Lawn

Residents reporting seeing a man masturbating last week in front of an apartment building on Palm Drive, police said. Witnesses said the man was standing behind a white picket fence about 2:47 p.m. Wednesday on the 600 block of Palm Drive and begin whistling at a woman as he touched himself, according to Glendale police reports. _________________________ FOR THE RECORD: This corrects an earlier version that listed Palm Drive as Palm Avenue. _________________________ The woman yelled at the man and warned that she would be notifying police, prompting him to flee, according to police reports.

Rosemont Middle School’s semi-annual Lunch on the Lawn event is proof that middle schoolers really can enjoy their parents’ company. Under a warm sun, students and parents gathered on the school’s middle field and amphitheater for lunch on a recent Friday afternoon. Shade being at a premium, those who were able squeezed beneath leafy trees, while others sat under colorful umbrellas. Everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves, smiling, laughing and chatting together while enjoying an afternoon meal.

Welcome to the fifth and final installment of the Crescenta Valley Columnist Contest. Yes, we know, last week we said it the final entry, but that was an error. We mean it this time. E-mail your choice of writer to jason.wells@latimes.com , or e-mail it to Crescenta Valley Columnist Contest, Glendale News-Press, 221 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale CA 91203. We?ll be announcing the winner shortly. ? Can we break our addiction to grass? In England, where the first sprawling lawns originated, the climate is temperate.

I have a sister who is wealthy enough to have installed artificial turf in her backyard (“Council, residents weigh in on allowing artificial turf in front yards,” Aug. 11). To her, it made sense because she has three dogs. In order for her to maintain the aesthetic of a green lawn with no yellow spots from dog urine, she wanted to try the artificial turf. After three years of having her artificial turf, there are no yellow spots, but her grass has lost its initial luster and color, and it does not resemble anything in nature.

Paul Clinton GLENDALE -- Police launched a murder investigation Sunday after finding a 65-year-old woman dead on her front lawn, a police spokesman said. Glendale police spokesman Rick Young would not release the woman's name, since her family had not been contacted, but said she died from blunt force trauma to the upper body. The woman's husband, Allen Reich, found his wife on the lawn of the couple's 192 Wonderview Drive home Sunday morning, shortly before he reported the death at 6:16 a.m., Young said.

Moonlit movies at the center Come ready to laugh during Friday's showing of "The Pacifier," at the Pacific Park Community Center, 501 S. Pacific Ave. The movie will be shown at dusk, but seating is on the lawn, so moviegoers are encouraged to bring a lawn chairs or blankets for seating. Admission is free and free popcorn, snacks and prizes will be provided on a limited basis for children at some showings. For more information, call (818) 548-3875.

The Crescenta Valley Water District last weekend dedicated its new water-conserving garden. It replaced the district's thirsty garden, originally created as a celebration of water. At the moment, the district's new garden doesn't really look like much. The native plants are still small, and to be honest there's a lot of dirt between them. It's a far cry from the mature pine trees the CVWD cut down to make room for this landscaping. But give it time, and it will be beautiful.

In a recent news article, it was suggested that David Wood’s synthetic lawn is a controversial violation of city codes (“Not the typical turf war,” Aug. 7). Forgive me for failing to see the controversy in such an isolated case. It is not as if Wood is scattering auto parts on his lawn, asking to put cardboard cutouts of Hollywood celebrities in front of his house, or even mounting those dreaded plastic flamingos. Then I would understand calling the tacky police and issuing a citation.

Guest Column By Vasken Yardemian As we prepare to turn back our clocks an hour on Sunday, Oct. 31, for the Daylight Saving that is also a good time to adjust our outdoor watering habits. This means more than just adjusting the clocks on our automatic systems. Shorter daylight hours and cooler temperatures mean gardens and lawns need less water. Those with automatic sprinkler systems or other irrigation devices with timers are encouraged initially to reduce the amount of time per irrigation by at least one-third for lawn watering in fall and plan for another reduction in winter.

Authorities are seeking information about a hit-and-run accident that killed a 66-year-old woman as she stopped to care for an animal lying in the road near Forest Lawn cemetery in the Hollywood Hills. Zina Feeley, 66, had parked her 2006 Lincoln Town Car along the north shoulder of the 6000 block of Forest Lawn Drive about midnight Saturday, City News Service reported citing authorities. While she was walking toward the animal, she was struck by a car traveling eastbound, LAPD Officer Cleon Joseph told City News Service in a statement.

Army Capt. Justin Babcock has become used to hearing people say thank you. Just last week, on two separate occasions, someone bought his coffee for him as a thank you for his service. “But it didn't always used to be like that,” Babcock said before about 350 people at Forest Lawn Memorial-Parks & Mortuaries' 52nd annual Veterans Day Ceremony Friday. Babcock, who did two tours in Iraq before becoming company commander of the U.S. Army Recruiting Company, surveyed a crowd filled with older veterans and their families.

Residents reporting seeing a man masturbating last week in front of an apartment building on Palm Drive, police said. Witnesses said the man was standing behind a white picket fence about 2:47 p.m. Wednesday on the 600 block of Palm Drive and begin whistling at a woman as he touched himself, according to Glendale police reports. _________________________ FOR THE RECORD: This corrects an earlier version that listed Palm Drive as Palm Avenue. _________________________ The woman yelled at the man and warned that she would be notifying police, prompting him to flee, according to police reports.

Officials are cautioning residents to be alert after two mountain lions were found early Tuesday morning sitting on the front lawn of a home in Sierra Madre. A resident reported seeing the two cats about 12:32 a.m. in front of a house on the 600 block of Camillo Road, said Sgt. Ruben Enriques of the Sierra Madre Police Department. The cats were still in the yard when officers arrived, but police scared them off by turning on their sirens, he said. Wildlife encounters are common in the community, which lies in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.

Services at Forest Lawn Memorial Park were unaffected by street closures for an investigation into the officer-involved shooting on San Fernando Road, cemetery spokesman William Martin said. “They haven't troubled us at all,” he said. A Los Angeles County district attorney prosecutor was at the scene of the shooting, in which a man who engaged Glendale police in an early morning gun battle was shot dead. Authorities have not released he man's identity pending family notification.

I have a sister who is wealthy enough to have installed artificial turf in her backyard (“Council, residents weigh in on allowing artificial turf in front yards,” Aug. 11). To her, it made sense because she has three dogs. In order for her to maintain the aesthetic of a green lawn with no yellow spots from dog urine, she wanted to try the artificial turf. After three years of having her artificial turf, there are no yellow spots, but her grass has lost its initial luster and color, and it does not resemble anything in nature.

The driver of a small truck or SUV that burst into flames on the Ventura (134) Freeway near Forest Lawn Memorial Park Tuesday night survived but suffered burns on his upper body. The man, who wasn't immediately identified, was taken to a local hospital as Los Angeles firefighters extinguished the blaze in the eastbound lanes. No other injuries were reported, and the man was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

Well, well, well. Wishes do come true. In October 2009, I wrote in this column that I wanted it to snow on Southern California. I wanted to see our cities blanketed in a layer of white in hopes such an act of force majeure would bring society to a standstill. It took 16 months, but it happened. And this time I didn't have to drive 90 minutes to shovel the stuff into the bed of my truck, haul it home and dump it on the lawn so the kids could experience a snow day. When it started last Saturday, I was in line at the Handy Market paying for my tri-trip sandwiches and ribeyes.

HOLLYWOOD HILLS — Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, fitness icon Richard Simmons and former “Hulk” star Lou Ferrigno were among hundreds of friends and family who packed an auditorium Tuesday to remember Jack LaLanne. “Jack is now in heaven, and that is going to be very annoying for a lot of people up there,” Schwarzenegger joked. “Because we know what is going to happen. He already has told St. Peter that the wakeup call is 6 in the morning.” LaLanne, known to many as the “godfather of fitness,” died Jan. 23 in Morro Bay at age 96. He is survived by his wife of more than 50 years and three children.

I'm always saddened when I see a front porch with no one sitting on it. I notice them most often as I ride my bike through town, or on the rare long walk. You see so much more of the world when you're not in your car. The overabundance of vacant front porches is made more depressing just before dinner or sunset, times when everyone should stop, sit in front of their house and watch the world go by for a few minutes. Not long ago I was standing in my front yard watching the daughters do the silly things they do, when I was joined by my neighbor Scott and his daughter.