Mountain Views News          Saturday, November 6, 2010

5

 
Mountain Views News Saturday, November 6, 2010 

City Backs 
‘Buy Local’ 
During the 
Holidays 

Volunteers Needed to 
Better Identify Earthquakes


By Dean Lee

 In an effort to achieve denser, 
more uniform earthquake 
readings, the United States 
Geologic Survey is looking 
for volunteers in Pasadena 
and the Southern California 
to area to host “NetQuakes” 
seismographs that 
communicates data from 
homes via the internet.

 In a statement the USGS said 
the idea is to provide better 
measurements of ground 
motion during earthquakes 
through a new type of digital 
seismograph about the size 
of a breadbox. 

 Geologists at the USGS 
said participants would 
not be paid. They said 
volunteers will help scientists 
understand why engineered 
structures (buildings, 
bridges, overpasses, 
pipelines) fail during 
earthquakes. The data will 
also be used for computing 
better ShakeMaps.

 The seismograph would 
trigger for earthquakes of 
magnitude greater than 4 
depending on the depth of 
the quake. 

 To host a NetQuakes 
instrument, you must be 
willing to provide

 -An out-of-the-way location 
in a 1-2 story building (no 
significant basement) and 
less than ~4000 sq feet in 
plan; building must have 
a concrete slab foundation 
in some location (for 
example, a garage) to which 
the NetQuakes box can be 
bolted.

 -A local network with 
a permanent broadband 
connection to the Internet. 
If you don’t have WiFi, they 
will install a WiFi router.

 -AC power to the 
seismograph.

 -To occasionally minor 
service of the instrument, 
such as battery replacement. 
They said no other skills 
are necessary. Batteries are 
replaced every three years.

 Areas in Pasadena the 
USGS is particularly 
interested in are locations 
near dense population 
centers, building clusters, 
such as Old Pasadena and 
South Lake. They are also 
looking for volunteers near 
Eaton Canyon Park and East 
Pasadena along Colorado 
Boulevard. 

 For more information go to: 
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/
earthquakes/waveforms/
netq. 

 Going into this holiday 
season, the city and Chamber 
of Commerce lunched a 
new campaign Wednesday 
urging residents to support 
local businesses saying that 
the prosperity of everyone in 
Pasadena is dependent on the 
financial health of the business 
community as a whole. 

 In a statement the city also 
explained that one clear way 
everyone who lives, works or 
does business in Pasadena can 
aid in the recovery of our local 
economy is to spend money 
in the city where they live, 
work and do business. The 
shops, restaurants and services 
that create local jobs and 
provide the financial bedrock 
for Pasadena are dependent 
on local patrons for their 
livlihood and ongoing vitality. 

 To encourage local residents 
and workers to shop in 
Pasadena, the city of Pasadena 
and the Pasadena Chamber 
of Commerce are sponsoring 
Grow Your Community, 
Shop Pasadena promotional 
campaign to encourage local 
residents, workers, businesses 
and others to shop at Pasadena 
stores during the holidays. 

 The campaign consists of 
advertisements in local media, 
which are generously donated 
by local media outlets. The 
campaign also features 
bus shelter ads that will be 
ondisplay thoughout Pasadena 
from mid-November to 
mid-January. The ads were 
designed in partnership with 
The Agency, a student-run 
advertising cooperative at Art 
Center College of Design. 

 “Sales tax dollars, business 
license fees, property taxes 
and other assessments paid by 
commercial interests return 
money to Pasadena to pay 
for essential services such as 
police and fire protection and 
also support our local public 
schools, parks and Pasadena 
City College,” said Chamber 
CEO Paul Little. “Spending in 
Pasadena preserves local jobs, 
maintains local businesses and 
saves travel time and gas. We 
encourage everyone to think 
local when buying during the 
holiday season and beyond.” 

 While the Grow Your 
Community, Shop Pasadena 
campaign is not affiliated with 
other local or national efforts 
to encourage patronage of 
local enterprises, the Chamber 
of Commerce and the City 
of Pasadena support and 
encourage those efforts. 

 “It is in everyone’s best interest 
to promote the vitality of our 
local businesses that contribute 
to the excellent quality of 
life in Pasadena. Each dollar 
retained in Pasadena pays a 
dividend to our community.” 
said Eric Duyshart, economic 
development manager for the 
city of Pasadena.

Anthony Portantino Adam Schiff

Schiff, Portantino Win Reelection 

 Congressman Adam Schiff 
easily won reelection Tuesday 
receiving 65 percent of the 
vote sending him once again 
back to Washington D.C. to 
represent the 29th district that 
includes Pasadena, Burbank and 
Glendale among other cities. 

 State Assemblymember for 
Pasadena, Anthony Portantino, 
also won betting out Republican 
candidate Alvaro Day and 
Libertarian candidate Eytan 
Kollin, Portantino got 64.3 
percent of the vote.

 Schiff thanked his supporters 
saying his win was a tribute to 
the volunteers and staff.

 “We are back in a period of 
divided government, and I 
will be doing all I can to find 
common sense ways to get our 
economy back on track and put 
Americans back to work,” he 
said.

 Voters nationwide tipped the 
balance of power back giving 
Republicans control of the 
House of Representatives. As 
of Thursday, Republicans held 
at least 239 of the 435 seats in 
Congress. 

 Schiff’s challenger John 
Colbert, an outspoken Tea Party 
activist, got 32 percent of the 
vote. According to the Federal 
Election Commission Schiff 
raised $1.2 million including 
$428,350 from a Political Action 
Committee. Colbert raised 
$589,976 of which, $315,050 
was his own money.

D. Lee/MVNews

Climatologist Discusses Water Supply 

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 Nov. 9 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.

By Dean Lee

 Well known Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory climatologist 
Bill Patzert told a group of 
environmentalists Wednesday 
night that, although it did not 
make him popular, trees are the 
enemy of drought suggesting 
those in Southern California 
think twice before planting one.

 “We want to make our cities 
drought tolerant, we’re all 
environmentalists here,” he said. 
“So what in the hell are we doing 
planting a million trees? Do you 
know how many gallons a tree 
uses, like 50 gallons a day? 

 Using quick calculations he 
explained, “One million times 
50 gallons that’s 50 million a day, 
where is all that water going to 
come from?”

 Patzert was quick to point 
out the benefits of trees saying 
that they cool building and 
people. He also suggested 
that make good for attractive 
neighborhoods. He went on 
to say they save energy costs 
and absorb runoff during rain 
storms. “The downside to all 
this, trees are pretty thirsty.” 

 The talk billed as, ““Global 
Climate Change and Our Future 
Water Supply: It Ain’t What It 
Used To Be” packed the Eaton 
Canyon Nature Center. 

 Patzert spent a large part of 
the hour long presentation 
going over an understanding 
of El Niño/La Niña the climate 
phenomena that occurs across 
the Pacific Ocean. He said the 
Pacific takes up a third of earth’s 
surface, “When the Pacific 
speaks, we should listen.” 

 He also explained another 
related long term pattern; The 
Pacific Decadal Oscillation 
PDO which he said was now in 
a negative “cool” phase meaning 
that Pacific has cool surface 
waters at the equator. He said it 
was associated with dry winters. 
He said the phase can last 25 to 
30 years. The current cool phase 
of the PDO probably started 
about 10 years ago. The change is 
very slow he explained. He said 
we can predict more drought.

 He also said we can expect an 
increase in wildfire and heat 
waves which can both be serious 
health risks. 

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

Public Art to 
be Topic of 
Community 
Meetings

 
Several upcoming 
community meetings 
will focus on two major 
components of the city’s 
Public Art Program including 
what role should public art 
play in Pasadena’s cityscape? 

 One component is a master 
planning effort that will 
define a new vision, goals 
and locations for public art. 
The Public Art Master Plan 
will complement the city’s 
General Plan. 

 Another is a temporary 
program that exhibits public 
art to a daily audience 
of residents, visitors and 
workers. The Rotating Public 
Art Exhibition Program 
invites artists and galleries 
to loan or create works at 10 
sites throughout Pasadena for 
up to 18 months to enliven 
residential and commercial 
neighborhoods. Requests for 
proposals will be available at 
all meetings. 

 Residents, artists and other 
stakeholders are welcome to 
attend all meetings: 

 Public Art Master Plan 
and Rotating Public Art 
Exhibition Program 

* Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 6 p.m. 
in Victory Park Center, 2575 
Paloma St. (East Pasadena) 

* Saturday, Dec. 11, at 10 a.m. 
at Robinson Park, 1081 N. 
Fair Oaks Ave. (Northwest 
Pasadena) 

 Rotating Public Art 
Exhibition Program only 

* Tuesday, Nov. 16, at 6 p.m. 
at Armory Center for the 
Arts, 145 N. Raymond Ave. 
(Central Pasadena) 

 Public Art Master Plan only 

* Thursday, Dec. 9, at 6 p.m. 
at Armory Center for the 
Arts (artists encouraged) 

* Thursday, Jan. 6, at 6 
p.m. at Pasadena Central 
Library, Donald R. Wright 
Auditorium, 285 E. Walnut 
St. (Central Pasadena) 

 For more information call 
(626) 744-7062 or visit www.
cityofpasadena.net/arts. 


Antonovich Calls Sex Offender 
Ruling Stupid and Dangerous

 
Supervisor Michael 
Antonovich reacted to 
Superior Court Judge Peter 
Espinoza’s ruling which 
blocks enforcement of 
restricting sex offenders 
from living near schools and 
parks. 

 “Jessica’s Law, passed by 
California voters in 2006, 
prevents sex predators from 
living near our children’s 
schools and public parks,” 
said Antonovich. “Placing 
the alleged rights of criminal 
sex offenders above the 
rights and safety of children 
and families is stupid and 
dangerous. This reckless 
decision needs to be 
appealed.” 

Pet of the 
Week

Schiff is Guest Elected Official 
on the Latest ‘City Beat’

 
U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff is the 
guest elected official on the 
latest edition of “City Beat” 
airing on KPAS and the 
Internet. 

 Schiff, Pasadena Weekly 
reporter André Coleman, 
Pasadena Star-News 
editor Frank Girardot and 
moderator Ann Erdman 
discuss a variety of issues 
including federal legislation 
relevant to Pasadena. 

 “City Beat” replays Mondays 
at 2 and 6 p.m., Tuesdays 
at 7:30 p.m., Wednesdays 
at 8:30 a.m., Thursdays at 7 
p.m., Fridays at 8:30 p.m., 
Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. and 
Sundays at 8:30 a.m. 

 KPAS is on cable 
channel 3 in Pasadena. 
Streaming video of all 
KPAS programming can be 
accessed in real time by going 
to www.cityofpasadena.net/
publicaffairs and clicking on 
the KPAS icon. 

 For more information call 
(626) 794-8585.

 Sally, a year and a half 
old, Siberian Husky mix, is 
absolutely gorgeous! She has 
one blue eye and one brown 
eye. She is active, friendly, and 
gets along with other dogs. 
She does like to chase small 
animals and would be best in 
a home without cats or pocket 
pets. Sally knows some basic 
commands and would love to 
be adopted 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 A279004 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

A People’s 
History of 
Thanksgiving

City Holds Free Electronic 
Waste Collection Event

 
Residents and businesses 
will have the opportunity to 
safely dispose of electronic 
waste conveniently and 
free of charge at the city’s 
Electronic Waste Collection 
Event on Saturday, Nov. 
13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in 
Parking Lot I of Brookside 
Park, south of the Rose 
Bowl, 1001 N. Rose Bowl 
Dr.

E-waste qualified for this 
special collection, provided 
by Pasadena Department 
of Public Works, includes 
computers, keyboards, 
printers, monitors, laptops, 
docking stations, scanners, 
shredders, fax machines, 
mice, telephones, televisions, 
flat screens, VCRs, DVD 
players, PDAs, cassette 
players, tape drives, stereos 
and household batteries.

 Many of the products have 
parts that will be recycled.

By law, e-waste cannot 
be disposed of in landfills 
because its hazardous parts 
can cause environmental 
damage.

“Electronic waste 
contaminates our air and 
water, and is hazardous to 
human health. We are here 
to help people in the greater 
Pasadena area properly 
recycle e-waste,” said 
Gabriel Silva, environmental 
programs manager for Public 
Works.

 For more information go to 
www.cityofopasadena.net, 
call (626) 744-4087 or email 
recycle@cityofpasadena.net.

County to Reduce Duplication in 
Reporting Of Critical Child Data

 

 Supervisors Michael 
Antonovich and Mark 
Ridley-Thomas introduced 
a motion unanimously 
approved by the Board 
of Supervisors, to reduce 
duplication in the reporting 
of critical child data by 
designating a single county 
entity with the responsibility 
of compiling and maintaining 
data on child abuse, neglect 
and death.

 “This action will ensure 
that reliable data in these 
categories can be complied, 
maintained and interpreted 
through a consistent 
standardized process and 
generated from one source,” 
said Antonovich.

 Currently, numerous 
agencies including the 
Department of Children 
Family Services, the 
Interagency Council on 
Child Abuse and Neglect, 
the Coroner’s Office compile 
this vital data.

 The Chief Executive Officer 
will provide a report back 
in 30 days with a plan in 
implementing the motion.

 Explore holiday thoughts 
and traditions that you 
didn’t learn in school at 
this special Thanksgiving 
program at La Pintoresca 
Branch Library on Saturday, 
November 13 from 1 to 4 
p.m.

 La Pintoresca Branch 
Library is located at 1355 
North Raymond Avenue, 
Pasadena.

 For more information, call 
(626) 744-7268.

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