Disagrees with Definition

While I have often been a fan of Mike Lawler’s articles on the history of the Crescenta Valley, I feel compelled to address a few mischaracterizations he makes in the recent CVW article regarding his new book (Treasures of the Valley, Nov. 4).

Specifically, Mike writes that the “La Cañada Gossip” section of his book “explains the ‘Sagebrush district’ fight we’ve heard so much about between the La Cañada and Glendale school districts.”

Just to be clear, the school district territory transfer that Mike is referring to is not, nor has been a “fight” between the two school districts. The current petition for the proposed transfer was not initiated by the La Cañada school district but by the parents and residents of the “Sagebrush” community itself.

One could say that the community residents have long-fought to be transferred to its local school district but it’s always been their “fight,” not the school district’s.

Furthermore, the local County Committee approved the Sagebrush petitions in 1979, 1992 and most recently in 2019.

Nalini Lasiewicz
La Cañada

Took Tree Matters into Their Own Hands

I am responding to the recent article from Nov. 11 about the tree trimming in the Briggs Terrace area (“Tree Management, Vegetation Removal Part of SCE Prorgram”). I am the owner of one of the properties where an “apparently healthy tree” was removed. “Apparently” is the key word in that sentence.

For the concerned citizens who contacted CV Weekly, please rest assured that we did not rely on the word of Southern California Edison when they informed us that the tree should be removed for public safety. We contacted a respected local arborist and had a full evaluation of the tree’s condition.

Although to the untrained eye the tree may have looked healthy, the arborist validated that the condition of the tree was deteriorating due to the ongoing drought and that it would not be able to recover and recommended the removal. We were sad to lose the tree but will be planting a replacement that is in a safer position and not as large as the existing pine that was removed.

We are tree lovers and never would have agreed to the removal if it was not necessary.

Alison Brett
La Crescenta