Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 26, 2011

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Mountain Views News Saturday, February 26, 2011 


Police announced

Wednesday the arrest of two 
suspects in connection with 
an alleged repeated scam 
obtaining $2,600 from a 
long time elderly Pasadena 
woman after telling her there 
were minor problems with her 
car although no repairs were 
ever done. Police said this is a 
typical case of elder abuse.

Ronald Adams and Tommy 
Petro were both charged 
Tuesday with three counts 
of theft against elders and 
dependent adults and grand 
theft of personal property in 
connection with the case said 
Police Chief Phillip Sanchez. 
He said both suspects had been 
released on bond after turning 
themselves in through an 
attorney. He also said neither 
man was from Pasadena. 

Sanchez said the victim, whose 
name was not given, was first 
approached by Petro and 
Adams at a local gas station 
convincing the victim that 
her car, a 1993 Buick Century 
Custom, was illegal and in 
need of repair. 

“They said I would get a 
ticket if I drove the car the 
way it was,” the victim said 
who did identify herself as a 
former 1937 Rose Princess. “I 
was just a bit concerned, so I 
mistakenly let him talk about 
fixing it.”

The victim added that she felt 
threatened.

“When he told me how much 
it was $1,200, I knew it might 
be a scam, but its one thing 
to know it and another to do 
anything about it. At my age, 
you can be frightened, and the 
other man had this big white 
truck. With the two of them 
I thought they would just do 
some repair on my car and 
that would be the end of it.”

She also said that when she 
tried to write them a check 
they demanded cash although 
persistent they took the check 
and immediately cashed it. 

Sanchez said Petro and Adams 
called the victim again Jan 19 
wanting to do more work on 
her car which she agreed to. 
He said the victim was taken 
for another $1,400 for the 
bogus repairs. 

“The following day the 
suspects made a third contact 
with the victim at which time 
she became suspicious and 
called her adult son,” Sanchez 
said.

The Buick was taken to a 
repair shop in Sierra Madre 
where mechanics determined 
no work had been done to 
the car. Sanchez said the son 
contacted police.

Police detective Derrick 
Carter said Petro and Adams 
allegedly told the victim that a 
parking light lens was broken, 
the bumper was offline with 
the fender and that there were 
dents on the door needing 
repair. The victim also said 
she was told there was loose 
wiring hanging from the car. 

Sanchez said police were 
asking other elderly persons in 
Pasadena, that may be victims 
of a similar scam, to come 
forward. He said they can call 
detectives at (626) 744-4241. 

On average, Sanchez said, they 
get reports of elder abuse once 
a week. He also said, in this 
case, detectives were able to 
get back the entire $2,600. 

Fuller 
Makes 
Statement 
on Those 
Killed by

Pirates

Church-goers Mourn 
After Deadly Bus Crash 

93-Year Old 
Former Rose 
Princess 
Victimized

 One person was killed and 24 
injured Monday after a local 
church bus collided with a 
San Bernardino County Fire 
Department vehicle and a 
power pole then fell 20 feet over 
the side of highway 189 near 
Twin Peaks. 

 The San Bernardino County 
Sheriffs identified the driver 
of the bus as Won Seok Chae 
who was pronounced dead at 
the scene. Chae was a member 
of the Light of Love Mission 
Church in Pasadena.

 Over 250 people attended a 
memorial and prayer service at 
the Korean church in the 2800 
block of East Colorado Blvd. 
Monday night. 

 As many as 25 children were 
aboard the bus at the time of 
the noon crash, said Cal Fire 
spokesman Bill Peters.

 As of Thursday eight people, 
ranging in age from 28 to 12, 
remained hospitalized. Three 
of the patient’s conditions 
improved Wednesday ranging 
from very critical to critical and 
critical to good condition.

 Five victims are receiving 
treatment at Loma Linda 
University Medical Center 
reports said. 

 An off-duty San Bernardino 
County Fire Department 
Battalion Chief was among 
those hurt Monday. The fire 
chief and a passenger were in a 
2006 Nissan Murano that was 
struck by the bus. 

 Reports say the church bus 
was heading down Highway 
189 when it crossed over into 
oncoming traffic colliding with 
the Nissan. The bus then crashed 
into a power pole sending it off 
the highway where it came to 
rest after slamming into a tree. 

 It took firefighters over two 
hours as they use rope and the 
Jaws of Life to recue some of the 
victims from the bus. Officers 
said many of the victims 
became pinned under seats. 
Some of the passengers were 
rescued by good Samaritan who 
said they heard kids screaming 
from the bus.

 Church officials said the bus 
was returning Monday from a 
three-day retreat in Twin Peaks.

Press conference announcing arrests Photo D. Lee/MVNews

By Dean Lee

 Richard Mouw President of 
Fuller Theological Seminary 
said Tuesday the institution 
was overwhelmed with sad 
news that pirates had killed 
four American hostages off the 
coast of Somalia. Scott Adam, a 
respected alumnus and former 
instructor at the school, was 
among those killed.

 “He came to us as a student 
in 1996, after nearly 30 years 
in the motion picture industry 
as a professional filmmaker,” 
Mouw said. “And went on 
to share that expertise with 
students through a course, 
Ministry and Media, which 
he developed for the Brehm 
Center for Worship, Theology, 
and the Arts.”

 Adam, his wife Jean, and two 
friends, Phyllis Macay and 
Robert Riggle, were all shot 
Tuesday aboard the Quest, a 
58-foot yacht they were sailing 
in, after a four day standoff 
between U.S. negotiators and 
Somali pirates. Reports said 
Navy SEALs boarded the yacht 
after pirates fired a rocket at 
U.S. warships and shots were 
heard onboard the yacht. 

 Two of the four hostages were 
found alive although later died 
of gunshot inflicted wounds 
reports also said. 

 Fuller Professor Richard 
Peace, who was a close friend 
and colleague to Scott, said in 
a statement he remembered 
the great commitment and 
spark of energy Scott brought 
to the classroom: “He was 
gregarious, he was friendly, 
and he was curious. He had 
lots of questions and lots to 
say.”

 Family members of Adam 
also released the following 
statement through the FBI. 

 “Our loved ones were 
tragically taken from us and 
our hearts are broken. While 
we wish to grieve in private, 
we would like to express our 
deepest gratitude to the brave 
men and women of the Navy 
and other military branches 
who risked their lives trying 
to save them. We would also 
like to thank the FBI and State 
Department for their swift and 
kind treatment of this matter. 
Our hearts also go out to the 
families of Bob Riggle and 
Phyllis Macay.”

 According to Adam’s personal 
website the couple was on an 
eight year worldwide mission 
distributing Bibles.


County 
Approves 
Expansion 
of Graffiti 
Abatement

Supervisor Calls for Report 
on County Gas Line Safety

Firefighters use rope and the Jaws of Life to recue some of the 
victim from a deadly bus crash on Highway 189 sending 24 people 
to the hospital including a fire department battalion chief.

 In a motion introduced last 
week, County Mayor Michael 
Antonovich directed the 
Department of Public Works 
to report to the Board in 45 
days on the status of existing 
steel gas lines in Los Angeles 
County. The report will 
include the age and number 
of miles of steel lines as well 
as the progress of replacing 
them with plastic pipes. 

 An NBC story following 
the deadly gas explosion in 
San Bruno last September 
illustrated the dangers of 
natural gas mains made of 
steel which are susceptible 
to corrosion, leaking and 
whose rigidity makes it 
susceptible to cracking 
under stress. Since 1970, 
leaks, fires and explosions 
resulting in injury and 
death have declined as many 
utilities have switched over 
to plastic pipes, which are 
less vulnerable to corrosion. 

According to the Natural 
Gas Supply Association, 
currently, 60% of the nation’s 
475,000 large gas mains are 
plastic although many as 
those wider than 16 inches 
in diameter are made of steel 

 The nation’s second largest 
natural gas distributor, 
Atmost Energy Corporation 
which operates in 12 
states, agreed in September 
to replace 100,000 steel 
pipelines in north Texas 
by late 2012. The Texas 
Railroad Commission, 
which regulates natural gas 
pipelines has commissioned 
a feasibility study to replace 
all 525,000 steel service lines 
across the state.

In Washington , the Puget 
Sound Energy Company 
replaced 9,000 older steel 
gas lines and in Arizona 
, regulators have issued a 
warning to the nearly 2 
million customers served 
by the Southwest Gas 
Corporation that it’s the 
customers’ responsibility 
to monitor the lines and 
identify any potential 
problems before they 
become hazardous.

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 is 
March 1 from 6 p.m. 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.com.

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

 The Los Angeles County 
Board of Supervisors approved, 
last week, a $275,000 contract 
with Woods Maintenance 
Service to expand its graffiti 
removal services to include an 
additional 29 channels, reaches 
and debris basins in the west 
area of the County’s flood 
control system, announced 
Mayor Michael D. Antonovich. 

 “To enhance the County’s 
zero tolerance graffiti policy, 
this vital graffiti abatement 
service will assist in curtailing 
gang activities, protecting our 
neighborhoods and improving 
the quality of life in our 
County communities,” said 
Antonovich. 

 To report graffiti, the public 
is encouraged to contact the 
County’s graffiti removal 
hotline at (800) 675-HELP 
available 24 hours a day, seven 
days a week or the website: 
http://dpw.lacounty.gov/itd/
dispatch/publicgraffiti/index.
cfm?action=report

 Graffiti is removed within 48 
hours of notification; Monday 
through Friday in county 
rights-of-way, flood control 
channels, and private property 
in designated zero tolerance 
zones.

Annual Women of the World 
Awards Includes Law & Order 
Actress Stephanie March

Pet of the 
Week

 The United Nation Association 
Pasadena/Foothills Chapter 
and 50/50 Leadership will 
hold its 3rd annual Women 
of the World awards March 
12 honoring three diverse 
and influential women whose 
commitment to activism 
creates an astounding impact 
across the globe. The awards 
coincide with Women’s History 
Month, the 100th Anniversary 
of International Women’s Day 
and World Leadership Day.

 The evening will include 
a special introduction for 
one nominee from actress/
ambassador Stephanie March, 
most known for her role as 
an Assistant District Attorney 
on Law & Order: Special 
Victims Unit. The Women of 
the World Awards spotlight 
the achievements of amazing 
women who are committed to 
changing their environments 
through a variety of non-profit 
organizations and/or grassroots 
organizing. This year’s winners 
are Andrea Herz Payne , 
founder of Aid Still Required, 
Tracy McCubbin , co-founder of 
OneKid OneWorld, and Mireya 
Asturias Jones , mentor with the 
International Women’s Coffee 
Alliance. The three winners are 
selected from a pool of over a 
dozen finalists. The event will 
also feature filmmaker Tiffany 
Persons and author/actress 
Sarah Culberson.

 “This…is supporting projects 
that are offering free schooling 
to middle and high school-
aged children, and free medical 
care and counseling to women 
who have been attacked,” said 
Aid Still Required co-founder 
Andrea Herz Payne. 

 The Women of the World 
(WOW) Awards are a 
collaboration between 50/50 
Leadership and UNA-USA 
Pasadena. Winners are selected 
from nominated entries. 
Entrants must have made a 
difference in the lives of women 
and girls in another country. 
Nominations are accepted of 
women of all ages, heritages, 
countries and professions. 
However, winning is designated 
for accomplished women 
leaders who are pioneers in 
their field and who continue to 
inspire others to set strong goals 
for themselves. The WOW 
Award is a way to celebrate 
female heroes and to promote 
gender equality throughout the 
globe. Last year’s winners were 
Whitney Kroenke, Dr. Shilpa 
Sayana, and Dr. Riane Eisler.

 “The most important 
thing a community can do is 
continually push the point, 
raise awareness, raise money 
and, above all, keep at it,” said 
Stephanie March, actress, Law 
& Order: SVU.

 The ceremony is open to the 
public. Interested parties can 
purchase tickets for $35 per 
person, $15 for Students, or 
$300 for a table of 10 via email 
to WOW@5050Leadership.
org or call (818) 243-2322. The 
awards will be held from 1:30 
– 4:00 p.m. at Brookside Golf 
Course, 1133 N. Rosemont 
Avenue.


Schiff Seeks Dedication of Post 
Office to Tuskegee Airman

 
Earlier this month Rep. 
Adam Schiff (D-CA) 
introduced legislation to 
designate the U.S. Postal 
Service office located at 2271 
Lake Avenue in Altadena as 
the “First Lieutenant Oliver 
Goodall Post Office,” in 
honor of the more than 50 
years of service that Oliver 
Goodall provided to the 
community and country as 
a Tuskegee Airman, public 
information officer and 
postal worker.

 “Oliver Goodall was a 
steadfast champion of our 
community and a great 
patriot, and always exhibited 
perseverance in the face of 
adversity,” Schiff said. “His 
courageous life story and 
legacy of service lives on and 
inspires us all.”

 Goodall entered the service 
at Tuskegee in February 
1943. In October 1944, he 
graduated as a multi-engine 
pilot and was assigned to 
the 477th Bomber Group at 
Godman Field, Kentucky, 
in January 1945, where 
he attained his First Pilots 
rating in six months. Goodall 
was among 60 African 
American U.S. Army Air 
Corps officers arrested for 
trying to peacefully integrate 
an all-white officers’ club, 
which came to be known 
as the Freeman Field 
Mutiny. The ‘mutiny’ was an 
important step toward full 
integration of all U.S. armed 
forces worldwide in June 
1949, serving as a model for 
later Civil Rights efforts to 
integrate public facilities.

 “For more than 50 years, 
my grandfather served our 
community as a Tuskegee 
Airman, public information 
officer and postal worker, 
and dedicating the post office 
in his name is a great joy and 
an honor for our family,” 
said Tony Goodall. “I hope 
that by paying tribute to my 
grandfather, this will serve 
as a reminder, not only to 
our family and friends, but 
also to our neighbors about 
the importance of service, 
as well as an inspiration for 
young men and women that 
their contributions to society 
really will make a difference.”

Stephanie March

Roxy, a beautiful, 
Staffordshire terrier mix 
is just 10 months old and 
in need of a loving home. 
She is very petite and will 
probably weigh between 
30-40lbs when full grown. 
She can be shy at first and 
may need extra time to 
adjust to a new home. Roxy 
gets along with other dogs 
and likes treats.

 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 A283734 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

Oliver Goodall

Hahamongna 
Walkabout 

The Arroyo Seco Foundation 
will hold a walkabout March 
5 of the Hahamongna 
Watershed Park as part of Save 
Hahamongna. 

Participants will take an 
escorted walking tour of 
Hahamongna, stopping at 
strategically placed learning 
stations to discover about the 
habitat, wildlife, birds and 
water resources in that unique 
flood basin at the foothills of 
the San Gabriel Mountains.

Participants will also learn 
about new threats to the natural 
character of Hahamongna 
and what you can do to help 
protect this precious spot. 
Tours will leave each half hour 
from 9:00 am to 10:30 am, to 
reserve a place go to http://
www.save hahamongna.org/ 
walkaboutrsvp.htm.