I’ve had a taste of old age recently, having both hips replaced in the last few months. I’ve had to rely on others for the simplest needs, wasn’t able to drive, and was limited in how far or how fast I could hobble around. Just picking something up off the floor became an epic battle […]
The media coverage of last week’s devastating tornado outbreak back east carried descriptions that are eerily familiar to me as a local historian. People reported having no warning. They suddenly heard a deafening roar and felt their walls shake. They had seconds to decide where to run, where would be the safest place in their […]
If you grew up in the Crescenta Valley, then you’ve probably known someone from the Rakasits family. They are a common thread running throughout the history of our valley. Not because they did anything outstanding or infamous – it’s merely for the fact that there were so darned many of them, and they were always […]
Back in the ‘30s, the Jensen family of La Crescenta had big problems with their son Richard, nick-named “Red” because of his mop of curly red hair. The kid had a penchant for thievery, and starting at 6 years old, began a steady stream of burglaries and vandalism. Often caught at it, he was sent […]
Many wild animals have adapted and even flourished in our increasingly urban Foothills community – coyotes, raccoons, possums and hawks. But there is one non-native wild species that seemingly defies credulity for surviving and thriving in the Crescenta Valley – wild parrots! I first noticed them about five years ago, a small flock feasting on […]
Besides this column, I also do the “CV Then and Now” piece that has appeared in this paper since its beginning, and that ran in the previous CV Sun. I obtain old photos, match them to their current locations with a new photo, and then write some accompanying text. I can often be seen lurking […]
Yes, it’s true. CV was the site of something special in women’s history, and actually, for human dignity. Thanks to the vision of a strong woman, Agnes Richards, founder of Rockhaven Sanitarium in 1923, the lives of women with mental disabilities were immeasurably improved. Agnes Richards has a tale that is inspirational. Although born in […]
The “Big Dig,” a megaproject in Boston that put their mid-city freeway underground, went down as the most expensive highway project in U.S. history. It was sold to the taxpayers in 1982 as costing $2.8 billion, but when taxpayers finish paying it off in 2038, it will have cost a whopping $22 billion! The project […]
Last week I told the tale of a 1933 New Year’s Eve party that was broken up (literally) by a massive flood that came down right at midnight, and of the party guests that were killed that horrible night. But not everyone that night experienced the disaster with such dire results. A couple years ago […]
I recently had the chance to be a Principal for the Day at Monte Vista Elementary School. The school is beautiful, well run and high achieving, but that’s a story for a future column. While I was there, I was put to work telling the kids in three different third grade classes about local history. […]