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Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 2, 2011
Work Stops on Cameron’s
3D Cameras on Mars Rover
City Looks
to Ban
Smoking in
Multi-unit
Housing
The NASA rover to be
launched to Mars this year
will carry the Mast Camera
(Mastcam) instrument
already on the vehicle,
providing the capability to
meet the mission’s science
goals. The mission was set to
include 3D motion imaging
designed by film director
James Cameron.
Work has stopped on
Cameron’s alternative
version of the instrument,
with a pair of zoom-lens
cameras, which would
have provided additional
capabilities for improved
three-dimensional video.
The installed Mastcam on
the Mars Science Laboratory
mission’s Curiosity rover
uses two fixed-focal-length
cameras: a telephoto for
one eye and wider angle
for the other. Malin Space
Science Systems, San Diego,
built the Mastcam and was
funded by NASA last year to
see whether a zoom version
could be developed in time
for testing on Curiosity.
“With the Mastcam that was
installed last year and the
rover’s other instruments,
Curiosity can accomplish its
ambitious research goals,”
said Mars Science Laboratory
Project Scientist John
Grotzinger, of the California
Institute of Technology,
Pasadena. “Malin Space
Science Systems has provided
excellent, unprecedented
science cameras for this
mission. The possibility for
a zoom-camera upgrade
was very much worth
pursuing, but time became
too short for the levels of
testing that would be needed
for them to confidently
replace the existing cameras.
We applaud Malin Space
Science Systems for their
tremendous effort to deliver
the zooms, and also the Mars
Science Laboratory Project’s
investment in supporting
this effort.”
Malin Space Science
Systems has also provided
the Mars Hand Lens Imager
and the Mars Descent Imager
instruments on Curiosity.
The company will continue
to pursue development of
the zoom system, both to
prove out the design and to
make the hardware available
for possible use on future
missions.
“While Curiosity won’t
benefit from the 3D motion
imaging that the zooms
enable, I’m certain that
this technology will play
an important role in future
missions,” said Mastcam Co-
Investigator James Cameron.
“In the meantime, we’re
certainly going to make the
most of our cameras that are
working so well on Curiosity
right now.”
Mastcam Principal
Investigator Michael Malin
said, “Although we are very
disappointed that the zoom
cameras will not fly, we
expect the fixed-focal-length
cameras to achieve all of the
primary science objectives of
the Mastcam investigation.”
The rover and other parts of
the Mars Science Laboratory
spacecraft are in testing
at NASA’s Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, Pasadena,
Calif., which manages
the project for the NASA
Science Mission Directorate,
Washington. The spacecraft
will be delivered to NASA
Kennedy Space Center in
Florida in coming months
for launch late this year. In
August 2012, Curiosity will
land on Mars for a two-year
mission to examine whether
conditions in the landing
area have been favorable
for microbial life and for
preserving evidence about
whether life has existed
there.
By Dean Lee
The city council is set to
discuss Monday night the
possibility of implementing
stronger anti-smoking laws in
the city including a complete
smoking ban on patios and
balconies, and in outdoor
common areas, of multi-
unit housing —a move being
criticized by the Pasadena
Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber President, Paul
Little said, in a letter Tuesday to
the council, that although they
in no way condone smoking,
the ordnance bans a legal
activity “in the privacy of one’s
home, and is an unwarranted
intrusion into the privacy of
your citizens.”
He also said the ban could lead
to an unnecessary opportunity
for lawsuits, both for residents
and against the city. It would
also be unenforceable he said.
According to city staff,
the new ordnance would
specifically define secondhand
smoke as a public nuisance
and as an infraction under
Pasadena Municipal Code. It
would require disclosure of the
ordinance to all prospective
and existing tenants and buyers
in rental, lease and purchase
agreements by January 2012
and establish phase-in period
for 100% smoke free multi-
unit housing by 2014.
According to the city’s
Planning Department, there
are approximately 33,717
multi-family units in the city,
including both apartments
and condominiums.
The new ban would be a
continuance of tobacco control
policies in 2008 when the
council approved an ordinance
to restrict smoking in certain
outdoor areas, including parks,
outdoor dining and service
waiting lines. The amendment
also restricts smoking at public
events such as Tournament of
Roses parade.
Staff said enforcement would
be done through calling the
city’s Tobacco Violations
Complaint Line, or submitting
an online violations reporting
form.
Little said the Chamber’s
own study showed members
favored, instead of a ban,
having large areas of newly
constructed apartment
buildings be designated as
strictly non-smoking. “They
also favored the city working to
establish nonsmoking multi-
family housing units going
forward with the cooperation
of developers and landlords,”
he said.
County to Start Work on Devil’s Gate
By Dean Lee
County officials said Wednesday,
during a special meeting
between the city council and
Supervisor Michael Antonovich,
they plan to start short-term
maintenance work in 30 days at
the Devil’s Gate Dam to protect
the structure’s outlet valves from
potential damage in the event of
more flooding.
The short-term plan still needs
to go before the County Board
of Supervisors later this month.
The full scope of the plan was
released in a report Friday and
will be available for two weeks
for public review.
“This will allow us to continue to
operate our facility, we monitor
storms and make releases from
the dam,” said Los Angeles
County Planning Deputy Edel
Vizcarra. “This will allow us to
do that until the larger sediment
project is completed.”
David Pliker, the County
Department of Public Works’
Principal Engineer further
explained, “The Station Fire
coupled with the rains brought
down a lot of dirt and the valves
are currently covered. We need
to do something so public works
has the ability to control the
water flow.”
Friday’s report will also be given
to all impacted cities including,
South Pasadena, La Canada,
Altadena, and Pasadena, as well
as environmental groups such
as the Sierra Club and Friends
of Hahamongna.
Vizcarra said about 1.6 million
cubic yards of material needs to
be removed during the larger
sediment removal project. The
board of supervisors voted
March 1 to conduct a full
Environmental Impact Report
for removal.
Vizcarra said the EIR would
look at the removal and
disposal methods including
the use of tucks something
environmentalists have said
they are concerned with.
“We would do what we call
dry weather removal,” he said.
“When the storm season comes
we shut down, after the next
storm season we continue.”
Vizcarra said after the Station
Fire they accumulated eight feet
of sediment when normally they
see six or seven inches a year.
Pliker said Antonovich had
asked that a regional taskforce be
setup including environmental
groups, stakeholders, and
experts in water management.
“1.6 million yards is a lot of
material,” Vizcarra said. “How
can you best use it, can you
recycle it? Use it for beach
replenishment? There are a
number of things you can do
with it.
Pliker said the Devil’s Gate is
one of 14 major dam facilities
in LA County including one
in Arcadia where protesters
made headlines after trying to
stop the County Department of
Public Works from removing
old-growth oak trees as part of a
sediment removal project.
Supervisor asks that
a regional taskforce
be setup incluing
environmental
groups, stakeholders,
and experts in water
management
D.I.S.A.R.M.
Nets Arrests,
Drugs, Millions
in Cash
Library to Sale 9,000 Used
Mysteries and Thrillers
Try visualizing a collection
of 9,000 mysteries, espionage
capers, political intrigues,
psychological thrillers and
detective stories spread
across 60 banquet tables,
alphabetized by author and
set in the halls of Roosevelt
Elementary School. If that
sparks your curiosity, mark
your calendar for April 16th
from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The major book event will
honor the late Tom McGuinn
of Simi Valley, an avid
collector of contemporary
mystery/thrillers. His widow,
Sue McGuinn, donated the
collection to the Friends of
the Pasadena Public Library
to aid the organization’s
fundraising through book
sales. Proceeds will benefit
programs at the Central
Library and the city’s nine
branch libraries.
The collection -- in excellent
condition – includes
approximately 3,600 volumes
signed by authors. Most of
the books will be priced
from 50 cents to $5.00. Sales
are cash only. Please bring
your own bags and boxes.
Gain priority admission at
9 a.m. for $20. Admission is
free after 9:45 a.m. To find
the book sale entrance at
the rear of the school, turn
east on Rosemont Avenue
from North Orange Grove
Boulevard.
About the Friends of the
Pasadena Public Library:
Founded in 1977, the
nonprofit corporation
supports activities and
affairs of the Pasadena
Public Library, including the
Summer Reading Program,
Try It @ Your Library,
Children’s Book Week,
One City One Story, and
Outreach Story Presenters.
Our funding comes from
memberships, charitable
donations and from book
sales. For additional
information, visit http://
friendsppl.org, e-mail
friendsppl@yahoo.com or
call 626.744.4680.
Michael D. Antonovich with
Sheriffs from D.I.S.A.R.M.
During the month of
February, D.I.S.A.R.M.
Officers confiscated 107
weapons – including 48
handguns,23 assault rifles,
and 21 rifles/shotguns,
$3.9 million in illegal
drugs, and arrested 264
probationers during 1,400
unannounced searches
of residences, persons,
vehicles, and businesses,
announced Mayor Michael
D. Antonovich.
The searches were conducted
through the Probation
Department’s D.I.S.A.R.M.
(Developing Increased
Safety through Arms
Reduction Management)
program, initiated by
Supervisor Antonovich
following the tragic August
1999 shootings at the North
Valley Jewish Community
Center and the murder of
a postal worker by Buford
Furrow, an armed felon on
probation from Washington
State .
The D.I.S.A.R.M. program
entails pairing Deputy
Probation Officers with local
law enforcement personnel
to perform unannounced
searches of probationers and
their homes, as a condition
of probation, and targets the
confiscation of guns, drugs,
and other contraband.
Since its implementation
in February of 2000, the
D.I.S.A.R.M. program has
seized over 7,200 weapons
and more than $218 million
in illegal drugs and drug
money, and resulted in
14,500 arrests. Ten percent
of probationers searched
in this program have
been found to be out of
compliance with their terms
of probation.
Curiosity on a tilt table in the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. Image
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
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
April 5 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
Pet of the
Week
County Launches ‘Youth
Self-Sufficiency’ Action Plan
The Board of Supervisors
unanimously approved
Tuesday the 55-point action
plan initiated to provide
comprehensive integrated
services for the county’s
child welfare system.
In March 2010, Mayor
Michael Antonovich
established “Youth Self-
Sufficiency” as a Countywide
Goal to improve outcomes
in the areas of permanency/
housing, social and
emotional health, education
and workforce preparedness.
“The outlook for the
1,800 young people who
transition from county care
to adulthood every year
remains bleak -- half of them
will be unemployed, a third
will be on public assistance,
a quarter will be incarcerated
and over a fifth will be
homeless,” said Antonovich.
Landmark child welfare
legislation, H.R. 6893,
signed by President George
W. Bush in 2008, along with
California Assembly Bill 12
(Beall/Bass), extends federal
and state funding for services
to youth between the ages
of 18 and 21. Antonovich’s
initiative ensures the most
effective allocation of these,
and existing resources
as recommended by a
workgroup he convened of
departments, commissions,
advocates, non-profits,
philanthropy and former
foster youth.
“No single department
can effectively serve a child
in isolation. The goal of
self-sufficiency must begin
as soon as a child enters
our system and all county
departments must have a
clear mission of the role
each plays in the life of that
child,” Antonovich added.
“This initiative will demand
accountability and better
futures for these young
people. Through positive
action, coordination and
accountability, we can
successfully serve our
foster youth and help them
transition to become self-
sufficient and productive
adult members of society.”
Ramey, a lovely, year and a
half old, brown and white
tabby is friendly and loves
attention. She can be a
little shy at first but warms
up quickly. She gets along
with other cats and would
be a great companion for
someone who likes to take
it easy. Come visit with
Ramey 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 A284566
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
CIty to Hold Emergency
Response Boot Camp
Pasadena families,
neighborhood leaders,
business associations,
churches and community-
based organizations are
invited to a free boot camp
Saturday, April 2, when they
will go through Pasadena
Emergency Response
Training (PERT) course.
The event, from 8:30 a.m. to 2
p.m. at Cleveland Elementary
School , 524 Palisade St. , will
include training in disaster
preparedness, assessment
of medical needs, fire
suppression, light search
and rescue, and other skills
critical to the first 72 hours
after a disaster when first
responders may have to take
care of other top-priority
needs.
Breakfast and lunch will be
provided. Wear comfortable
clothing and closed-toe
shoes.
RSVPs are required.
To reserve a spot or for
more information e-mail
district1@cityofpasadena.
net, visit www.
cityofpasadena.net/district1/
pert or call (626) 744-4444.
This event is sponsored
by Pasadena City
Councilwoman Jacque
Robinson, Flintridge Center
and Southern California Gas
Company.
For general information
about emergency
preparedness in Pasadena
visit www.cityofpasadena.
net/disaster or call (626)
744-7276.
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
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