Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 25, 2011

5

 Mountain Views News Saturday, June 25, 2011 

City’s Red-light Camera 
Contract Renewed; 
Goes Month to Month 

Redistricting 
Task Force 
Members 
Named


By Dean Lee

 Newly elected City 
Councilmember Gene Masuda 
took a stand against red light 
cameras Monday night casting 
the only no vote to extending a 
contract with American Traffic 
Solutions, even though, the 
council’s move did take the first 
steps in reviewing the system 
and ultimately removing it. 

“This red light camera is not 
very well liked in Pasadena, in 
so far as the people that I meet,” 
Masuda said. “Let me just tell 
you some of the comments that 
I heard about, the community 
feels it’s not right, two; it’s 
about revenue not safety, three; 
residents feel big brother is 
looking at us.”

 Masuda went on to cite a study 
in Gardena saying that there 
is no significant decrease in 
accidents when using red light 
cameras. In a prior presentation 
city staff had said a five year 
study —since cameras were 
installed— in Pasadena showed 
broadside collisions down 52 
percent and other collisions 
down by 13 percent, statistics at 
odds with Masuda’s claims. 

 He also said the Los Angeles 
Police Commission voted 5-0, 
earlier this month, to end their 
use of cameras. The Police 
Commission actions were 
based on an audit last year that 
found the majority of citations 
go uncollected. The program 
lacked enforcement power they 
said. 

 “Right now the city of Los 
Angeles is on a month to 
month [contract] and they are 
going to reevaluate the system,” 
Masuda said. The Pasadena city 
staff recommendation by the 
Director of the Department 
of Transportation, Fred Dock, 
is similar to L.A. extending 
the contract for camera (RLC) 
services on a month to-month 
basis for a maximum of 12 
months. 

 If the council had rejected the 
contract extension, all three 
locations with RLC system 
including Lake Avenue and 
Union Street, Marengo Avenue 
and Union Street, and Foothill 
Boulevard and San Gabriel 
Boulevard would shut down 
June 30.

 City staff also said that a 
change in driver behavior, the 
time demands on the Pasadena 
police officers and pending 
legislation in Sacramento have 
deemed it necessary for the 
Public Safety Committee to 
review the system. The issue is 
set to be herd by the committee 
in September.

 Councilmember Victor Gordo 
also asked the committee look 
at implementing a two second 
delay before a green light 
something one resident referred 
to as a “double red.”

 “I would like us to look at it 
[double red], not just for these 
specific intersections, but 
potentially for use city wide 
or strategically at appropriate 
intersections,” Gordo said 
although adding that he did not 
want to abruptly stop the red 
light cameras.

By Dean Lee

The names of a task force, 
charged with redistricting, 
were released Monday night 
as the city council voted 
unanimously in favor of all 
nine appointees —in separate, 
although not unanimous, 
votes the council also elected a 
chair and vice chair.

Vice Mayor Margaret Mcaustin 
read the names, “District 1, 
Wendelin Donahue; District 
2, Alex Guerrero; District 
3, Alan Caldwell; District 4, 
James Marlatt; District 5, Bill 
Crowfoot; District 6, Richard 
McDonald; District 7, Mary 
Machado Schammel; mayor’s 
appointment, Liz Trussell…” 

Mayor Bill Bogaard also 
appointed Michael Alvarez as 
an “at large nomination.” 

“Perhaps we could, for the 
record express gratitude 
to all of the applicants,” 
Councilmember Steve 
Madison said. “I was moved, 
as always, there were a number 
of qualified people that did 
apply for this, more than we 
had number of appointments 
to make.” 

Crowfoot was also chosen 
by the council as chair and 
McDonald as vice chair. A 
number of councilmembers 
thought the task force should 
pick their own leader, instead 
of the council.

“I would be hesitant to just 
select a new chair because 
I know, besides just being 
on the task force itself, that’s 
a huge time commitment,” 
Councilmember Jackie 
Robinson said. “So I would 
want to be reassured that 
whomever we appoint has 
been talked to prior… I do 
have a preference for them 
selecting their own chair.” 

According to city staff, voting 
districts are reviewed every 
10 years based on new U.S. 
Census data. The seven 
district boundaries define the 
geographic representation of 
the Pasadena City Council. 

Bogaard has said the 
population is now 137,122 
according to new 2010 data 
released last month, up only 
slightly from a decade ago. 
In 2000 the population was 
133,936 according to the U.S. 
Census website. 

California state law provides 
that after each federal census, 
the city council must determine 
whether adjustments to the 
boundaries of any or all 
districts are needed.

The task force will review, 
and make a recommendation 
for the potential of adjusting 
any of the current district 
boundaries. All meetings will 
be public and input will be 
encouraged staff said.

City Attorney Michele Beal 
Bagneris said the task would, 
most likely, start next month.

Weekend Events Draw Crazy Crowds


By Dean Lee

 Over 600 dedicated chalk 
artists converged on Paseo 
Colorado’s promenades Father’s 
Day weekend as part of the 19th 
Annual Pasadena Chalk Festival. 
The festival last year received the 
Guinness World Record for the 
largest display of chalk pavement 
art. Although this year was even 
bigger, the event’s founder and 
organizer Tom Coston said they 
plan to take it easy, not trying to 
beat their own record. 

 Organizers boast that “25,000 
sticks of pastel chalks are placed 
in the hands of hundreds of 
Madonnari (Italian for street 
painter) who come from across 
Southern California and points 
beyond to spend two days on 
their hands and knees creating 
spectacular murals on concrete 
areas throughout the shopping 
center.”

 Eleven year old Kimberly Brake-
Ayon amazed festival goers with 
a recreation of the white rabbit 
from Alice and Wonderland done 
completely by her. 

 “I done this for about five or six 
years,” she said. “At first I got a 
little help from my stepbrothers 
and my dad but mostly I did it 
myself. Brake-Ayon’s dad, Chris 
Brake, won the festival’s “best use 
of color.”

 Other winners included Shuji 
Nishimura Best of Festival, 
first place, Arlou Somo Best of 
Festival second place and Maria 
Diaz Best of Festival third place.

 Chalk painting was not the 
only reason people were in town 
Saturday as thousands crowded 
Old Pasadena as part of Make 
Music Pasadena. Hundreds of 
bands performed in alleys, art 
galleries and outdoors stages 
throughout the day. Bands such 
as Ra Ra Riot, Morning Benders, 
and the Best Coast performed 
on the “Indie-Rock” stage while 
Rocky Dawuni and the Afro 
Funke sound system and others 
played the Levitt Pavilion.

 The Pasadena Police Department 
also held a classic car show 
Sunday featuring over 100 classic 
cars from the 1900s to 1974.

 All proceeds from the event go 
to benefit the Police Activities 
League, Police Explorer Post #19 
and Haven House. Awards were 
also given in several categories for 
the best cars, including a Chief of 
Police Special Award.

County Budget in Limbo as 
State Fails to Pass Its Budget 

 County Mayor Michael 
Antonovich said that while 
the county budget passed 
today, the state’s failure to 
deliver their budget on time 
has left the county in limbo.

 “Riddled by gimmickry and 
a “pass-the-buck” mentality, 
the Governor and the state 
legislature’s failure to meet 
the June 15 constitutional 
deadline to pass their budget 
has put every county, school 
district and city in a holding 
pattern waiting for the 
other shoe to drop,” said 
Antonovich. “As a result 
of the dysfunctional state 
budget process, the County is 
struggling to meet mandated 
obligations in a budget plan 
that resembles Swiss cheese.”

 The total county budget is 
$23.340 billion dollars -- $905 
million less than last year’s 
final adopted budget -- and 
has over 100 fewer positions.


Schiff 
Introduces 
Armenian 
Genocide 
Resolution

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 
June 28 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


Classic car show Sunday featuring over 100 classic cars from the 
1900s to 174 including police vehicles. 

Safety Urged During Fourth 

 Congressman Adam 
Schiff introduced, last 
week, a bipartisan House 
Resolution with Rep. Robert 
Dold (R-IL) recognizing 
and commemorating the 
Armenian Genocide in the 
House of Representatives. 
The resolution calls 
on the President and 
the U.S. Government 
to properly recognize 
and commemorate the 
atrocities that occurred 
in Armenia beginning in 
1915, and which resulted 
in the death of 1.5 million 
Armenian men, women 
and children, as genocide. 
“The facts of history are 
clear, well documented 
and non-negotiable – 1.5 
million Armenians were 
deliberately murdered in 
the first genocide of the 
20th century,” Rep. Schiff 
said. “If we are to prevent 
future atrocities, we 
must condemn genocide 
whenever and wherever it 
occurs. It has never served 
our national interest to be 
complicit in another nation’s 
campaign of genocide 
denial, and it never will. 
While there are still some 
survivors left, we have a 
compelling, urgent and 
moral obligation to speak 
plainly about the past.” 
It has been 96 years 
since the systematic and 
deliberate annihilation 
campaign was launched 
by the government of the 
Ottoman Empire against 
its Armenian population. 
While the Armenian 
Genocide has been 
recognized by more than 20 
nations including Canada, 
Italy, Sweden, France, 
Argentina and Russia, 
as well as the European 
Parliament, it has not been 
formally recognized by the 
U.S. Congress in decades.


Pet of the 
Week

 The Pasadena Fire Department 
reminds residents and visitors 
that the best way to celebrate the 
Fourth of July holiday weekend 
with family and friends is by 
attending professional fireworks 
shows.

 The sale and possession of all 
fireworks is illegal in Pasadena 
as well as most of Los Angeles 
County. Violators are subject 
to confiscation and impound of 
vehicles, up to one year in jail 
and fines up to $50,000.

 Due to high potential for fire 
hazards and injuries, Pasadena 
police and fire personnel will 
staff checkpoints around the 
Rose Bowl Stadium to seize 
all illegal fireworks and arrest 
offenders. 

 “The risks with fireworks are 
not limited to their use,” said 
Pasadena Fire Chief Dennis 
J. Downs. “Risks also exist 
wherever fireworks are stored, 
transported or sold.”

 Parking enforcement officers 
will ensure that vehicles illegally 
parked in hillside areas on July 
4 are impounded. Pasadena 
fire officials stress that the aim 
of the enforcement operations 
is to prevent accidents and 
injuries.

 “Even sparklers, which many 
people consider safe, can reach 
temperatures of 1,200 degrees 
Fahrenheit, burn people 
seriously and cause fires,” 
Downs added. “Adults wouldn’t 
ordinarily allow their children 
to get near anything that hot 
but for some reason they think 
it’s acceptable to put sparklers 
in the hands of little ones on 
the Fourth of July.” Nationally, 
two of five people injured by 
fireworks are under the age of 
15. 

 Statistics show that nearly 
10,000 fireworks-related 
injuries are treated in U.S. 
hospital emergency rooms 
annually. The latest statistics 
from the National Fire 
Protection Association show 
that in 2009 more than nine 
out of 10, or 92 percent, of 
fireworks-related injuries 
treated in hospital emergency 
rooms were caused by fireworks 
that federal regulations permit 
consumers to use. Fireworks 
are the most risky consumer 
products. 

 The Pasadena Fire Department 
will apply Phos-Chek Thursday, 
June 30, to brush areas 
surrounding the Rose Bowl 
Stadium. The main ingredients 
of this wildland fire retardant 
are phosphates and fertilizers 
that help prevent trees and 
grasslands from burning and 
revegetate wildland areas. 

“This is a preventive measure 
for Fourth of July activities and 
the summer season that the 
Fire Department has conducted 
for the past several years,” said 
Downs. 

 For more information 
about fireworks safety and 
enforcement, call the Pasadena 
Fire Department at (626) 744-
7276. 

 For information about 
the Americafest Fourth of 
July celebration, visit www.
rosebowlstadium.com or call 
(626) 577-3101.


PCC Local Vendor 
Meetings Date Moved

 Pasadena City College 
wishes to inform the 
community that the event 
designed for local vendors, 
contractors and suppliers 
who are interested in working 
with the District originally 
scheduled for June 24 and 
25 has been postponed and 
rescheduled for August 5 
and 6 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
The event will be held in 
PCC’s Creveling Lounge in 
the Campus Center.

 The sessions are designed 
to introduce prospective 
suppliers to PCC purchasing 
procedures, bidding, 
invoicing, and general 
needs of the college. Session 
highlights include a brief 
introduction to the District’s 
current and upcoming 
projects, a question-and-
answer session, and group 
interaction.

The District strongly 
encourages local businesses 
and suppliers whose main 
office is located within the 
limits of the District to take 
part in the information 
sessions. A District map 
is available online at the 
PCC website at www.
pasadena.edu or by typing 
www.pasadena.edu/board/
districtmap2.cfm into your 
web browser.

 In 2002, the voters in 
La Cañada Flintridge, 
Pasadena, Altadena, Sierra 
Madre, Arcadia, South 
Pasadena, San Marino, 
Temple City, Rosemead and 
El Monte approved Measure 
P, a $150 million general 
obligation bond measure, to 
fund facilities replacement, 
reconstruction, and 
modernization. The projects 
are outlined in the PCC 
Facilities Master Plan 2010 
(see http://www.pasadena.
edu/bond/). Remaining 
projects include the Arts 
Building, and various 
smaller-scale miscellaneous 
remodeling projects. 
Bidding, general conditions, 
and bonding requirements 
for these Measure P projects 
are consistent with California 
Public Contract Law.

 Parking will be free in Lots 
1, 2, and 4. 

 For more information, 
contact Purchasing Services 
at (626) 585-7367.

Hailey, a year old, silver tabby 
cat is so beautiful! She is very 
outgoing and loves to explore. 
She is also very talkative and 
would be a great companion 
for someone looking to liven 
up their home. Come visit 
with Hailey 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 A288358 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