NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2003

IN  THIS  ISSUE:

Those Crimestopping Eyes

OUR EYES (AND EARS), POLICE SAY, CAN BE JUST AS EFFECTIVE at warding off crime as the latest technology. When you organize a whole street full of eyes, robbers, car thieves, drug dealers and vandals take notice.

That’s why now is a great time to get involved in Neighborhood Watch, the program that organizes caring neighbors so they can look out for each other’s families and property, call police about suspicious activity or crimes in progress and work together to make their community safer. It’s free, it’s simple and it works. Here’s how to get started:

• Set up a committee of neighbors to discuss what you’d like to do.
  

• Next, invite your block to a meeting. Ask the Pasadena Police Department Community Services Section to send a representative to discuss Neighborhood Watch and recent crime patterns. Pass out flyers door-to-door in advance and make reminder calls.
  

• At the meeting, collect everyone’s names so a map can be set up with names, addresses and phone numbers of members. Make copies for everyone. Set up a regular way to communicate with a newsletter, telephone tree, emails or faxes.
  

•  Elect a block captain to serve as a link between your neighborhood and police.
  

•  Ask for volunteers to relay information and keep tabs on neighboring seniors, disabled persons, working parents and young people.

With guidance from police, you and your neighbors will be trained in home security techniques, observation and reporting. Ready to roll? Call 744-4551 and ask for Neighborhood Watch.

Get A Free Fix-up

Front porch sagging? Windows won’t quite shut all the way? You can safeguard your home with a little repair work. And if you’re a low-income, senior or disabled Pasadena area homeowner, you may qualify for free service from Rebuilding Together Pasadena, the largest national volunteer organization to revitalize homes in need. For an application, call 798-6176, write to Rebuilding Together Pasadena, P.O. Box 302, Pasadena CA 91102 or stop by Neighborhood Connections at 1384 E. Walnut Ave.

If you have Internet access, you can also download an application from www.pasadena.rebuildingtogether.org (click on Volunteer/Homeowner Information).

Make sure your paperwork is filled out completely to avoid any delays. Every request is carefully reviewed by the selection committee and all information is kept strictly confidential.

You Call! We Haul!

THAT SAGGY, HAND-ME-DOWN COUCH. Your son’s ketchup-stained futon. Your old, lifeless olive-green dishwasher. You want to get rid of them but they’re awfully bulky. Easier to leave them in the corner of the garage, right?

Wrong!

If you live in a single-family home or a small complex of four units or less, the city’s free, bulky trash pick-up program can help you get rid of old appliances, mattresses, furniture and other oversized items. You call, we haul! Simply call 744-4087 and a pick-up will be scheduled for the next available date that coincides with your regular trash day. Once the appointment is made, place your oversized items on the curb no later than 7 a.m. City refuse customers are eligible for one free pick-up per year; additional pick-ups can be arranged for a fee that is based on the size of the load and the types of items.

The city’s Integrated Waste Management Division is pleased to offer this free service to help keep Pasadena “Lookin’ Good!” Sorry, this service is not available if you do not have city of Pasadena trash service or if you live in an apartment complex with five or more units. However, all trash haulers serving the city are required to provide bulky item collection and are allowed to charge a reasonable fee. Check with the trash hauler that serves your complex to learn more about their bulky item pick-up services, or you may take your oversized items to the Scholl Canyon Landfill in Glendale (323-254-9865).

The Hunt Is On for the Perfect Present

So long, sweaters! You can find (or make) beautiful one-of-a-kind gifts this holiday season at three city events.

First, browse through hundreds of decorative holiday pillows, ornaments, dolls, jewelry and more at the Craft Bonanza Showcase on Thursday, Nov. 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in City Hall’s grand entrance, 100 N. Garfield Ave. Most of the items are hand-made. Call 744-7300 for more information.

Next, mark your calendar for Santa’s Boutique on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Victory Park gym. (Come a little early to enjoy breakfast with Santa from 8 to 11 a.m.) With free admission, you can make your way through more than 25 booths selling handcrafted treasures. Call 744-7500 for more information.

Finally, crafty teens ages 13 to 17 can create personalized gifts for family and friends at the “Create a Craft...Give a Gift ” workshop Saturday, Dec. 6, at 1 p.m. at Pasadena Central Library, 285 E. Walnut St. You’ll get all the supplies you need. Call 744-4766 to reserve a spot.

Speak Up on Ambassador College
Development Plans

MUCH OF THE AMBASSADOR COLLEGE CAMPUS near Old Pasadena may be turned into a neighborhood of 1,431 homes, with a few new shops and services. The property’s owner, Worldwide Church of God, has proposed to build 696 new units on the 32-acre west campus at the southeast corner of Orange Grove Boulevard and Green Street and 735 new units on the 13-acre east campus south of Green Street between Delacey and Pasadena avenues. Many of the existing buildings, including the Ambassador Auditorium, are proposed to be removed, but other historic mansions would be converted to homes, offices or visitor service centers.

The city is engaged in an ongoing effort to collect community input on the plan. You’re invited to review and give your comments on the project’s draft Environmental Impact Report (dEIR) when it is released. As with any major proposed development, the city prepared a detailed analysis evaluating potential impacts the project might have on population and housing, water and utility services, aesthetics, air quality, transportation, natural resources, noise levels, recreation, cultural resources and more.

Copies of this report will be available at city libraries, City Hall and at www.cityofpasadena.net/planning (click on Ambassador Campus). You may also purchase a CD-ROM or hard copy of the report at the Permit Center, 175 N. Garfield Ave. Submit comments in writing to Brian League, Senior Project Manager, City of Pasadena Planning and Development Department, 100 N. Garfield Ave., Pasadena CA 91109. Also watch for a series of public meetings where you can offer your opinion. For more information, check the web site, send an email to bleague@cityofpasadena.net or call 744-7194.

Roasting Chestnuts?
Some Fire Safety Tips...

CANDLES AND LIGHTS are a big part of the holiday season. But along with equipment like space-heaters, they’re the most common cause of wintertime fires. The Pasadena Fire Department offers these tips for keeping your home and loved ones safe:

• Water your holiday tree daily to keep it fresh; keep it away from heat sources; if you have an artificial tree, be sure it is fire-retardant.

• Decorate only with flame-retardant or non-combustible materials.

• Make sure your fireplace or wood stove is in working condition. Have your chimney connections and flues inspected by a professional and cleaned, if necessary, before lighting a fire. Burn only chopped wood – never pine boughs, paper or old gift wrap.

• Don’t set lit candles near young children or pets. Keep matches out of reach.

• Keep indoor and outdoor lights in good shape and check them carefully for burned-out bulbs or frayed cords. Buy a new set if necessary. Don’t overload electrical circuits.

• Always keep a family first aid kit and fire extinguisher on hand.

For more information, call the Pasadena Fire Department’s disaster preparedness coordinator at 744-7276.