La Cañada History: Flintridge family keeps mountain lion as a pet
Ten Years Ago
Laura Olhasso, then mayor of La Cañada Flintridge, in late March 2010 recognized 11 of the city’s residents who volunteered during rescue and clean-up efforts in the devastating Feb. 6 debris flows that inundated neighborhoods and damaged more than 30 homes. Those “mudslide heroes” honored included Cory Stevens, Nick Berkuta, Mary Ann Berkuta, Robert Berkuta, Olivia Brown, Bob Wallace, Brian Fuller, Irene Selemi, Vachik Selemi, Kris Heck, David Oh and Bryn Oh. Olhasso noted the Los Angeles County Fire Department particularly wanted to recognize Irene and Vachik Selemi, who sheltered mudslide victims forced from their homes.
Twenty Years Ago
Ground-breaking ceremonies were held in Glenola Park on Angeles Crest Highway for the Jack Hastings Memorial Gazebo, in honor of the late city councilman. The $9,600 gazebo was to be funded by the city and built by volunteers.
Thirty Years Ago
Armed robbers held up two La Cañada businesses in one weekend in March 1990, El Pollo Loco and the Ralphs market on Foothill Boulevard and Gould Avenue. The restaurant was robbed by a single suspect, but two men were involved in the Ralphs crime.
Forty Years Ago
Flintridge Riding Club named 31-year-old Dane Williams to serve as the first general manager since the club was founded in 1922. Williams assumed the duties that had previously been overseen by the club’s board of directors.
Fifty Years Ago
Kimmy MacBride, a student at Oak Grove Elementary School (where Crestview Prep and the Child Educational Center operate today) was shown in a photo on the cover of the Valley Sun playing with “Susie,” the pet mountain lion belonging to an unidentified Flintridge family. Kimmy was a member of the La Cañada Junior Humane Society.
Sixty Years Ago
In a tale of cross-campus romance, it was announced that Elin Ehrenclou, a fifth-grade teacher at Palm Crest Elementary School, was engaged to Robert Longfellow, a sixth-grade teacher at La Cañada Elementary School. A late April 1960 wedding was to be held at Church of the Angels in Pasadena.
Compiled from the Valley Sun archives.
