Mountain Views News          Saturday, August 20, 2011

4


Mountain Views News Saturday, August 20, 2011

NEW YORK DRIVE 

MEMORIAL PLANNED FOR 9/11

Tri-Cities 
Bandit 
Arrested


City Hall 
Entrance 
Restricted 
as Part of 
Streetscape 
Project

 
As part of the Civic Center 
Mid-Town Improvements 
project, Garfield Avenue 
between Union Street and 
Thurgood Marshall Street 
will be closed for the next 
four weeks. The closure, 
which started Tuesday, will 
end Sept. 9 city officials said. 

 The project will reconstruct 
the street pavement and 
to install brick-paved 
crosswalks in front of city 
hall. 

In a statement, city staff said 
the design improvements are 
in keeping with the elaborate 
brick sidewalk patterns of the 
original, first designed by City 
Hall’s architects, Bakewell 
and Brown. Among other 
elements being improved 
are the street pavement, 
curb, gutter, sidewalk, curb 
ramps, storm drain facilities, 
landscaping, street lighting, 
signs, graphics and street 
furniture.

 During these phases of 
construction, motorists will 
have access to Holly Street 
between Marengo Avenue 
and Garfield Avenue where 
on-street parking will be 
available on both sides of 
the street. Sidewalk access 
will also be maintained for 
pedestrians on Holly Street 
and access to City Hall via 
Garfield Avenue will be 
maintained at all times.

 Construction is also 
expected to affect the 
Pasadena Courthouse 300 
East Walnut Street. 

 City Spokeswoman Ann 
Erdman said in July that 
all Civic Center Mid-Town 
Improvements should be 
completed in time for the 
annual Pasadena POPS 
Music Under the Stars at City 
Hall Sept. 24. This year she 
said they may see a bigger 
crowd as the event is part of 
the city’s 125th anniversary.

For more information call 
626-744-4720.

By Dean Lee

 The city took the first steps 
Monday night towards 
designation of New York 
Drive as a memorial to 9/11 
approving temporary street 
signage to commemorate the 
10th anniversary of the attacks 
that took down the world trade 
center complex killing 2,753 
people in 2001. 

 The issue is set go before the 
Arts and Culture Commission, 
for full review, at their next 
regular meeting.

John McDannel, a former U.S. 
air force and United Airlines 
pilot, said he started his 
memorial efforts soon after 
the initial attacks. McDannel 
presented the idea before the 
council Monday night. 

 “This has taken me a decade 
of dedication to this principle of 
trying to memorialize 9/11,” he 
said.” 

McDannel said he first worked 
to plant 140 trees along New 
York Drive.

“I convinced the city and the 
county to work together to 
improve the walkways, to put 
in bikeways, put in ‘no parking’ 
signs, two signals,” he further 
explained. 

 McDannel also said he has an 
event planned this Sept. 11. 

 “I secured the old Earthlink 
buildings for a celebration or 
a memorialization on 9/11/11 
at 11 a.m.,” he said. “To host 
a celebration and unveiling of 
these temporary signs.”

 McDannel said he also wanted 
the city to request from the 
New York Port Authority the 
importation of two I-beams 
from the wreckage at ground 
zero to construct a permanent 
monument. 

 “This would require a lot of 
vetting and consideration by 
different committees within 
Pasadena,” he said. “This 
could be put out as an artistic 
contest… very much like they 
did for the Vietnam Memorial.”

 The issue was brought before 
the council by Councilmember 
Gene Masuda who represents 
East Pasadena including New 
York Drive.

 McDannel said his long term 
goal would be to develop a 
new Pasadena Memorial Park 
along New York Drive using the 
I-beams as a centerpiece for the 
area.

 A man suspected of being 
the “Tri-Cities Bandit” was 
arrested Friday, in connection 
with bank heists in Pasadena 
and La Verne, after robbing a 
First California Bank branch 
in Westlake Village earlier that 
morning. Two men were taken 
into custody after a description 
of the getaway car led police to 
stop a white Volkswagen Jetta 
on the 101 freeway. 

 Ernest Viana, 39, and Oleg 
Gorokhovsky, 42, were both 
taken into custody by L.A. 
County sheriff’s deputies after 
an undisclosed amount of 
money was recovered possibly 
taken from First California 
Bank. Gorokhovsky is thought 
to be the driver police said. 

 Viana and Gorokhovsky may 
be connected to at least nine 
other bank robberies in the 
last three months.

 The “Tri-Cities Bandit” was 
named after first being linked 
to robberies in Pasadena, 
Burbank and Glendale. 

 Police say the pair struck 
Bank of the West at 2500 East 
Colorado Blvd Wednesday at 
about 3:30 p.m. getting away 
with around $900. Viana and 
Gorokhovsky later robbed a 
second U.S. Bank in La Verne 
around 5 p.m. the same day 
making off with another 
$2,500. In both cases, police 
say, surveillance video shows 
Viana handing a teller a 
note demanding money. No 
weapons are seen in either 
video.

 Witnesses in La Verne said 
the robber may have gotten 
into a late model four-door 
vehicle with dealer plates, 
a description later used in 
Friday’s arrests. 

 Viana did not wear disguises 
during the robberies and 
dresses casually, at times with 
buttoned-down shirts. In early 
robberies he was not wearing 
sunglasses although later he 
did.

 According to FBI officials 
Viana may have tried to rob a 
Wells Fargo Branch on South 
Lake July 19 but failed to get 
any money. He has also struck 
banks in, Tarzana, Brentwood, 
Chino Hills, and Los Angeles. 

 Anyone with additional 
information is urged to contact 
the FBI 24 hours a day, seven 
days a week at 888 CANT 
HIDE (888 226-8443).

Liu Announces New Local 
District Representative

Tenth Annual ‘Welcome 
Day’ to Aid PCC Students

College 
to Provide 
Outreach 
at Farmers 
Market

 State Senator Carol Liu 
announced that Adam 
Carter will be her new 
District Representative for 
the Pasadena and Altadena 
areas.

 Carter will be the contact 
person for area elected 
officials, community leaders, 
constituents and others 
represented by Liu. He will be 
the Senator’s representative 
at community events, attend 
government meetings, 
meet with constituents and 
provide other services. 

 I am pleased to add Adam to 
my staff because of his local 
knowledge and experience 
in Pasadena and Altadena, 
said Liu, D-La Cañada-
Flintridge. I encourage 
constituents who need 
assistance to contact with 
our office. 

 Carter previously worked 
as a Staff Assistant for Rep. 
Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena 
and as a Field Representative 
for Assemblymember 
Anthony Portantino, D-La 
Cañada-Flintridge. Carter 
earned a B.A. in Political 
Science from the University 
of California, Los Angeles.

 For more information call 
(818) 409-0400 or e-mail at 
www.senate.ca.gov/liu. 

 Pasadena City College will 
help introduce new students 
and their families to college 
life as part of the ninth annual 
“Welcome Day” on Aug. 
26, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. 
Festivities will take place 
at the Campus Center and 
Quad. New students will also 
have the opportunity to get a 
jump on the fall semester by 
meeting professors, and obtain 
information on where to find 
classrooms, purchase textbooks, 
I.D. cards, and parking permits.

 Campus tours will be given to 
students and their families in 
English, Chinese, Spanish, and 
sign language. 

 For more information on 
Welcome Day, visit www.
pasadena.edu/welcomeday or 
call (626) 585-7507.

 The Pasadena City College 
office of Outreach, Degree, 
and Transfer Services will be 
providing information about 
PCC programs at the South 
Pasadena Farmers Market 
beginning Sept. 29. The 
ongoing program will provide 
PCC with the opportunity 
to inform the community 
of the latest and greatest 
developments at the college.

 “PCC has a longstanding 
relationship with the City of 
South Pasadena,” explained 
Alan De La Vara of the 
PCC Outreach Degree, and 
Transfer Services area. “The 
farmers market will allow PCC 
to inform the community of all 
the academic, enrichment, and 
workplace skills development 
programs available.”

 For more information, please 
call (626) 585-7266.

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 
Aug. 23 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

Filming to Close Holly Bridge

 

 ABC Studios will be filming 
an episode of “Criminal 
Minds” on the Holly Street 
Bridge in Pasadena on 
Monday, Aug. 22, announces 
the city of Pasadena Film 
Office.

 Located south of the Rose 
Bowl Aquatics Center, Holly 
Street Bridge will be closed 
to through traffic from 
Grand Avenue to Linda 
Vista Avenue from 5 a.m. 
to 10 p.m. The bridge could 
re-open sooner than 10 p.m. 
if filming schedule goes as 
planned.

 Detours and directional 
signs will be in place on 
the day of the shoot to help 
minimize inconvenience to 
the public. Barricades will 
be equipped with flashing 
beacons and Pasadena police 
officers will be positioned at 
both ends of the closure to 
assist with any traffic control. 

 Emergency access will be 
maintained throughout the 
film shoot.

 “Being able to film on 
location is what keeps the 
film industry in Southern 
California adding vitality 
to our local economy,” 
said Ariel Penn, film office 
supervisor. “The entire 
production team at ABC is 
grateful for the partnership 
they have with the Pasadena 
community.”

 For more information call 
626-744-3964.

County 
Redistricting 
Plans 
Submitted

Pet of the 
Week

Police, Fire Chiefs to Lead 
Ride for Mentoring Program

 
L.os Angeles County 
Supervisor Michael 
Antonovich announced 
Thursday that three alternative 
redistricting plans have been 
submitted for consideration by 
the Board of Supervisors. The 
Los Angeles County Board 
of Supervisors is required by 
law to review supervisorial 
boundaries based on updated 
census data every 10 years. Any 
plan approved by the Board 
must meet the requirements of 
the Voting Rights Act as well 
as other federal and state laws 
regarding redistricting.

 “I have always supported 
districts that respect 
geographic boundaries and do 
not gerrymander communities 
of interest,” said Mayor 
Antonovich. “Many factors 
should be considered in 
determining a community of 
interest and having three plans 
will afford an opportunity for 
the public to comment on a 
variety of configurations of the 
supervisorial districts.”

 Alternative maps may be 
reviewed online at http://
redistricting.lacounty.gov/. 
An analysis of each plan will 
be available no later than 
August 21, 2011. A public 
hearing will be held on 
September 6, 2011 at 10:00am 
at the Board Hearing Room – 
500 West Temple Street . The 
public hearing will offer an 
opportunity for the public to 
provide input into the final 
plan.

Police Chief Phillip Sanchez 
and Fire Chief Dennis 
Downs will lead a group of 
middle school students and 
their mentors on a bicycle 
ride around the Rose Bowl 
on Monday, from 10:30 a.m. 
to11:30 a.m. 

 The 20 students are from 
Flintridge Center’s “Youth 
of Promise Mentoring 
Program,” which helps 
youth who are struggling 
to overcome multiple 
challenges. 

 Their mentors, who are all 
Pasadena Police and Fire 
Department employees, 
meet weekly with the 
students, either one-on-one 
or in small groups to provide 
educational and social 
support so that each young 
person can successfully reach 
his or her full potential. This 
innovative program was 
started by Flintridge Center 
at Washington Middle 
School in the spring of 2010. 

 After the ride around the 
Rose Bowl, the students will 
be able to keep the bicycles 
and helmets. The bikes are 
a gift from a local supporter 
of Flintridge Center’s youth 
programs. Book bags and 
school supplies will be 
donated by Jaylene Moseley. 

 “Police and Fire personnel 
are commended for 
volunteering as mentors in 
an effort to make a difference 
in a young person’s life” said 
Chief Phillip L. Sanchez. 

 “The police and fire fighters 
are inspirational role models 
and the students’ grade and 
the students’ grades and 
attitudes have improved,” 
said Flintridge Center 
Program Director Ricky 
Pickens, Jr. 

 The event will start out 
with a bicycle safety lesson 
from 9 – 10 a.m. (at the 
SW corner of Lot H) after 
which the cyclists will make 
several loops around the 
Rose Bowl accompanied by 
a police motorcycle escort. 
Invited guests include Mayor 
Bill Bogaard Vice Mayor 
Margaret McAustin, and 
Councilmember Jacque 
Robinson. 


Portantino Continues Push 
for Assembly Open Records

Making good on a promise 
to bring transparency 
and accountability to 
the State Legislature, 
Assemblymember Anthony 
Portantino announced 
Monday his introduction 
of an amendment to the 
Standing Rules of the 
Assembly (HR20) calling 
for all Assembly financial 
records to be made public.

 “Californians deserve the 
respect of the legislature 
by having access to how 
their money is being spent,” 
Portantino said. “We have 
used the better part of this 
legislative year legislating 
good practices in cities such 
as Bell and Vernon. We 
need to lead by example and 
not shroud our budgets in 
secrecy.”

 If passed, HR 20 requires 
all current financial records 
to be made available to the 
public, immediately. The 
resolution also provides for 
fairness in budgeting for all 
members’ office expenses 
and precludes leadership 
from either rewarding or 
punishing a member for 
voting their conscience. In 
addition, it requests that the 
State Controller conduct 
annual financial audits.

 “Assembly leadership has 
refused to release current 
budget details and has not 
conducted a Performance 
Audit as required by law,” 
explained Portantino. 
“Further adding insult to 
the process, the incomplete 
information released by the 
Assembly Rules Committee 
for last year has been 
discredited by the press. 
Unfortunately, Leadership 
needs to be brought into 
the sunshine kicking and 
screaming.”

 Calls for Amendment 
to Assembly House 
Rules

Jewel, a year old, black and 
white cat is so adorable! She 
is a bit on the shy side but is 
starting to come out of her 
shell. She would love a quiet, 
cozy home where she can 
continue to gain confidence 
and blossom into the outgoing 
kitty we know she can be. Do 
you have a room in your home 
and your heart for Jewel? 
Come visit her 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 A285932 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