La Canada's 2008 Year in Review

•?La Cañadans knew Christmas was around the corner when local Girl Scouts hosted the annual tree-lighting in Glenola Park and the La Cañada Flintridge Chamber of Commerce staged its annual Festival in Lights at Memorial Park, complete with snow and an official visit from Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus.

•?As they have for more than 20 years, the volunteers of the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station organized their annual food and toy drive to serve families in need during the holiday season.

•?Joel Peterson was elected by his colleagues to serve as 2009 president of the LCUSD Governing Board. Jeanne Broberg was elected vice president.

•?Following on the heels of a warmer-than-usual November, December brought cold weather and much-needed rain to the Foothills.

•?Four people filed their candidacy papers for the two open seats in the March 2009 LCF City Council elections: incumbents Steve Del Guercio and Dave Spence; challengers Robert Richter and Vance Haemmerle.

•?The team of La Cañada High students calling themselves the Axis of Assume, captured first place in the JPL Invention Challenge, which this year called for entrants to build and race miniature aerial cars.

•?A burglary suspect was arrested after a photo surveillance camera caught his clear image and all of his actions while he burglarized a Haskell Drive home.

•?Dave Silversparre, who just a few months earlier marked 50 years in business, announced he would close his service station on Foothill at Angeles Crest because of a decline in business, some of which he blamed on new traffic barriers built in conjunction with the Town Center project.

•?Work was feverishly underway on “Mechanical Melodies,” La Cañada’s float entry in the New Year’s Day Rose Parade, and the La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Assn. was seeking additional volunteer help.