Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 12, 2010

4


Mountain Views News Saturday, June 12, 2010


Playhouse Plaza Project 
Scheduled For Reconsideration

Going the Distance

Dr. Mark 
Rocha New 
President 

of PCC

By Dean Lee

Well after midnight, and after 
hours of public comment, the 
city council Monday night 
voted 5 to 2 in favor of having 
the city’s Design Commission 
revisit the embattled Playhouse 
Plaza Project. 

The 159,829 square foot 
proposed project at Colorado 
Boulevard and S. El Molino 
Avenue was first approved by 
the council last November. At 
that time the council granted 
certain land use entitlements 
including the total square 
footage, a six-level subterranean 
parking garage with a total of 
522 parking spaces, a plaza for 
public use on El Molino Avenue 
and a pedestrian paseo. 

Most of the public comments 
were in opposition to the 
project “massive size” although 
some did say it was pedestrian 
friendly. Council member 
Steve Haderlein had no regrets 
in saying he not only liked the 
project but also thought it was 
going in the right direction. 

Councilmember Steve Madison 
suggested the city may have 
made a mistake in approving 
the project something many in 
the audience had said. 

“I think what I’m hearing from 
members of the community is 
that we made a mistake back in 
November,” Madison said then 
asking the city attorney, “Can 
we reconsider what we did?”

City Attorney Michele Bagneris 
answered by simply saying 
they had made a final decision. 
Madison likened the comment 
to an umpire who blew last call 
at a baseball game. “That’s just 
the way it is?” 

The Design Commission chair, 
Julianna Delgado, suggested 
some of the problems could be 
worked out by future meeting 
with the developers. She also 
said the size of the project was 
not the problem but the actual 
design. 

Two separate but similar 
motions were made one by 
Councilmember Victor Gordo 
and the other by Chris Holden. 
Gordo wanted the Design 
Commission to make the final 
decision while Holden said it 
should come back to the council 
in 30 days.

The approved motion will have 
an ad hoc committee of city 
staff, members of the Design 
Commission and the developer 
review the design, taking into 
consideration a reduction of 
the mass and scale consistent 
with the direction given by 
the council last November 
regarding land use entitlements, 
and return the matter to the 
full Design Commission in 
30 to 45 days with one or 
more alternatives for concept 
approval. 

Gordo also suggested that if 
the Design Commission could 
not come to a conclusion that 
it should go back to the council 
for the final decision. 

 
The Pasadena Area 
Community College District 
Board of Trustees has voted 
unanimously to appoint 
Dr. Mark Rocha to be the 
superintendent/president of 
Pasadena City College. Dr. 
Rocha will begin his post on 
July 1, 2010.

 “PCC looks forward to 
working with Dr. Rocha for 
many years to come to build 
a bright future for the college 
and our community,” said 
Dr. Hilary Bradbury Huang, 
PACCD Board President. 
“We especially appreciate 
the campus and community 
pulling together as reflected 
at this meeting today, rolling 
up our sleeves, and beginning 
the task of working together 
for the advancement of 
PCC, commensurate with 
its distinguished reputation. 
We look forward to greeting 
Dr. Rocha in person and 
celebrating his arrival to our 
community at an upcoming 
board meeting.”

 “I am deeply honored by this 
appointment by the Board of 
Trustees to serve Pasadena 
City College as its next 
superintendent/president,” Dr. 
Rocha said. “I am grateful for 
the confidence the Board has 
placed in me. I come to PCC 
with profound respect for its 
long and proud tradition of 
academic excellence. PCC 
has an outstanding faculty 
and I look forward to listening 
and learning more about 
how I can support teaching 
and student success. I look 
forward to getting right to 
work with the faculty, staff and 
administration.” Rocha also 
expressed thanks to current 
president Dr. Lisa Sugimoto. 
“President Sugimoto has done 
a great job and I hope I can 
convince her to stay on as part 
of the team,” Rocha said.

 (continued on pg. 9)

Police Detective Grant Curry carrying the torch with Cadet David 
Covarrubias running beside him

Police 
Participate in 
Special Olympic 
Torch Run

 Pasadena Police received the 
Special Olympic Torch mid 
afternoon Wednesday from the 
United States Postal Inspectors 
running with it from the 
Pasadena Police Department 
to the city limit where the torch 
was handed off to San Marino 
Police. 

 Police said the fund raiser 
for Special Olympics and the 
department had done well in 
the past averaging about $2,000 
each year. 

“This not only raises money 
for the Special Olympics,” 
said Interim Chief of Police 
Christopher Vicino, “but it 
also raises awareness. Special 
Olympics improves the quality 
of life for children and adults 
with special needs. From a 
crime prevention perspective, 
people who need and get 
connected to their services 
are less likely become a victim 
of abuse, neglect, or crime. 
But more importantly, from 
a human perspective their far 
reaching efforts have benefited 
many, even some of our own 
employees, by providing 
activities that make our 
children feel extra ‘special.’ We 
are proud to be a participant in 
the run.”

 

The Pasadena Police leg of the 
run went south on Garfield 
Avenue to Colorado Boulevard 
turning east and continue 
to Sierra Madre Boulevard 
where it then turned south to 
Huntington Boulevard at the 
city limit.

Fork in the Road now ‘Pint Size’


Summer Swimming at Five 
Pasadena Public Pools

After six months of tasting the good life at Pasadena and St. 
John avenues, Pasadena’s now famous 18 foot high utensil was 
headed for storage Wednesday although a 4 foot fork was placed 
just yards away by a group calling themselves “The Forkians.”

 Bob Stane, who the Fork in the Road was a gag gift for, said 
last week the fork will be refurbished then hopefully put back just 
yards from where it suddenly appeared last Halloween in the 
middle of the night.

 
A refreshing dip in the pool 
is still the best antidote for 
summer heat. 

Due to popularity this time of 
year, parents are encouraged to 
register their families early for 
the first session of swim lessons 
offered by the city of Pasadena. 

Early bird walk-in registration 
will be offered Saturday, June 
12; online registration will 
be available June 14 at www.
cityofpasadena.net/reserve. 

Swim lessons for groups or 
individuals will be offered 
through the Pasadena Human 
Services and Recreation 
Department from June 28 to 
August 13. 

The first session includes five 
45-minute classes Mondays 
through Fridays and is 
based on the American Red 
Cross Learn-to-Swim safety 
program designed for ages 4 
to 18. 

Walk-in registration is from 9 
a.m. to noon at two locations: 

* For Blair High School, 
Robinson Park and Villa-
Parke Community Center 
pools, register at Jackie 
Robinson Center, 1020 N. 
Fair Oaks Ave. 

* For CORAL and Pasadena 
High School pools, register at 
Victory Park, 2575 Paloma St. 

Pasadena residents receive 
discounts on fees. Those 
eligible may receive financial 
assistance. 

Recreational swimming is also 
available at all pools except 
CORAL Monday through 
Saturday afternoons. Some 
pools are open Sundays as 
well. Participants may choose 
to purchase daily passes or 
seasonal family passes. For 
more information call (626) 
744-7530.

Chalk Fest Set to Make History

 
As hundreds of chalk 
painters descend on Paseo 
Colorado this Father’s 
Day weekend for the 18th 
annual Pasadena Chalk 
Festival, organizers of the 
event say this year they will 
try and set the Guinness 
World Record for the 
Largest Display of Chalk 
Pavement Art.

Over 500 artists will come 
from all across Southern 
California to spend two 
days on their hands 
and knees creating 175 
spectacular chalk murals 
on concrete areas in every 
style imaginable. Kids 
can create complimentary 
Father’s Day cards in 
Kid’s Chalkland, and have 
their faces painted by face 
painters in a safe designated 
area. All events are free and will 
take place between 10a.m. to 
7p.m. both days.

At the conclusion of the festival, 
participating artists will select 
the outstanding murals of the 
festival, including Best Overall, 
Best Technique, Best Use of 
Color and more. Festival visitors 
will have the opportunity to vote 
for their favorite murals as well. 
Pasadena Chalk Festival “Paseo 
Colorado People’s Choice” 
ballots will be available in the 
Center’s retailers. The artist 
selected as “Paseo Colorado’s 
People’s Choice” will win a gift 
basket filled with a wonderful 
selection of items from Paseo 
Colorado retailers. 

The Pasadena Chalk Festival 
benefits the community arts 
programs of the Light Bringer 
Project, a Pasadena-based 
nonprofit arts organization 
founded by local residents 
who were interested in the 
role the arts, architecture and 
design played in the growth 
and development of their 
community. 

For more information on Light 
Bringer Project programs and 
partnerships, please visit www.
lightbringerproject.com.

Pet of the 
Week


College to Honor 
Japanese Nisei Students

 Pasadena City College will 
bestow honorary degrees to 
former students of Japanese 
descent during its 85th 
commencement exercises on 
June 18 as part of the California 
Nisei College Diploma Project. 
The aim of the project is to 
provide honorary degrees to 
Japanese Americans who were 
forced into internment camps 
due to Executive Order 9066 
during World War II.

 The project is the 
implementation of AB 
37, a bill introduced by 
Assemblymember Warren 
Furutani (D-Long Beach), 
passed by the Legislature, and 
signed into law by Gov. Arnold 
Schwarzenegger. The California 
Community College, California 
State University and University 
of California systems are all 
involved. Furutani will also 
deliver the commencement 
address to the more than 1,200 
PCC graduates.

Of the more than 130 PCC 
(formerly Pasadena Junior 
College) students identified as 
affected by Executive Order 
9066, 30 will be receiving 
honorary degrees.

Nell, a lovely, five-year-old, 
diluted tortie cat is looking 
for a new home. She is 
even prettier in person 
and would be perfect in an 
apartment or condo that 
allows pets. Nell is very 
affectionate and since she is 
already spayed, she can go 
home with you today!

 

The regular cat adoption 
fee is $70 which includes 
the spay or neuter surgery, 
microchip, vaccinations, 
and a free follow-up health 
check at a participating vet. 
Nell qualifies for the Senior 
for Senior program where 
people over age 60 can 
adopt a pet over 5 years for 
just $20!

 

Please call 626-792-7151 
and ask about A267607 
or come to the Pasadena 
Humane Society & SPCA, 
361 S. Raymond Ave , 
Pasadena CA , 91105 . 
Our adoption hours are 
11-3 Sunday, 9-4 Tuesday, 
Wednesday, Thursday, and 
Friday, and 9-3 Saturday. 
Directions and photos of 
all pets updated hourly 
may be found at www.
pasadenahumane.org

Police Department to Hold Classic Car Show

 Nearly 100 vintage and 
hot rod cars will be on 
display Sunday, Father’s 
Day, ranging from 1900-
1974 for the Pasadena 
Police Department’s 
9th Annual Classic 
Car Show. The event, 
sponsored by the Paseo 
Colorado and the 
LoJack Corporation, 
kicks off at 8:00 a.m. on 
Colorado Boulevard at 
Garfield Avenue.

 There will also be live 
music, raffle prizes, food 
booths and a police 
helicopter ride auction. 
The event is free of 
charge. 

 “This is a great 
event and engages 
our personnel and the 
community in fun and 
relaxing way,” explained 
Interim Chief of Police 
Christopher Vicino. 
“Lieutenant Pederson has put 
much of his personal time into 
making this event happen and 
over the years it has grown. 
All proceeds go directly to 
programs that support our 
efforts to keep women and 
children safe and that’s a win for 
the entire community.” 

 All proceeds go to benefit 
the Police Activities League 
and the Haven House, a home 
for battered women and their 
families. Trophies will be 
awarded in several categories 
for the best cars.

 Anyone wishing to enter a car 
may do so up to the morning of 
the event. 

Entry fee is $20.00 per vehicle. 

 For more information contact 
Lieutenant Tom Pederson at 
(626) 744-4620 or tpederson@
cityofpasadena.net

 


 
Get hands-on multimedia 
journalism training! What 
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Is it better to 
use a video 
instead of a 
still photo? 
How can I 
get this story 
out?

 Pasadena 
Community 
Network 
and this 
newspaper are holding 
a seminar on Citizen 
Journalism. Putting the 
news in your hands. Learn 
how to find the story, the 
tools needed to capture the 
story and the means to tell 
the story using the power 
of video, audio and print 
along with the internet. 
Free orientation 
June 29, 11a.m.- 
1p.m. at the 
PCN studios 
2061 N. Los 
Robles Ave. 
#109. For more 
info contact 
Aaron Wheeler 
(626) 794-
8585. Cost of 
the six week 
camp is $10 which covers all 
instructional materials and 
equipment. 

Learn Not Just How 
to Blog But How to 
Report the News


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