Cold Temps and Hot Topics

I had the opportunity this past weekend to head north to Cambria (also known by me as Cambri-ahhhh), one of my all-time favorite spots. While the valley here was cooking in 90-plus temperatures, my best friend Amy and I were donning sweaters when going on our morning walks. Hard to believe.

One reason I particularly like Cambria is because of its technological challenges; that is, the iffy reception that cellphones get. It makes it hard to check email and social media while there – and that’s okay by me. I don’t know if it’s due to owning my own business, having a large family or some other reason but knowing that, unless someone wants to use a landline to get hold of me, I’m basically “incommunicado.”

Heading home on Sunday, we decided to take the scenic route – Highway 1. Traveling on roads that parallel the ocean is wonderful and maintained the sense of calm I enjoyed while in Cambria.

That calm quickly dissolved on Monday morning when I arrived at the office. The tallying of The Finest 2018 ballots continued with additional help hired to assist our office manager Rachelle with the counting. Our best estimate is that more than 10,000 votes came in and, because I’m a stickler for accuracy, the job was a tedious one to say the least. As we approach the end of the week it appears that the job is nearly done. I can’t wait to find out who the winners are and to share those results in September with you.

With one of the most difficult aspects of The Finest finished I can head over to Cruise Night along Brand Boulevard on Saturday night with a conscience clear of chores that need to be managed. Cruise Night is a smorgasbord of classic and vintage cars, motorcycles and emergency vehicles. The annual event, hosted by the City of Glendale, features live music throughout the day and a fireworks show at the end of the evening. Charly Shelton’s cover story of Cruise Night provides details on this fun (and free) event. I’ll be at the CV Weekly booth with our office manager Rachelle and sales experts Lisa and Sonya. I hope that if you decide to head to Glendale you’ll take a minute to stop by and say hello.

Also on the pages of this week’s issue is a story by Mary O’Keefe on new banners installed along Foothill Boulevard in Sunland-Tujunga. The banners are a visible reminder to drivers on “one of the deadliest streets in the Valley” to slow down. While not everyone is a fan of the new banners, something has to be done to draw the attention of area drivers to the dangers of the boulevard. I know of pedestrians and motorcyclists who have been injured and killed. One social media user posted that animals are also victims of distracted, impaired and speeding drivers.

While not everyone appears to be embracing the new banners at least they’re some sort of answer to a deadly problem. Is there an all-encompassing solution? I don’t know but I salute those who are at least trying to come up with one.

  robin goldsworthy