FLIRTING WITH DISASTER IN MONTROSE
There seems to be a growing trend in the Montrose Shopping Park that has me very concerned for the safety of local residents. I have lived within a block of Honolulu Avenue for nearly eight years and my family and I walk through the shopping park several times a week. Myself and others have noticed that vehicles are driving much faster, and more importantly, they’re not stopping at the pedestrian walkways. Often I may have to wait for three or four cars to go by before someone stops – and I’m pushing a stroller! This is not a few isolated incidents I’m writing of, but rather a significant trend that I feel needs to be addressed.
Now I’m sure everyone has noticed that Montrose is a changing city, and that the shopping area has seen an increase in traffic in recent years. That’s great for our local economy, but we must recognize that public safety is paramount. I think some of the decline in driver courtesy stems from the fact that visitors may not be aware that they have to stop for all pedestrians in the shopping park. We need to take some steps to notify visitors that this isn’t, nor will it ever be, Glendale Avenue.
Perhaps the most concerning ingredient in this recipe for disaster is that long-term local residents have come to expect cars to stop. I often see a pedestrian enter the crosswalk without even glancing up because they assume driver compliance. This is an issue that we all need to discuss with our neighbors and our children before we hear about an accident on the 10 o’clock news.
In my estimation, this issue will be compounded significantly when the new Trader Joe’s opens at Honolulu and Orangedale avenues. We need to do something about this problem now! Increased police enforcement is effective, but short term. I believe we need something more permanent like flashing lights along the crosswalk maybe? If anyone out there is well versed in this type of issue and has a reasonable solution, please bring it to our attention!
In the meantime, Montrose, don’t forget to look both ways!
Scott Ziegler
Montrose

COFFEE DRINKER NO TEA FAN
David Wilcox’s letter of Oct. 14, “Go Tea Party!” expresses the typical talking points of
this movement. I think they require a closer look. Mr. Wilcox is probably correct that a majority of Americans support smaller government and
reduced spending. What I find interesting is how these Tea Party activists now running for public office intend to accomplish this feat.
Rand Paul, the Tea Party backed candidate for the U. S. Senate in Kentucky, has supported a $2,000 deductable for Medicare and Sharron Angle in Nevada supports “phasing out” social security and Medicare. I assure you my 91-year-old mother who depends upon social security and Medicare doesn’t support that. Joe Miller, running for Senate in Alaska, opposes unemployment benefits as “unconstitutional” (even though his wife has collected those same benefits after working for him). I assure you my brother-in-law who has been unable to find work in this devastated economy doesn’t support that. John Colbert, the Tea Party-backed Republican running right here in our 29th Congressional district wants to repeal health care reform. I assure you my niece, who has a pre-existing condition and now has affordable health care for the first time, doesn’t support that.
What I find fascinating is that most Republican/Tea Party candidates, while proposing these kinds of reductions also support the extension of the Bush tax cuts to the richest 1% of the population, tax cuts that will cost roughly $700 billion.
Most likely, many of these Tea Party candidates will win in November.  Apparently details don’t matter much these days. So Mr. Wilcox, have your Tea Party.  I’ll drink coffee and vote Democratic.
Patrick McDonald
La Crescenta

CHURCH THANKS THE CRESCENTA VALLEY
Just completing its first year of worshipping and serving as a “church without walls,” St. Luke’s Anglican Church would like to extend a public thank you to the following churches for their overwhelming show of support: the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Glendale, La Crescenta Presbyterian Church, Lutheran Church in the Foothills (La Cañada), Mt. Olive Lutheran Church (La Crescenta), and the Four Square Church (La Crescenta). All have extended generous hospitality to St. Luke’s during the past year, hosting our worship services, funerals, meetings and fellowship events.  Individuals and other churches have truly blessed us as well with letters, emails and calls of support and encouragement.
A year later, the entire congregation is looking forward to the good plans God has in store for us as we pursue our mission of “Encountering Christ, Transforming Lives and Demonstrating Love.” The people of St. Luke’s are renewed in their desire to bring the love of God to the people of this community and beyond. One of the church’s new ministries will be monthly healing prayer sessions. These sessions will be open to anyone needing healing or wanting to know about healing prayer according to Christian practice.
We invite the community to attend our worship services held Sundays at 10:00 a.m., at the Seventh Day Adventist Church, 300 Vallejo Dr., Glendale. The church website is www.stlukesanglican.org.
Rob Holman
Rector, St. Luke’s Anglican Church
LEARNING ABOUT THE CANDIDATES
Tonight, Thursday night, is the candidate forum for the upcoming Nov. 6 election for your new Crescenta Valley Town Council members. We should be well informed who represents the community and is on the council – look into the link below to review the candidates application questions and answers.
http://thecvcouncil.com/2011candidates.html
I encourage every one of you to attend (Thursday, Oct. 21 at the La Crescenta Library [2809 Foothill Blvd. in La Crescenta] at 7:00 p.m.). This is your opportunity to ask the candidates about their commitments, goals, experience and accomplishments.
The CV Town Council is the eyes and ears of the community to Supervisor Michael Antonovich. He relies heavily on Council for information about Crescenta Valley and supports us is so many way. Please show your returned support by attending this week’s forum and learning who your candidates are.
Town Council  is a vital tool that will work collaboratively with us, if we ask. Each month the CV Town Council has at least one guaranteed public forum Town Council meeting; each month the agenda provides the opportunity for community members to speak out and share their concerns as well as their moments of glory. The Council and members of the community are your captive audience … this is where you go if you want to get something done!
Please clear your schedules and attend this forum. It’s the only event left to learn about the candidates before election day in the unincorporated area.
We have a huge responsibility to elect the right council members for our community. I look forward to seeing you there!
This is our town; that’s why we come together.
Don’t forget the pancake breakfast on Saturday, Oct. 23 in the CV High School quad. All you can eat pancakes, two sausages and scrambled eggs ($5 per person). Unpaid volunteers chair the Council and this is our greatest fundraiser. Please come out and have some fun and support us too!
It’s been a pleasure serving you.
Kim Mattersteig, CV Town Councilmember
La Crescenta

PROP 19 PROPONENT
It was hard to miss your half page “No On Prop 19” dissertation (News, page 5, Sept. 23). This misleading collection of opinions can easily be debated and effectively shown untrue.
More disturbing was that you didn’t indicate who supported or paid for that space. I think that is an obligation of the publisher. If it was done gratis on the part of Crescenta Valley Weekly, then you should feel obligated to publish an opposing attitude.
I urge your readers to consult and consider the support of
this group of highly respected public figures found on the official voter guide “Yes on 19” or by visiting the “Yes on 19.com” web page.
Jim Edwards
La Crescenta
Editor’s note: The ad that appeared on Sept. 23 had the Paid Advertisement tag cut off by mistake. Subsequent placement of the ad reflected that it indeed is a paid advertisement.