Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 26, 2010

4


Mountain Views News Saturday, June 26, 2010

Fire Retardant Sprayed 
Around Rose Bowl

New Metro 
Fare Hikes 
Take Effect 
Thursday

 
Brush areas surrounding 
the Rose Bowl Stadium will 
be treated with the wildland 
fire retardant Phos-Chek on 
Wednesday, June 30, from 9 
a.m. to early afternoon.

 The Pasadena Fire 
Department will take this 
proactive approach to 
diminish potential hazards 
during the Fourth of July 
holiday and into the summer 
season.

 Fire retardant is one of the 
primary tools firefighters use 
as a preventive measure and 
to contain fires in untreated 
areas. 

 Phos-Chek helps keep trees 
and grassland from burning. 
Its main ingredients are 
phosphates and fertilizers 
that prevent the ignition of 
fire and assist in regrowth 
of areas after a fire has been 
extinguished. 

 For more information call 
(626) 744-7276.

 
Metro fares for regular 
riders will change effective 
July 1. However, there will 
be no change in discounted 
fares for seniors, students, 
disabled and Medicare 
recipients. Fares on the 
Metro Silver Line, the bus 
service connecting the 
San Gabriel Valley and 
South Bay, with stops in 
downtown Los Angeles, 
also will remain the same.

 The regular cash fare will 
go up from $1.25 currently 
to $1.50. 

 Metro fares will remain 
among the lowest of any 
major transit agency in the 
nation. According to MTA 
as a result of expanding 
service and keeping the lid 
on fares for decades, Metro 
riders today only pay 26 
percent of what it costs to 
operate Metro buses and 
trains. Under the new fare 
structure, the “farebox” 
recovery ratio will increase 
slightly to 28 percent.

 Due to the deep economic 
recession, Metro had faced 
an historic $250 million 
operating deficit in the 
fiscal year starting July 
1, 2010. Metro has been 
buffeted by a sharp drop 
in local transportation 
sales tax revenue and fare 
box revenue along with 
cuts in state transportation 
funding.

 To balance the budget, 
more than 500 Metro jobs 
are being eliminated and 
there have been steep cuts 
in administrative overhead 
and other expenses. The 
fare change – only the 
third in the last 15 years – 
is necessary to bring in an 
estimated $24 million in 
additional revenue.

Chalk One Up For a World Record 

 Although it has yet to be 
finalized with the Guinness 
World Records, this year’s Chalk 
Festival made history Father’s 
Day weekend having over 
179 murals, all over four feet, 
being painted at the same time. 
Organizers said they shattered 
the number needed, 150. 

 “They still need to accept all 
of our paperwork,” said Patricia 
Hurley, Managing Director 
Light Bringer Project. “And 
there is a lot of paperwork 
involved in this.”

 Not only did the event 
organizers, including the Paseo 
Colorado, have to submit 
paperwork, but each of the 
artists did as well, making 
the check in process more 
complicated she said. 

 “The artists had a good sense of 
humor about the whole thing,” 
she laughed. “They actually 
thought it was tons of fun and it 
builds excitement.” 

 Hurley explained the winning 
process, “We had adjudicators, 
we signed up about 14 prominent 
people in the community,” she 
said. “Like, we had, Paul little 
[former councilmember] here 
and Councilmember Chris 
Holden and other heads of 
boards or community leaders.”

 She further explained they 
each had to stand in front of one 
of the chalk murals for at least 
5 minutes watching and timing 
each artist. They then wrote 
down the name of the artist and 
took a picture with a yard stick. 
Each mural had to be over four 
feet to qualify she said.

 Hurley said the Guinness 
World Records charges a fee, 
“We also had to buy the rights 
to show the logo, about $200.” 
She also said they decided not 
to fly officials from Guinness 
World Records, located in 
London England, to the Chalk 
Festival. “That would have been 
something else we would have 
to pay for.” 

 She did say after being 
accepted, they would be able to 
claim, “Guinness World Records 
holder.” 

 The festival also, each year, 
has its own set of winners. Best 
of festival, first place went to 
Gustavo Lozano for his mural in 
memory Michael Nimitsil. 

 Nimitsil a professional 
photographer and devotee 
of mountaineering, died 
mysteriously last year trying to 
reach Aconcagua, the highest 
summit of South America. 

 Best of festival second place 
went to Britney Lee and third 
went to Randall Williams.

A converted water tanker on loan from Sierra Madre helps out 
last year with applying Phos-Chek. Photo D. Lee/MVNews 

New 511 Phone Service 
To Outsmart Traffic

 City of Pasadena’s 
Department of 
Transportation joins other 
officials from Metro, Orange 
and Ventura counties, 
Caltrans and CHP in 
introducing 511 and GO511.
com, new automated toll-
free phone and Internet 
services, respectively, that 
provide 24/7 on-demand 
updates on traffic, trip 
planning for public transit 
and connections with car 
or vanpools throughout 
Southern California. 

 The new service provides 
schedule information 
for all the bus services in 
Pasadena including the 
Pasadena Area Rapid Transit 
System (ARTS). The service 
debuted recently after being 
previewed by employee 
transportation coordinators 
throughout Pasadena.

 Commuters can simply call 
511 or visit Go511.com to get 
help with their travel in Los 
Angeles, Orange and Ventura 
counties. Callers are given 
automated voice prompts 
to access the information 
they need. On the Internet, 
traffic and travel information 
for these counties as well as 
neighboring San Bernardino 
and Riverside counties is 
available.

 The 511 service complements 
the city of Pasadena’s own 
website for street advisories 
related to construction and 
street paving in Pasadena, 
www.cityofpasadena.net/
trafficadvisory

 The 511 phone and internet 
services are being fine-
tuned and new features 
such as making it accessible 
on mobile devices and the 
ability to handle Spanish 
voice prompts will be added 
in coming months. The 
service has debuted in a test 
mode so the public can give 
feedback to further improve 
511.

 “Building new freeways is 
not the way to beat traffic,” 
said Ara Najarian, chairman 
of the Metropolitan 
Transportation Authority 
of Los Angeles County. 
“We don’t have the money 
or the land. But thanks to 
freeway monitoring and 
other technology, we do 
have real time information 
on traffic bottlenecks so we 
can avoid getting stuck. We 
also can steer commuters to 
public transit, carpools and 
vanpools simply by calling 
511 or Go511.com on the 
Internet.”

 “The CHP/Caltrans Traffic 
Management Center will 
assist in providing first-
hand traffic information to 
motorists, assisting them in 
navigating their way around 
incidents and planned 
closures,” said Assistant 
Chief Dan Bower, California 
Highway Patrol.

 511 is the three-digit 
number synonymous with 
travel information, and can 
be called in many cities and 
counties throughout the 
United States. The service 
also offers extras like bike 
information, links to area 
airports and taxi services, 
even the latest local weather 
reports.

 Locally, 511 traveler 
information services 
are provided by the Los 
Angeles County Service 
Authority for Freeway 
Emergencies, in partnership 
with Metro, the Orange 
County Transportation 
Authority, Ventura 
County Transportation 
Commission, the California 
Highway Patrol and the 
California Department of 
Transportation.

 In Los Angeles County, 
Metro will keep the 1 (800) 
COMMUTE phone number 
where the public can speak 
to a live operator weekdays 
from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 
weekends from 8 a.m. to 
4:30 p.m. Operators speak 
English and Spanish.

Big Staffing Cuts in Adopted City Budget 

 The city council adopted next 
year’s $725.4 million budget 
Monday night, less $16.2 million 
from last year. According to 
city staff $4 million alone is 
reductions in staffing including 
defunding one police sergeant 
position and 23 other positions 
within the police department. 

 Fulltime positions in 
transpiration, Water and Power, 
pubic health, parks, planning 
and development and other 
departments citywide including 
the Assistant to the City Manager 
position will be eliminated or 
defunded staff said

 Also at issue, a temporary 
‘brown-out’ of a truck company 
at Fire Station 32 servicing East 
Pasadena. Councilmember Steve 
Haderlein was the only opposing 
vote saying he could not support 
taking the ladder company out 
of service which could lengthen 
response times in his district. 
Mayor Bill Bogaard was absent 
from the meeting led by Vice 
Mayor Victor Gordo. 

 Fire Chief Dennis Downs said 
they had to reduce expenses to 
the point where public impact is 
unavoidable. He also explained 
the reduction will save $125,000 
for the remainder of the current 
fiscal year and $725,000 in 
fiscal year 2011, which begins 
Thursday.

 Reduction measures also 
included freezing 50 vacant full 
time positions citywide, reduce 
benefits for new hires close 
six libraries on Fridays, saving 
$200,000 increase the length of 
time between tree trimming, 
saving $50,000 and delaying 
or deferral of city facility 
maintenance. The city will also 
save $700,000 by increasing the 
processing time on business 
licenses, and parking violations. 

 Although, the city plans 
full enforcement of business 
license fees, with a one-time 
amnesty period. They are also 
considering the sale of surplus 
city property, reducing janitorial 
services and reducing outreach 
for public health programs.

Street Resurfacing Extends Into Evenings

 

 The city of Pasadena Public 
Works Department said that 
Orange Grove Boulevard 
at Colorado Boulevard and 
Holly Street, adjacent to 
the freeway off-ramps, is 
scheduled for continued 
resurfacing work Monday. 

 Work will take place 
between the hours of 8 p.m. 
and 10 p.m. in the vicinity of 
the freeway off-ramps at the 
intersections of the streets to 
be repaved the department 
added.

 “Due to mandated freeway 
ramp closure restrictions; 
some noise in the evening 
may be unavoidable”, they 
advised, “but only from 8 to 
10 p.m.” 

 Work, that started Thursday, 
consisted of grinding 
down the old pavement 
in preparation of the 
resurfacing. The grinding 
operation was expected to be 
noisy but the work tended to 
last less than 30 minutes at 
each intersection. 

 Monday the pavement 
overlay will be placed, a 
quieter operation that is 
nonetheless longer as the 
material must be placed, 
spread, compacted, and 
cooled. The paving operation 
is estimated to take about one 
hour at each intersection.

 “We’ll do our best to 
minimize any disruption 
caused by this construction” 
said Steve Wright, city 
engineer. “City inspectors 
will be on the job site most 
of the time and will be happy 
to answer your questions or 
provide assistance if needed. 
Look for someone wearing a 
city identification badge.”

 For information call 
Department of Public Works 
at (626) 744-4720.

Pet of the 
Week

 


 Don’t miss the opportunity 
to experience one of the oldest 
and most respected theater 
celebrations in America 
as Pasadena City College 
offers a study program at the 
Oregon Shakespeare Festival 
in Ashland, Ore., Aug. 7, 
through Aug. 14, 2010.

This year’s tour marks the 31st 
consecutive year that PCC 
has traveled to the festival. 
Participants will see seven 
plays, receive backstage tours 
of the Elizabethan Theater, 
and interact in personal class 
sessions with the actors and 
directors.

 The 2010 festival features 
Shakespeare’s Hamlet; Henry 
IV, Part I; Merchant of 
Venice; and Twelfth Night. 
In addition, students will 
watch Pride and Prejudice, 
based on Jane Austen’s novel; 
Throne of Blood, inspired by 
Akira Kurosawa’s film of the 
same name; and American 
Night by Richard Montoya 
and Culture Clash.

The program cost is $720 
(based on double occupancy). 
A single supplement fee of 
$860 is available for a private 
room. Cost also includes 
tickets to all seven plays and 
the class sessions with the 
actors and directors. Payment 
is due June 24.

All participants will be 
enrolled in courses through 
PCC and may enroll for 
credit or non-credit.

 Brochures and enrollment 
forms are available in the 
English Division Room 
C245. The PCC Oregon 
Shakespeare program is 
on the web at http://www.
pasadena.edu/divisions/
english/ashland/index.cfm 
and on Facebook at PCC 
Ashland 2010. 

 For more information about 
reservations, all other costs, 
and class meetings, contact 
both PCC Instructors Dr. 
Dustin Hanvey, (626) 585-
3251, dahanvey@pasadena.
edu; and Prof. Christopher 
McCabe, (626) 585-3190, 
cjmccabe@pasadena.edu.

PCC Study 
Program at 
the Oregon 
Shakespeare 
Festival in 
August

 
Abbey, an adorable, nine-
month-old kitten is so 
much fun. She is outgoing, 
playful and sweet. Abbey 
has a sensitive stomach 
and will need special food 
that is easily purchased at 
veterinary offices and many 
pet stores. Abbey is already 
spayed and 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.

 Please call 626-792-7151 
and ask about A266096 
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

Citizen Journalism Boot Camp 

 


 
Get hands-on multimedia 
journalism training! What 
makes news? 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

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com