Welcome to the last issue of the Crescenta Valley Weekly for 2011! And what a year it has been.

Publicly, we watched as an investigation was launched into the activities of community leader John Drayman, celebrated the 100th anniversary of the La Crescenta Woman’s Club and cheered as some of our CVHS sports teams advanced to the playoffs and even CIF. We shivered together as snow unexpectedly arrived in the lower elevations of the foothills and held our breath as hurricane-force winds toppled trees and interrupted power. And every time it rained we said a prayer that the hillsides would stay in place as news vans raced up Ocean View Boulevard or La Crescenta Avenue hoping to get an exclusive in case the hillsides gave way.

Dog lovers cautiously celebrated the announcement that funding had been secured for a dog park and hope that indeed shovels will break ground in spring 2012 … finally.

Contrary to what some think, there is wild life in Crescenta Valley, albeit not of the discotheque kind. Bears were seen in several spots around the foothills, as far south as Foothill Boulevard where a bear was spotted passing J’s Maintenance late one night. Reports were made that mountain lions were out and about as were a bobcat or two.

Crescenta Valley Weekly enjoyed a fruitful year as the reputation of the paper spread. Advertisers and residents alike showed their appreciation of the community newspaper both vocally and financially, ensuring the continued success of this privately owned entity.

As the publisher, I’ve experienced personal growth learning how to streamline the processes, putting in place a team that I can honestly say compares to none other. I extend a welcome to our new office manager, a name that many of you will probably recognize, Lisa Mitchell. She replaces Joann Catalano who moved up north.

As the paper continues to build its own rhythm, I’ve been able to look beyond the day-to-day operations and plan for exciting new ways to reach out to our community.

In September we introduced our Subscriber Rewards Program. This program thanks subscribers who had the confidence in the paper to plunk down the annual $52 for home delivery. It also showcases CVW advertisers and gives them a chance to add a “bonus” for CV Weekly subscribers who shop or dine at their business and present the card.

Also in September, we celebrated our two-year anniversary, joining the Early Rodders car club at Crescenta Valley Park for a day of music, food and cake. Leon’s Bakery provided a beautiful creation that fed over 500 people who stopped by our booth to say congratulations.

Our popular e-blasts keep foothill folks up to date on what’s happening in the community throughout the week. The list of email addresses grows as more and more people request the blasts. If you’d like to receive these bits of information, send me your email address at robin@cvweekly.com and I’ll add you to the blast zone.

Although most everything paper-related has been overwhelmingly positive, a couple of challenges did arise. Misinformation about me was posted on an online news site (I use the term loosely). Though the incident was upsetting – I don’t appreciate being in the cross-hairs of someone who is dedicated to discreditation – it did give me an opportunity to publicly question the value of a web-based platform that has little in the way of structure and responsibility. Not surprising, I found that many – including administrators at other newspapers – shared my feelings.

Finally, on a personal level, I celebrated receiving an Empowerment Award from the California State Legislature/Women in Business. I was floored by the honor and am grateful to those who nominated me.

I invite you to sit back, relax and take a look at the 2011 year in review on the following pages. It’s been a heck of year, and I for one look with anticipation to a healthy 2012.

And as always, thank you for your support.