starbucks on Gould today.  A guy arrived shortly after I arrived with a pistol in a holster strapped to his thigh.  He was wearing a blue jump suit with some type of helicopter insignia.  I glanced at the insignia and it looked “made up” to me, sort of a pseudo uniform, but I’m not really sure of that.  He was with two friends and they sat down outside.

I was with a friend who said, the guy might be reliable, but it looks like it would be easy to distract him and disarm him.  What if some nut took the pistol?  Then what?  My friend also looked around the parking lot for an official vehicle.  We didn’t see anything.  Wow.

This is still bothering me, eleven hours later.

She emailed me because several days earlier, I’d emailed her a link to a petition from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence that encouraged people to ask Starbucks to prohibit guns on their premises. I’d been spurred to action by an editorial titled, “Who Can Relax This Way?” that I’d read in the New York Times. Here’s the email I had sent her:

Over the past few months, more and more gun owners have been gathering at restaurants and coffee shops like Starbucks with guns strapped to their hips, intimidating fellow patrons. They are testing open carry laws to see how far they can go. Businesses can legally create policies to prohibit guns from being carried in their establishments — and so far, Peet’s Coffee & Tea and California Pizza Kitchen have heeded customer concerns and barred open carrying.

But Starbucks is refusing to prohibit the “open carrying” of firearms in its stores, despite protests from loyal customers. Starbucks has declined to elaborate beyond this statement: “Starbucks supports the federal, state and local laws of the communities in which we do business.”

The practice of packing heat in places like Starbucks is intimidating and could be potentially dangerous to our families and communities — and it must be stopped at Starbucks.

I just signed a petition telling Starbucks to stand up for the safety of their customers and adopt a nationwide, gun-free policy in all Starbucks stores.

This is surreal. I can’t believe this is actually an issue. But it is, and I have no desire to see someone packing a gun the next time I take my sweet 7th grade small group to Starbucks.

Isn’t it ironic that someone can’t smoke in our Starbucks, but they can pack a gun?

Source: Los Angeles Times, Feb. 11, 2010

The Brady Campaign reports that California actually has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, although it scores poorly when it comes to gun shows. Wikipedia sums up California’s open carry gun laws the best:

Personal possession (i.e. carry) of a loaded firearm is prohibited in incorporated areas (such as inside city limits) or prohibited areas of unincorporated territory without a license to carry or other exemption provided for by law.^[15] A license to carry “loaded and exposed” may be issued by a Police Chief or County Sheriff in a county with population of less than 200,000 persons at the last census.^[16] No license or permit is required to openly carry a loaded firearm in unincorporated areas where discharge is not prohibited by local ordinance.

Despite these restrictions, there is no section of the California penal code that specifically prohibits open carry of an unloaded handgun (though possession may be restricted or prohibited in certain areas such as a State Park (CCR Title 14, Div.3, chap. 1, s 4313 (a), in a school zone (PC626.9) or federal properties like a Post Office or National Park (36 C.F.R. 2.4(a)).

Carrying a loaded magazine separate from the handgun is also not prohibited under the penal code (Subdivision (g) of California Penal Code 12031 defines what constitutes a loaded weapon).

Just because something’s legal, it doesn’t mean you should do it. When a private citizen carries a gun in public, we don’t know his intentions or whether he’s been trained to use the gun safely. When in danger, I’ll call 911, not the guy at the next table. In the editorial, “Message to Open Carry members: It’s time to put the guns away,” the Contra Costa Times pointed out that “the open carry of weapons could prompt all sorts of consequences never intended or considered by the person exercising his or her constitutional right.”

According to the Popehat blog, even the NRA doesn’t allow people to bring guns onto its premises.

Sign the petition and ask Starbucks to do the same. And, for extra measure, ask your elected officials to close up the gun show loophole.

La Cañadans needed for “Mega Bites” TV pilot

Posted on 23. Feb, 2010 by kchristieh in food, local news

Here’s a message from the Community Center of La Canada:

Do You Want To Be On TV? CASTING CALL

La Cañadans wanted for Pilot Episode of a new TLC television series “Mega Bites.”

The premise of the show is to partner with food scientists and engineers to create the “World’s Biggest” edible item and to get the community’s assistance in making the item in order to auction it off as part of a fundraiser. The Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge and our community is the subject of the pilot episode! We are proud that La Cañada has been selected, and are really excited about the filming and the opportunity to bring the community together.

CAMERAS WILL BE ROLLING
On March 11, 12, 13 the residents of La Cañada will be making the “Mega Bite” item out in our field. Cameras will be rolling as kids, teens, adults and seniors work together to create the “Mega Bite.” Are you wondering what the Mega Bite item for La Cañada is going to be? Chefs from our very own DISH restaurant will be working with the show’s food scientists to create…A GIANT KELLOGG’S RICE KRISPIE TREAT! This is so exciting!

THE GRAND “UNVEILING”
On Sunday March 14th from 1-4pm the Community Center will host a Carnival where the “Mega Bite” will be “revealed” for the community and the cameras. The Carnival will feature game booths, prizes, drawings, arts & crafts and food from Round Table Pizza, Jersey Miles Subs, and Los Gringos Locos.

BOOTH SPONSORS:
Carnival Booths will be sponsored by Sports Chalet, Doug Drummond, Dickson Podley Realtors, Plan-Spec Construction, Gilmore Bank, Flintridge Family Chiropractic, Inverse Logic, Dish, Jersey Mike’s Subs and Verdugo Hills Hospital.

NOW’S YOUR CHANCE TO BE ON TV! WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU:
We need “Cast Members” or Volunteers of all ages to participate in making the food item in 2 hours shifts on March 11, 12, and 13th. We also need volunteers ages 16 and up to work 2 hours shifts at the Carnival on Sunday March 14 from 12-5pm. Bring your friends, ask your social groups, employees, email your contact list…put the word out. We want 200+ people from all over the Community; Students, City Employees, PTA, Sports Teams, Girl and Boy Scouts. It’s time for La Cañada to shine for the whole country!

If you are interested in being “Cast” on the show please promptly email .

See you on TV!

Wendy Alane Smith and Megan Nordvedt
—————————————————-
Community Center of La Canada Flintridge
Event Coordinators / TLC “Mega Bites”
cell

710 Freeway Tunnel meeting

Posted on 21. Jan, 2010 by kchristieh in local news

Join local community members and leaders this Saturday in learning more about the proposed 710 freeway tunnel extension.

Personally, I’m against it, and am amazed that given our current budget crisis this is even being considered. Click here to see my first post on this issue.

Best 2010 Rose Parade Moments

Posted on 01. Jan, 2010 by kchristieh in local news

Apart from the awesome hometown La Canada float, the best float in today’s Rose Parade included brave and talented bulldogs snowboarding down a long  ramp. The crowd loved them, and we were incredibly jealous that when the parade stopped because another float broke, the bulldogs were two blocks away and not in front of us. It’s a travesty that this float didn’t win , but it won our hearts and that counts more.

Of course, we loved the La Canada Flintridge float, which featured an origami dragon. It perfectly fit the “Cut Above the Rest” theme, so it’s not surprising that it won the Fantasy Trophy.

The Jack in the Box float was very festive. Jack looked like he was hosting a big party, and we were all invited.

The Rose Court looked lovely, of course.

The Burbank Float stayed in front of our building for a long time while it appeared that experts were fixing another float that had broken down. At least the animated airplane was fun to see twist and turn.The Honda Float was quite impressive.

I recognized the South Pasadena float from afar by the font they used for the word “Pharmacy.” It’s the same font used on the outside of the wonderful Fair Oaks Pharmacy. My kids love getting ice cream and other treats there.

The Los Angeles Unified School District Band enjoyed relaxing for awhile while another float was being repaired.

I bet that Kaiser Permanente carefully chose who would ride the carousel animals on this float.

Does anyone know why the American flag was upside down? You’d have to be on your back looking up at it for it to look correct.

The huge horse and tow trucks heralded the end of the parade…

But we all know the parade isn’t over until we see the John 3:16 guy.

Happy New Year!!

Ugg! It’s so cold!!

Posted on 08. Dec, 2009 by kchristieh in environment

Brrr!!! I moved to Southern California to be warm, not to wake up to 27-degree temperatures.

I hope our oranges survive!

Time to find my winter coat and furry boots and brave driving my son to school…

Pledge to keep kids safe: join SafeHomes on Facebook

Posted on 24. Nov, 2009 by kchristieh in parenting, social networking

For years, the Community Prevention Council of La Canada Flintridge has been encouraging area parents to take the following pledge:

“I will not allow minors to consume beer, wine, alcohol, or use illegal drugs in my home or on my property. I will not allow parties or gatherings in my home without proper adult supervision.”

Parents who are willing to agree to that have long been asked to join SafeHomes, an online, password-protected database that allows parents to see which other parents have agreed to the pledge, and therefore to know which homes are more likely to host safe parties and events.

This evening, Community Prevention Council chair Will Moffitt created a . People who join the group agree to abide by the pledge. For those of us who visit Facebook daily, it’ll be much easier to access than the password-protected database, and it’ll make it easy to get in touch with fellow group members.

I hope you’ll join. The more people that join, the more valuable a resource this will be.

Why you should vote for Neal Millard for La Canada School Board

Posted on 21. Sep, 2009 by kchristieh in education, politics

When Neal Millard asked me to be one of his campaign managers for his run for La Canada Unified School District Governing Board, I said “yes” in an instant. I’ve known Neal since our days on the LCF Educational Foundation board, and he’d always impressed me with his ability to ask probing questions and articulate wise positions.

The more I learn about Neal, the more impressed I become. Because his law practice concentrates on charter schools, he’s exposed to creative solutions to problems that plague many schools, including our own. He also has extensive experience in school finance, and is eager to bring parents, teachers, administrators and students together to make our schools the best they can be.

You can learn more about Neal at the website I created for him at www.nealmillard.com. (My favorite page is the Contact page – love that graphic at the top!)

Please if you’re a registered voter here and would like to endorse Neal!

Deer forage for food in neighborhood untouched by fire

Posted on 12. Sep, 2009 by kchristieh in animals, local news

I saw these two deer up on Greenridge Dr. today. The doe was very protective of the fawn, so I wasn’t able to get as close as I wanted to. Deer have always wandered into the neighborhoods in this area, but I’d bet that they’ll be there more often now that their food supply in Angeles Forest has been burned out.

I think that deer are magnificent creatures. I haven’t seen any in our neighborhood, but my next door neighbor once saw one walking up the street. We’re a block from the 210 Freeway, so hopefully the deer turned around and went back into the mountains so it wouldn’t get hurt.

Maybe if deer ate my landscaping I wouldn’t like them so much. Same with bunnies. I admit that the peahens we had in our neighborhood last year were cool at first, but I tired of them rather quickly. Black widow spiders are exotic, but I don’t like having them in my yard.

Giving thanks

Posted on 11. Sep, 2009 by kchristieh in local news, tv

This evening the citizens of La Canada Flintridge gathered to pose for a group picture which will accompany thank you cards which the city will send to each agency that sent personnel to fight the awful fire that burned here last week and is still burning in Angeles National Forest. I was so impressed by the outpouring of appreciation from so many people. This is a great place.

Many members of the media showed up. I made it to the 10 pm newscast on CBS2/KCAL9 here in Los Angeles.

I hope that next time I’m in the news it’s for something more upbeat. I can’t imagine the courage it takes to be a firefighter, or the pain the families of the fallen firefighters are feeling now.

Don’t forget: Meet at 9:00 am on Saturday, Sept. 12th at the Community Center of La Canada Flintridge to carpool to Dodger Stadium for a memorial service for Ted Hall and Arnie Quinones. Even if you didn’t know them personally, and most of us didn’t, it’s still meaningful to show how much our community appreciates the ultimate sacrifice they made for us.

Links:

• Pasadena Star News article: Residents near Station Fire thank firefighters, law enforcement
• CBS2/KCAL9 newscast
• Camera snaps ‘Thanks’ from La Cañada

One last fire shot, as seen from La Canada High School last Friday

Posted on 08. Sep, 2009 by kchristieh in local news

This photo of the fire in Angeles Forest was taken from the parking lot at La Canada High School last Friday, Sept. 4th around 4:30 pm, looking east towards Pasadena. If my kids had been willing to sit in the parking lot for awhile, I could have taken a fantastic time-lapse video of it. You could see the plume growing by the second. A half hour later, this was gone. I think it collapsed upon itself. FYI, the mountain is about 5,700 feet elevation at the point we’re viewing.

Paint your car and tie a yellow ribbon to thank the firefighters and other emergency personnel

Posted on 31. Aug, 2009 by kchristieh in inspirational people, local news

Looking for a good way to thank the firefighters and other emergency personnel for all the hard work they’re doing? There’s a grassroots effort to spread the word that people should paint their cars with phrases such as “Thank you, firefighters!” or “Thanks for saving us from the fires!” My daughter and a friend painted my car last night:

They used “Go Team” glass markers that they purchased at Michaels. (Amy B. says they’re in Aisle 5 of the Glendale Michael’s.) If you don’t have glass markers, some people have said you can use shoe polish. Either way, hopefully it’ll encourage emergency personnel to see how much we appreciate all they’re doing. If you know Lisa S. in La Canada, you can stop by her house between 3 pm – 5 pm (“ish”) and her daughter and some friends will paint your car for you. Lisa is also collecting for the families of the firefighters who died and for the Pasadena Humane Society.

There’s also been talk of tying yellow ribbons around the trees on Foothill Blvd. to honor the two firefighters that sacrificed their lives in this fire. I spoke to Mayor Laura Olhasso, and she said that’s fine. Is there someone out there who can lead this effort?

The city is also trying to determine the best “big” way to thank the firefighters and other emergency personnel. Many are from out of state, and we don’t know when their job will be done, so it’s tough to plan. Stay tuned.

Again, many, many thanks to everyone who’s putting their life on the line for us. You’re truly heroic.

La Canada fire update

Posted on 28. Aug, 2009 by kchristieh in local news

Here’s a picture taken from the top of Chevy Chase at 1:15 pm today. It’s the same location as the pictures in the previous post.

The parts of the mountain that burned last night look like they’ve had a buzz cut. The fire’s definitely spread out since yesterday. I was down at the high school for the Back to School Teacher Luncheon, so I stopped by the Red Cross Evacuation Center. They said they’d only had a handful of people stop by, but they’ve got the North Gym all set up with cots in case people need a place to sleep. The Pasadena Humane Society is there, too, ready to help care for pets, and AllState insurance has a tent set up.

Hopefully no one will need any of this, but it’s good to know it’s there.

“Hernandez Quesadilla Salad” launches at Los Gringos Locos in La Canada

Posted on 09. Jul, 2009 by kchristieh in food, religion

If I get to Heaven and God says I can eat whatever I want, I’ll choose the following:

• A Hobee’s omelette and coffee cake for breakfast
• The “Hernandez Quesadilla Salad” from Los Gringos Locos for lunch
• My mom’s amazing sausage lasagne for dinner
• Mint chocolate chip ice cream mixed with brownies for dessert.

But since I’m here on Earth, I’m still determined to eat healthy food, so I’ll just stick to the “Hernandez Quesadilla Salad.” I think that Los Gringos Locos manager/owner Bent Hansen, my amiga Jody Platisa and I did a fantastic job of concocting the best salad north of the Rio Grande. I won the opportunity to develop a new dish at this year’s LCF Educational Foundation gala. It’s a win-win-win: the Foundation gets $1 every time it’s ordered for the next year, Los Gringos gets more business, and I get to finally eat a healthy, tasty Mexican salad.

The salad consists of two grilled tortillas with melted cheddar cheese between them, covered with romaine lettuce, an avocado pico de gallo salsa and the yummiest marinated grilled chicken strips you’ll ever taste. It’s served with a spicy tomatillo dressing on the side. I knew we’d done a good job, but when I had it the other day I was blown away by how amazing it is. I could eat it every day. Truly. I hope they keep it on the menu when the year is up.

Check it out! Here’s a picture of last year’s Foundation president, Deborah Weirick, me, and Bent, posing with the famous salad. It ran with this week’s Outlook article.

Check out the Valley Sun article. Ruth Longoria actually came down to Los Gringos Locos and took an action shot of me actually eating the salad. Too funny. It could have been a much worse picture, so I’m ok with it.

I can’t wait to eat the salad again!

La Canada Flintridge parcel tax passes with nearly 75% of the vote

Posted on 30. Jun, 2009 by kchristieh in economy, education, local news

La Canada Flintridge voters have overwhelmingly approved Measure LC, a tax of $150 per parcel to help fund local schools. Election results as of this evening indicate that nearly 75% of the votes approved of the tax. Some votes have yet to be counted, but they won’t bring the percentage below the 2/3 needed to pass the tax.

This will bring about $900,000 per year to our local school district. It won’t cover the whole shortfall the district will need to cover due to decreased state funding, but it’ll definitely help lessen the pain.

Thanks to all who supported Measure LC and our schools!!

New YMCA website launches

Posted on 29. Jun, 2009 by kchristieh in work

Every few years a website needs refreshing. Design trends change, technology advances, and businesses and organizations evolve. The YMCA of the Foothills (formerly known as the Crescenta-Canada YMCA) website was long overdue for an overhaul when they hired me and some of my fellow freelancers for help. The colors were old, the design was very plain, and the site was difficult to navigate. Most of all, it didn’t make you want to get involved in the great activities and opportunities the YMCA provides. You can see a screenshot of the old site to the right.

Before we got started, graphic designer extraordinaire Debra Doty redesigned the YMCA of the Foothills logo to correspond to their name change. I then designed the site, Tom Reynolds managed the project and client interaction, and Eric Lim did the coding, which was particularly hairy since it has a complicated database behind it.

You can see the result below. I think it looks great, and am sure that this will raise the YMCA’s profile so that they can move forward and have an even greater impact in our community.

The Bird + The Bee = A Perfect Concert

Posted on 25. Jun, 2009 by kchristieh in music

The most-hyped concert I ever attended was Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” concert at the Meadowlands in the summer of 1984. One of my father’s clients was having trouble paying him, so he appeased my father by giving him four amazing tickets to the biggest concert of the year. I think my sister/stepsisters and I were in the second or third row. Michael Jackson was an incredible performer, but my ears haven’t been the same since.

This evening I attended a much more casual concert, but in my mind it was perfect. The Bird & The Bee performed their own tunes and covered some others (e.g., ““) in the shady, peaceful oak grove at Descanso Gardens in La Canada. The Bird (Inara George) looked positively blissful as her sweet voice covered an incredible range, and when The Bee (Greg Kurstin) played a solo she’d dance lightly around the stage.

The music was excellent, the company divine, the venue was perfect: it doesn’t get any better.

I discovered The Bird and The Bee when KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic played their cover of “.” That’s one of my favorite songs of all time. My mother had the original on a 45 record when she was little, and passed it on to me. It’s such a sweet, catchy tune that I used to sing it to my kids when they were little. I wish they’d played it tonight, but what they did perform was wonderful. I think that “” was my favorite.

Here’s a video of their 2006 Morning Becomes Eclectic performance. Wow.

It’s official: South Pasadena passed its parcel tax

Posted on 20. Jun, 2009 by kchristieh in education

In the past month,

• San Marino passed a parcel tax for $795
• South Pasadena passed a parcel tax for $288

Clearly, the residents of both of these communities are willing to pay to help their public schools.

I hope La Canada’s willing to pass a parcel tax for $150.

If you want to vote for this, get your ballot in NOW. They must be received by June 30th. Postmarks don’t count.

Have questions? Visit www.measurelc.org.

Meet the competition: SAT Review Gone Wild

Posted on 12. Jun, 2009 by kchristieh in education, parenting

I’m not sure which part of the following Elite of Arcadia SAT review course ad scares my children more. Is it the special “2400 Club” class for kids who have already scored above 2200 and are seeking a perfect score? Or is it the Monday – Friday, 14 week, 5.5 hour/day Boot Camp?

When you’re in a district that’s ranked highly by Newsweek, you compete against kids who take these classes. One child I know said these classes should be called “mental hospitals,” since this child swears that many of the kids who take them are on a verge of a breakdown. Perhaps they are. And perhaps they and/or their parents think it’s worth it.

The Wall St. Journal recently featured an article titled, “SAT Coaching Found to Boost Scores — Barely.” It said that,

Families can spend thousands of dollars on coaching to help college-bound students boost their SAT scores. But a new report finds that these test-preparation courses aren’t as beneficial as consumers are led to believe.

The report, to be released Wednesday by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, criticizes common test-prep-industry marketing practices, including promises of big score gains with no hard data to back up such claims. The report also finds fault with the frequent use of mock SAT tests because they can be devised to inflate score gains when students take the actual SAT.

On the other hand, the article continued that,

The report also noted that some college-admissions officers indirectly encourage applicants to sign up for SAT-prep courses by setting score cutoffs. A survey included in the report found that more than a third of schools with tight selection criteria said that an increase of just 20 points in the math section of the SAT, and of 10 points in the critical reading section, would “significantly improve students’ likelihood of admission.”

Either way, my kids won’t be taking these classes. My daughter took her last SAT on Saturday, and my son would rue me forever if I made him take this class. Hopefully they’ll gain good life, spiritual, athletic and academic experiences from the summer we have plannned.

Why I’m voting “YES” on Measure LC, the La Canada parcel tax

Posted on 02. Jun, 2009 by kchristieh in local news

For years I’ve helped raise money for the La Canada public schools. If we didn’t raise private funds, our kids wouldn’t have 20 kids per teacher in Kindergarten – 3rd grade, art, drama and music at the elementary level, computers, or a librarian and a guidance counselor at the upper levels.

Unfortunately, the current California/national/international economic crisis means this isn’t enough. If local residents don’t step up and pass a parcel tax, our schools are going to have to drop programs and positions that are critical to maintaining our schools’ high standards.

Measure LC would raise property taxes a mere $150 per parcel. That’s less than the cost of a postage stamp a day. And yet, it would raise approximately $900K per year for the district. It still isn’t enough to avoid making any cuts, but it sure will help.

Please join me on voting “YES” on this crucial measure. It’s a mail-in vote only, so look for the ballot you probably received in today’s mail and send it in asap. It needs 2/3 majority to pass, so every single vote counts.

You can learn more about Measure LC at www.measurelc.org.

By the way, San Marino just passed a $795 parcel tax, which supplements the $295 parcel tax they already had That’s a community that values education! Let’s show that we are, too!

PTSA President 3.0: I have the gavel

Posted on 01. Jun, 2009 by kchristieh in education, local news, my life

Today I achieved the Triple Crown of PTA: I was installed as President of our high school’s PTSA. I’ve already been an elementary school PTA president and a junior high school PTA president, so I’m optimistic that those have prepared me well for this job. Unlike parenting, which gets more difficult as the kids get older, PTA President gets easier. At the elementary school I had 90 (!) positions under me, with numerous fundraisers, room representatives, docents and programs. When you added a dash of confusion over PTA bylaws, it got stressful at times. At the high school, we have only a few straightforward fundraisers, no room reps (our kids would kill us!), one program (Red Ribbon Week – any ideas?) and no docents. I’ve got a GREAT group of people on my Executive Board, and all have years of experience. I’m following in the steps of an amazing woman, and she’s done a wonderful job of paving the way.

We’re looking forward to another great year!

The 710 Freeway Tunnel: No need, no desire, and no money

Posted on 27. May, 2009 by kchristieh in local news

Last night, CalTrans held its first informational meeting in La Canada regarding potentially extending the 710 Freeway via a tunnel under South Pasadena to connect to the 210 Freeway.

• Did they ask if we want this? No.
• Do they know if they can even fund this? No.
• Did they show that they’ve re-examined whether the region’s transportation needs are the same as they were over 40 years ago when this was first proposed? No.

These would be good questions to ask first before spending any time and effort on the project. Instead, CalTrans has already spent millions on geological studies to determine if this project is feasible, and last night they sent the geologists out to show us rock core samples and pictures of amazing tunnels all over the world.

Of the 200 or so people who attended, I only heard two that weren’t opposed to the project. Mayor Laura Olhasso very eloquently explained that La Canada already paid a heavy price when the 210 Freeway was built in the 1970’s. The city lost over 500 homes, and the freeway bisected the heart of the city. Not only that, but 12 local schools and preschools sit within a quarter mile of the freeway, thus exposing our children to excessive pollutants and irritants. This problem has been exacerbated since the 210 was extended out to San Bernardino. Mayor Olhasso stated the statistics I cite in my previous post, and said that we don’t want to pay an even higher price in health, traffic and safety than we already have. She also said that the price of the project would be in the billions of dollars.

I felt a little bad for the geologists and PR people, who looked like they were caught off-guard by an audience that was double the size of all their appearances combined to-date. On the other hand, a few were a bit condescending, so my sympathy only goes so far. Audience members were asking very direct, intelligent questions, and it was frustrating when CalTrans didn’t have the answers or didn’t think they needed to have them. It was also silly that they kept claiming that their mandate was merely to explore how to complete the 710 freeway, even if it meant building an 11-mile tunnel through a Superfund site east to the 605 Freeway. Puhleaze! We’re not stupid. Let’s be honest: this is about connecting to the 210 Freeway. Don’t waste our time or money exploring options that are never going to be considered.

It turns out that CalTrans is considering a private/public partnership for this project. That’s why we need to be concerned. They might actually find the money to fund it.

Hopefully CalTrans will hold more useful meetings in the near future, and will listen thoughtfully to what the public has to say. Hopefully even more elected officials will attend, and hopefully the public will galvanize in even greater force to stop this.

Stay tuned. Tomorrow I plan to start a Facebook group to act as a clearinghouse for information. In the meantime, here are some links to investigate:

• To join the Mayor’s distribution list, send a no-message email to
• South Pasadena’s Historic Opposition to a Surface Extension (City of South Pasadena website) Note: There are many more useful links at the bottom of this page.

Don’t let CalTrans put a tunnel under South Pasadena

Posted on 26. May, 2009 by kchristieh in local news

I was happy at first when the 210 Freeway was extended to San Bernardino a few years ago. It made it easier to visit my mother and stepfather, and to vacation in the desert. But elation quickly turned to dismay as the volume of truck and car traffic through La Canada increased nearly overnight, bringing with it more noise, accidents and pollution.

La Canada paid a steep price when the 210 Freeway was built right through the heart of the city, and each year it’s paid an increasingly high price as traffic on the freeway has increased.

We’ll pay an even higher price if CalTrans proceeds with its plan to extend the 710 Freeway by building a tunnel under South Pasadena. If that freeway is finally completed, it will provide an unbroken route through La Canada to and from the Port of Los Angeles, and traffic studies show that traffic through La Canada would likely increase by 25%.

There’s a big part of me that thinks this is so ridiculous it will never happen. After all, they’re talking about spending billions of dollars in the midst of one of the state’s and the nation’s worst economic crises. But this is the same agency that didn’t stop big rigs from traveling on Angeles Crest Highway through the mountains, so I wouldn’t put it past them.

Come to the CalTrans informational meeting tonight at Lanterman Auditorium at 6:30 pm to voice your concern.

After all, with the new math,

Resources:

Editorial by La Canada Valley Sun Editor Carol Cormaci
Memo – City Council 5-11-09 – 710 Tunnel Traffic Study.pdf

Letter from Mayor Laura Olhasso:

CalTrans will hold an informational meeting in LCF to update our residents about the 710 Tunnel Technical Study.  As you know, the latest idea to link the 710 freeway with the 210 is to dig the widest tunnel ever built in the world so that all traffic, including trucks coming from the port, will be able to continue on the 710 to the 210 up to the 5 and points north.  This meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 26 at 6:30 p.m. at Lanterman Auditorium (4491 Cornishon).  The tunnel will hugely increase truck traffic through our town and have an accompanying devasting impact on noise and air pollution.  It is imperative that our residents understand these impacts and voice their concerns.  The attached memo gives further details about the projected traffic impacts.  I hope many, many people will turn out on May 26 to show CalTrans just how important this issue is to us.  Feel free to forward this email to anyone you think would be interested.

In addition, for those who cannot attend, letters may be sent directly to CalTrans:
Will Kempton, Director
CalTrans
P.O. Box 942873
Sacramento, CA  94273-0001
AND
Doug Failing, District 7 Director
CalTrans
100 S. Main Street
Los Angeles, CA  90012

If you write letters, please email the city a copy as well at so that we may have it for our records.

When the 210 Freeway was built through the very middle of our town, La Canada lost over 300 homes.  We have done our part for transportation in the area.  Please help us say NO to the tunnel.

Thank you for your help.
Laura Olhasso
Mayor

Help Ban Trucks on Angeles Crest Highway!

Posted on 27. Apr, 2009 by kchristieh in local news

Let’s make sure there’s not any more runaway truck accidents on Angeles Crest Highway! Here’s the following from Malia Mailes, who researched truck traffic on Angeles Crest Highway for her Girl Scout Gold Award project. Click here to download this and fax it in.

Our State Assembly Member Anthony Portantino has proposed a new law – AB1361 – that will make the temporary 90-day ban into a permanent ban. The bill will be voted on by the state assembly transportation committee on Monday, April 27, 2009. Please take a few minutes to show your support.

1) Fill in your name and address at the top.
2) Write why you want the law passed and why it’s important to our community.
3) Sign your name.
4) Fax it to Assembly Member Mike Eng, who is the chair of the Committee on Transportation at .
5) Fax a copy of what you just faxed to Assembly Member Eng to Assembly Member Anthony Portantino at .
6) If you are underage, you can still fax in a letter but please ask also your parents to fax one in. Please ask your friends too. It is not necessary to use the form I made. It is just for your convenience. You can send your letter in any format you want.

The State Assembly Committee on Transportation will meet Monday, April 27 so please try to get your faxes in before then.

Thank you,

Malia Mailes
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________

Date __________________________

The Honorable Mike Eng
Member, California State Assembly
Chair, Committee on Transportation
Fax:

Subject: Support to AB 1361

Dear Assembly Member Eng:

Sincerely,

cc: Assembly Member Anthony Portantino,  Fax: