Great Moments in Eclipse History

A brief look into astronomical eclipses’ and their impact in ancient history

The west coast will be the best coast in America to view the solar eclipse this Sunday, and one of the few places on Earth where it can be seen. However, the astronomical phenomenon that we call an “eclipse” has been viewed by many throughout history and has played a critical role in both mankind’s spiritual evolution, and its scientific understanding of the natural world. For the Navajo the word for eclipse means “eating the sun”. Considered an auspicious event, many tribe members will not only avoid catching a glimpse of the ring of fire, but will fast and cease activities altogether. Ancient China: Hsi and Ho, 2137 B.C. The earliest recorded eclipse dates back to sometime around 2137 B.C. and was recorded by Hsi and Ho, two royal …

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LCF's Best Salon is...Jasmine's

With 58 percent of the vote, Jasmine's Salon & Spa won the Reader's Choice Poll for best salon in town.

La Cañada readers named Jasmine's Salon & Spa as the town favorite, according to the May 8 Reader's Choice poll where the Foothill Boulevard business received 37 votes. Jasmine's surpassed 16 other La Cañada salons with 58 percent of the vote. Coming in second with 9 percent was the yet-to-have-its grand-opening R1 Rave Hair Studio, followed by Bruce K. Smith Salon and Nuovo Studio for Hair, each earning 7 percent.  Three five-star reviews of Jasmine's in the LCF Patch business directory note that the stylists are as kind as they are talented. Writes Amy Rae Hanson, "Love these girls! They know how to tame my mane and make it look fab. Woo hoo!''

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Greatest Mother's Day Gift of All: Fair Pay and Equal Treatment

America's work places are rife with unfair policies toward mothers.

Looking for something special to get mom this mother's Day? Forget the flowers, jewelry, chocolates or dining out, all things that sound suspiciously like another Hallmark holiday, and imagine something truly original. Give all mothers the gift of universal paid maternity leave. Actually, it's not that original since almost every other country in the world provides it, even poverty stricken third world countries where women are second class citizens.  However in America, where we like things fast and cheap, three months of unpaid leave is considered a fitting amount of time and money to dedicate to one of the most significant events in any family, though many moms agree it's not enough time to bond with a baby.  California and New Jersey …

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Patch Letter: Successful Schools Go Charter Too

Cindy Wilcox' letter to the editor ticks off reasons why she wholeheartedly supports charter schools.

This letter references an article in the Los Angeles Times, May 2, 2012, Charter Seekers at Top of Class: 24 High-performing San Fernando Valley Campuses Seek a Change of Status. Amazingly, it doesn't appear that these Los Angeles schools (existing schools applying to be charter schools) asked their teachers if they would be interested in changing their contract.  Would the teachers like to end "step and column" where they are insultingly paid as groups, rather than for individual effort and contributions to the school? Would they like to take the cap off the future salary schedule?  Most importantly, are they willing to get rid of lay-offs by seniority?  When poor-performing, tenured teachers send up students who are badly prepared, the …

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What's La Cañada's Best Hair Salon? (Poll)

Welcome to another installment of Reader's Choice: where you decide the business who's best at the week's topic. This week: Hair salons.

You don't have to venture too far around town to find an array of hair salons. Any number of these businesses will pamper their patrons and, if the customers have chosen wisely, receive a nice head massage mid-shampoo. But with 16 in town, how do you choose?  Which do you choose and why? Which hair salon do you believe to be the best in La Cañada? Vote in the poll below and please leave a comment about why you chose it. The voting will continue through 9 a.m. on May 15, at which time the votes will be tallied and a winner named. If there is a tie, the winner will be determined by most favorable comments left on the story.  If the poll is gamed, as was the best pizza poll, we will use positive reviews left on the business' directory listing…

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Natalie Ragus

12:57 pm on Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Tony at On The Edge is the only one I trust with my hair, and I've been going to him for years. All the Ragus women (myself, my mom, my cousin, my aunt) go to On The Edge and we ALL get frequent compliments on our cuts. Tony also specializes in cutting curly hair. Hans is OK for beauty supplies, but they messed up my eyebrows and way overcharge for bang cuts ($15? I think not).   more ›

Let's Eat Out!

Review: Min's Makes the Best Mee Grob

La Cañada food reviewer Sue Stauffer dishes on Thai treats at Min's Kitchen.

I have been enjoying the wonderful food of Toi Vanasin at Min’s Kitchen since it opened in 1977. This restaurant started as a tiny place next door to the Lady Bug Boutique with its aged green booths and broken springs that introduced me to the delicious Thai cuisine. Today, not many people remember the rough beginnings of this very popular La Canada restaurant, which extensively remodeled the space and added a 300 square-foot kitchen. Min’s still continues to make the ever popular dishes for which it has become famous. The hot and sour soup with shrimp or chicken that is quite spicy and packed with flavor is a popular favorite.  (To some it is well known as “hangover soup.”)  Another excellent dish is Mee Grob (sweetened crispy fried rice …

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American Health Care is Sick and Needs a Remedy

An epidemic of for-profit health care hurts the most marginalized members of society

When I was 19, my mother, always known for her big heart, was told by doctors her heart was too big--It was dangerously enlarged. A woman who had struggled through single motherhood to join the Airforce, become an RN and overcome adversities facing women and Native Americans in 1970's Arkanasas was now a welfare recepient. Too poor to stay on the heart transplant list, she was forced into hospice care. This was my introduction to the state of health care in America. We have the best health care in the world--for those who can afford it. Unfortunately my mother couldn't, and she paid the ultimate price because she couldn't afford not to. She died in the month of May, a decade ago. I was 20-years-old. Her death was also my introduction into…

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Schiff Wants L.A. River to Remain an Urban Waterway

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) describes why the Los Angeles River should continue with renewal projects.

Rep. Adam Schiff, the congressional incumbent running for re-election for California's 29th District, released this op-ed Thursday. It originally appeared on the Los Feliz Ledger: In the past, many viewed the Los Angeles River as little more than a concrete channel winding its way through our backyards, often dry and ignored. But we have now come to recognize that the river’s 32-mile journey through the heart of Los Angeles provides us with an excellent opportunity to unite our communities around a new and exciting waterway. In fact, the river is an asset with the power to connect hundreds of thousands of Angelinos.  In 2007, the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan breathed new life into the L.A. River. Under the plan, a renewed …

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LCF's Best Pizza is...Georgee's

Patch readers chose Georgee's Pizza as maker of the premier pie in town.

Known as much for hand-drawn sketches on take-away boxes as it is for the taste, Georgee's Pizza won the Patch Reader's Choice award for best pizza in town.  Georgee's surpassed La Cañada pizza places Guiseppes Pizzeria, Pizza Cucina, Hello Pizza and La Cañada Imports with three five-star ratings on its directory listing page. Patch users may rate and review any restaurant in the Patch directory. Newly opened Giuseppes received one five-star rating.  Reader's Choice contests are an online poll where readers vote for their favorite business listed in the poll. Unfortunately, because the original pizza poll was gamed, we swithced it up and asked folks to rate the restaurants on the directory listings, with the one garnering the most positive…

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LCUSD Update: Tenure and Other Educational Reforms

Updates from the President of the La Cañada Unified Governing Board.

At our most recent school board meeting, we unanimously passed a resolution to set aside a day, amended to a full week, to recognize and celebrate our teachers. My personal view is that the vast majority of our teachers are wholly dedicated to providing learning experience and support necessary to develop the full potential of all their students.  Recent examples of our great teachers being publicly extolled include Joe Puglia’s “Helping Voices Find Their Own Verses,” and my own “Learning That’s Magical.” As much as we love our teachers, the school board recognizes that the state-level teachers’ union--California Teachers Association (CTA)--has been undeniably successful in helping to advance legislation that provides permanent (tenured) …

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