Mountain Views News          Saturday, October 23, 2010

4

MountainViews-News Saturday, October 23, 2010 

City Council 
Takes 
Stance on 
Propositions

Supervisors Call for 
County Pension Reform

 
In a motion introduced 
before the Board of 
Supervisors, Supervisor 
Michael Antonovich called 
for the adoption of reforms 
to the County’s pension 
system proposed previously 
in a report by the County‘s 
Chief Executive Officer. 

 Similar to those currently 
proposed for the State of 
California , the CEO’s report 
includes changes to the 
final compensation pay rate, 
increase of the minimum 
retirement age and increases 
of the contribution amount.

 “If adopted by the County, 
these reforms would result 
in a potential savings of 
over $200 million annually,” 
Antonovich said pointing 
to the escalating rate of 
Retiree Health Benefits plan 
costs’ administered by Los 
Angeles County Employees 
Retirement Association -- a 
rate greater than the amount 
set aside in the Trust Fund 
established by the Board of 
Supervisors. 

 The Supervisor’s motion 
also directed the CEO to 
begin negotiations with all 
County Unions to modify 
the current pension plan.

 The reforms currently 
under consideration by 
the State of California 
include; Changing the final 
compensation from highest 
average compensation for 
one year to three years for 
new employees; Increasing 
minimum retirement ages 
for Safety Plan B and General 
Plan D; Increasing Employee 
Retirement Contributions 
for current and new 
employees.

By Dean Lee

 Councilmember Terry 
Tornek said he thought it was 
counter intuitive that the city’s 
water and power department 
would take a stance opposing 
proposition 23, suspending 
implementation of air 
pollution control law (AB 32) 
requiring major sources of 
emissions to report and reduce 
greenhouse gas emissions.

 Tornek made the comment 
earlier this month before the 
council voted unanimously 
opposing Proposition 23. He 
said he fully supported the 
city’s position although found 
the department’s stance odd. 

 “If you didn’t have to deal 
with AB 32, you would in 
fact have a much easier life,” 
he said. “The PWP would be 
liberated from some of the 
difficult goals that you were 
confronted with in terms of 
buying cleaner power and a 
variety of other targets that we 
have established.” 

 Tornek said he found the 
state initiative “fraud with 
hypocrisy.” He further said 
that because the proposition 
uses a goal of 5.5 percent 
unemployment before 
reimplementation of AB 32, it 
suspends it indefinitely.

 Gureharan Bawa, Pasadena 
Water and Power Assistant 
General Manager, said 
Pasadena has one of the 
highest carbon footprints in 
the state. He explained that his 
department is now committed 
to reducing that carbon 
footprint. 

 “It would seem that a path 
that we have under your [the 
council] direction, committed 
to pursue, this regulation 
would take away the regulatory 
requirement,” Bawa said. “It 
would also discourage a lot 
of new technologies, it would 
discourage new businesses 
which are bringing a lot of 
capital into the state and 
potentially new jobs.” 

 The council also voted 
unanimously in favor of 
Proposition 22 which prohibits 
the state from taking funds 
used for transportation or 
local government projects and 
services.

 “The state has continued 
to identify means of taking 
local revenues and shifting 
them for the state’s proposes,” 
Assistant City Manager Steve 
Mermell said. “Proposition 22 
would close a number of these 
loopholes and prohibit the 
state from taking, borrowing or 
redirecting any local taxpayer 
revenues that are dedicated to 
public safety, transportation, 
emergency response and vital 
local government services.”


New Health Director 
Dr. Walsh Welcomed

Tournament Picks Its Queen

 The Pasadena Tournament of 
Roses, Tuesday morning, named 
Evanne Elizabeth Friedmann 
(pictured above center), 17, of 
La Canada Flintridge as the 93rd 
Rose Queen during a ceremony 
ending a month-long process 
that began with more than 1,000 
Pasadena-area young women 
trying out. for the crown.

 “2011 Rose Queen Evanne 
Friedman and our six princesses 
are perfect ambassadors for 
the Tournament of Roses, and 
the city of Pasadena. They are 
talented, graceful and stellar 
examples of young role models, 
said Tournament of Roses 
President Jeff Throop. “We are 
delighted to have Queen Evanne 
not only lead our court but reign 
over the 122nd Rose Parade and 
97th Rose Bowl Game.”

 Friedmann and the six Rose 
Princesses were selected based 
upon a combination of qualities, 
including public speaking 
ability, poise, academic 
achievement and community 
involvement according to 
tournament officials.

 Friedmann attends La Canada 
High School.

 Friedmann will officially receive 
her crown from Tournament 
of Roses President Jeff Throop 
at the Coronation Ceremony 
on October 28 at the Pasadena 
Convention Center. 

 City staff got the opportunity 
Wednesday to meet new Public 
Heath Department Director 
Dr. Eric Walsh during an 
official reception at City Hall.

 Walsh, who started in 
September, said he was still 
getting use to Pasadena. He 
said he had just moved to the 
city from Orange County and 
so far found the city a nice 
place to shop and wander 
around. Walsh moved with his 
wife Annette and their three 
kids, Jahan, Jasmine and Eric. 

 His duties include overseeing 
the department’s 92 full-time 
employees and a 2011 annual 
budget of $11.5 million. the 
department has existed for 
over 110 years.

Boxer Makes Visit to Local College 


Photo and story by Dean Lee

 U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer 
was on hand earlier this month 
as part of the Pasadena City 
College Veterans Resource 
Center grand opening. 

 Reluctant to cut, what she 
called a beautiful banner, 
Boxer just snipped the top of 
a symbolic paper banner, of 
a waving American flag, with 
scissors in front of a small crowd 
that included, student veterans, 
PCC trustees, College President 
Mark Rocha and Pasadena 
Mayor Bill Bogaard. The cut 
marked the ceremonial moment 
she joked. 

 “Since 1924 this great 
community college has been 
welcoming home, and serving 
the veterans of our wars,” Rocha 
said. “And they are doing it again 
with this generation of veterans. 
Sometimes it is necessary for 
our veterans to go overseas and 
fight for our freedom. Here at 
home we also need fighters, and 
one of them is Senator Barbara 
Boxer.” 

 According to school 
administrators, the center offers 
a variety of comprehensive 
services, including academic 
counseling, benefits 
counseling from the Veterans 
Administration of Los Angeles 
County, legal assistance, and 
health and well-being programs. 

 There are more than 650 
student veterans enrolled at the 
school Boxer also announced 
her endorsement from the 
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the 
United States Political Action 
Committee. Boxer accepted 
the endorsement during a 
press conference in the school’s 
Creveling Lounge. U.S. Senator 
Daniel Inouye, a World War II 
combat veteran with the 442nd 
Regional Combat Team and 
Assembly member Ted Lieu, 
a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force 
Reserves attended. 

 Outside, about 50 protesters 
held signs showing support for 
Senate Republican candidate 
Carly Fiorina. 

 For more information about 
the PCC VRC, please call (626) 
585-7226.

Citizen Journalism Meet-up

 

 

 

 
The Pasadena Community 
Network and this newspaper 
are holding a workshop on 
Citizen Journalism. 

 This group is the place where 
aspiring journalists can learn 
from trained professionals 
and support their local 
community by covering 
what’s really happening in 
their neighborhoods.

 We will put 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 online social 
media The next meeting will 
be Oct. 26, from 6 to 8p.m. 
at the Pasadena Community 
Network - Studio G, 2057 N. 
Los Robles Ave.

 For more info call 
626.794.8585 or visit 
pasadenan.ning.com.

 
Learn not just how 
to blog but how to 
report the news


South Pasadena Hosts 4th 
Annual Clean-Air Car Show

Third Annual 
Women of the 
World Awards

Play It Safe WIth City Wide 
Sponsored Halloween Events

Pet of the 
Week

 

 Halloween is a fun-filled 
holiday for people of all ages. 
City of Pasadena-sponsored 
events provide safe activities for 
a howling good time! Events 
are free unless otherwise noted.

* Monday, Oct. 25, at 3:30 
p.m. – Flights of Fantasy Story 
Theatre presents “Monsters 
and Spiders and Ghouls, Oh 
My,” a frothy brew of folk tales, 
fables and rhymes at Santa 
Catalina Branch Library, 999 E. 
Washington Blvd. 

* Tuesday, Oct. 26, at 10 a.m. – 
Children ages 8 and older will 
experience mystery and magic 
during Chilling Tales in the 
Children’s Room at Pasadena 
Central Library, 285 E. Walnut 
St . 

* Tuesday, Oct. 26, at 4 p.m. – 
What’s more fun than sharing 
scary stories that everyone 
swears are true? Youths 12 
and older are invited to Urban 
Legends at Hastings Branch 
Library, 3325 E. Orange Grove 
Blvd. , to hear some of these 
eerie stories, understand why 
we tell them and learn what 
they really say about us! 

* Wednesday, Oct. 27, at 10:30 
a.m. – Children and their 
parents will enjoy a not-so-
scary storytime plus crafts and 
surprises at San Rafael Branch 
Library, 1240 Nithsdale Rd. Be 
sure to wear your costume! 

* Wednesday, Oct. 27, at 3:30 
p.m. – “Monsters and Spiders 
and Ghouls, Oh My!” is offered 
again by Flights of Fantasy Story 
Theatre at Hill Avenue Branch 
Library, 55 S. Hill Ave. 

* Thursday, Oct. 28, at 3:30 p.m. 
– Children and their parents 
will enjoy a special Halloween 
storytime, including crafts, at 
Lamanda Park Branch Library, 
140 S. Altadena Dr . Be sure to 
wear your costume! 

* Friday, Oct. 29, from 5 to 7 p.m. 
– The Halloween celebration at 
Villa-Parke Community Center 
, 363 E. Villa St . , will include 
grab bags, pumpkin-carving 
contest, prizes and much more. 
Wear your costume! Sponsored 
by the Human Services and 
Recreation Department and the 
Police Department.

* Saturday, Oct. 30, at 10 a.m. – 
A not-so-spooky storytime and 
crafts in the Children’s Room 
at Pasadena Central Library, 
285 E. Walnut St. , will delight 
children and their parents. Be 
sure to wear your costume. 

* Saturday, Oct. 30, from 11 
a.m. to 1 p.m. – The Halloween 
festival at Robinson Park, 1081 
N. Fair Oaks Ave. , will include 
arts and crafts, moon bounce, 
face painting, treats, costume 
contest, prizes and more. 
Sponsored by the Human 
Services and Recreation 
Department and the Police 
Department. 

* Saturday, Oct. 30, from 5 
to 8 p.m. – The Victory Park 
Haunted House and Festival 
at 2575 Paloma St. will offer a 
spine-chilling evening of fun, 
including carnival games, arts 
and crafts, costume contest and 
much more for ages 8 and older. 
Younger children will enjoy 
the Scary Patio! Admission to 
Haunted House is $2; tickets for 
carnival games are 10 for $1; 
all other activities are free. Call 
(626) 744-400 for information 
on any of these events.

 
Fifty-Fifty Leadership and 
UNA-USA Pasadena invites 
nominations of women 
who have made a difference 
in the lives of women and 
girls in another country. 

 We are looking for 
nominations of women of 
all ages, heritages, countries 
and professions. These 
leaders will be honored at 
the 3rd Annual Women 
of the World Awards on 
Saturday, March 12th, 2011.

 Submission Deadline: 
Friday, November 12th, 
2010 at midnight

 To submit a nominee please 
provide, the nominee’s 
name, organization, title, 
email address, phone 
number and postal address

 A summary, 200 words 
or less, of the impact this 
leader has your relationship 
to the nominee, and your 
contact information: name, 
email address, phone 
number, and postal address. 
Send your nominations to 
WOW@5050leadership.org

 The Awards: The 3rd 
Annual Women of the 
World Awards will be held 
at Brookside Golf Course in 
Pasadena. 

Congressman Adam Schiff (pictured left) took time to talk with 
supporters of the South Pasadena’s Clean-Air Car Show

By Dean Lee

 Congressman Adam Schiff told 
a large crowd earlier this month 
that alternatives in energy 
are an economic imperative 
to the country as he made an 
appearance at the 4th Annual 
South Pasadena Clean-Air Car 
Show and Green Living Expo.

 “There are millions and 
millions of jobs waiting for the 
country that leads in this area,” 
he said. “I want that to be the 
United States.”

 Schiff said he was inspired by 
Goggle CEO Eric Schmidt. 

 “He [Schmidt] said the 
revolution that took place in 
telecommunications will pale 
in significance compared to the 
revolution that is just beginning 
in energy,” Schiff explained.

 As a member of President 
Barack Obama transition 
advisory board, Schmidt 
proposed a stimulus program 
that rewards renewable energy, 
replacing fossil fuels.

 Michael Cacciotti, South 
Pasadena Councilmember 
and founder of the Expo, said 
there were challenges and 
stewardships associated with 
cleaning up the air.

 “Each time you go to the gas 
station, all of us together, $300 
billion a year is sent to foreign 
countries…” he said. “What 
if we invested in compressed 
natural gas, which is a domestic 
resource, or electricity, plug-
in hybrids and kept that $300 
billion in the U.S. today, created 
jobs, reduce unemployment 
and improve the air we breathe. 
Those are the challenges.”

 He then said everybody 
needed to be stewards in 
reducing pollution, which, he 
said caused 5,000 premature 
deaths in the San Gabriel Valley 
alone. Cacciotti, went on to 
say thousands are hospitalized 
yearly do to air pollution and 
that millions are lost in work 
sick days. 

 He thanked all the sponsors of 
the expo that included exhibits 
from health, environmental, 
energy, automotives and green 
products. A big hit at the show 
was the $101,500 priced Tesla 
Roadster. The vehicle is a battery 
electric vehicle (BEV) sports 
car and the only highway-
capable electric vehicle in serial 
production. 

 What a great puppy! Lenny, 
a six month old, boxer and 
pit bull mix is active, friendly, 
and playful. He is looking for 
someone who will make sure 
he gets plenty of exercise and 
socialization. A puppy is a big 
responsibility so make sure 
you have the time and patience 
to commit. If you do, come 
visit with Lenny today!

 The regular dog adoption 
fee is $120, which includes 
medical care prior to adoption, 
spaying or neutering, 
vaccinations, and a follow-up 
visit with a participating vet.

 Please call 626-792-7151 
and ask for A278028 or come 
to the Pasadena Humane 
Society & SPCA, 361 S. 
Raymond Ave , Pasadena 
CA , 91105 . Our adoption 
hours are 11-4 Sunday, 
9-5 Tuesday, Wednesday, 
Thursday, and Friday, and 
9-4 Saturday. Directions and 
photos of all pets updated 
hourly may be found at www.
pasadenahumane.org

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