Mountain Views News          Saturday, September 17, 2011

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Mountain Views News Saturday, September 17, 2011

Meteor Likely Cause of 
Southwest Light Show


Mayor to be 
in Charge of 
Free Parking 
Placards 

Utility Art


By Dean Lee

 Free parking placards for 
both city departments and 
elected offices will now be 
handed out on the basis 
of need rather than staff 
classification after the city 
council unanimously voted 
Monday night, without 
discussion, to change the 
way the no fee cards are 
allocated.

 City staff said the cards 
are needed to eliminate 
the need to process and 
reimburse requests for 
parking meter costs saving 
the city money.

 Under the new rules, 
each city department, the 
department director will be 
responsible for distribution 
within each department. 
The Mayor will now be 
responsible for distribution 
within the city council 
offices as well as the mayor’s 
office.

 The new rules fall under 
PMC 10.45.027. 

 The way cards are issued to 
individuals, not employed, 
but working with the city, 
will not change. 

 “There has been an 
increase in the number of 
individuals that are part 
of a broad set of titles 
[e.g., Staff Assistant] that 
now conduct city business 
outside city offices on an 
intermittent basis,” City 
Parking Manager, Charles 
Kindred wrote in the staff 
report. “This trend in the 
intermittent use of staff to 
conduct business outside 
of city offices is expected to 
continue.”

 He also said, the Department 
of Transportation would 
maintain an administrative 
record of the disposition 
of the OCB (official city 
business) Placards annually 
and would place the 
approved list of placard 
holders on file with the city 
clerk providing department 
and employee name (where 
individually assigned), but 
not vehicle information. 
“This would make the 
process more efficient and 
increase accountability 
within each department.” 
he maintained.

 The council directed the 
city attorney to prepare the 
ordinance within 60 days 
which will be brought back 
again for their approval. If 
passed, the new rules would 
take effect 30 days after that.

 Image from video posted on YouTube

 A meteor is the most probable 
cause of a bright, colorful 
fireball witnessed by people 
Wednesday in a wide swath of 
the southwestern United States, 
according to Don Yeomans, 
manager of NASA’s Near-Earth 
Object Program Office at JPL.

Residents from Southern 
California to Arizona to Las 
Vegas reported seeing a streak 
of light move rapidly from west 
to east around 7:45 p.m. 

 “We’re virtually certain this 
bright display was caused by 
a meteor, probably the size 
of a baseball or basketball 
that burned up in Earth’s 
atmosphere. It appeared much 
larger because of the heated and 
glowing atmosphere along its 
path,” said Yeomans. 

Many eyewitnesses described 
seeing brilliant colors of blue, 
green and orange. Yeomans said 
the blue or green colors indicate 
the meteor contained nickel 
or magnesium, while orange 
would mean the object was 
traveling relatively slowly for a 
meteor, but still moving a few 
miles per second.

 A meteor is a small fragment of 
an asteroid. Yeomans said that 
similar fireballs from asteroids 
enter Earth’s atmosphere every 
week or so, but they usually 
take place over the ocean or in a 
sparsely populated area. 

 This time, Yeomans says, 
“The fireball was very bright 
and provided a harmless but 
memorable light show for 
people in numerous cities and 
towns in the southwestern 
states.”

 More information about 
fireballs, from the American 
Meteor Society, is online at: 
http://www.amsmeteors.org/
fireballs/faqf/ . 

More information about 
asteroids is online at: 
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/
asteroidwatch and on Twitter 
at http://www.twitter.com/
asteroidwatch .

 Five traffic-signal control boxes along Colorado Boulevard became symbols of free 
speech Friday as part of a public art project funded by the Playhouse District Association. 
The now colorful vinyl boxes sport photos of free speech movement leader Mario Savio 
leading student protestors at the University of California Berkeley Nov. 20, 1964. Although 
each has the exact same photo, the slogans are different, quotes range from such leaders 
as Eleanor Roosevelt and George Washington. The cost of the project was $6,400 and is 
expected to last five years.


Council Approves Heritage Square Deal

 
After a short presentation the 
city council voted Monday 
night unanimously approving 
entering an exclusive negotiation 
agreement with Bridge Housing 
Corporation in connection with 
the proposed development of 
a senior affordable housing 
project –- known to the 
community as Heritage Square.

 Bridge Housing would build 
a 70-unit senior housing 
project at the 750-790 N. Fair 
Oaks Avenue city-owned site. 
According to Monday’s staff 
report, the project is estimated 
to cost $21.28 million. 

 The report also states that 
the project is subject to the 
City’s First Source local hiring. 
The proposal includes a 
commitment to spend not less 
than 20 percent of the respective 
budgets for local hiring, local 
subcontracting, and local 
purchasing. 

 A community meeting will be 
held on Saturday.

 The meeting will take place 
from 10 a.m. to noon at 
the Jackie Robinson Center 
Auditorium, 1020 N. Fair Oaks 
Ave.

 City Housing staff will introduce 
the development team of 
BRIDGE Housing Corporation, 
which Pasadena City Council 
approved on September 12, 
2011 for exclusive negotiations 
to undertake the development 
of the Heritage Square senior 
housing project.

 An overview of the proposed 
project, including design 
concept, financing plan and 
local benefit, will be presented.

 First Community Meeting Set 
for Saturday

Pacific Asia Museum 
Announces New Korean 
Folk Painting Exhibition

 Pacific Asia Museum presents 
the exhibition Auspicious 
Beauty: Korean Folk Painting 
in the Focus Gallery from 
October 7, 2011 to March 25, 
2012. Korean folk painting 
illustrates auspicious subjects 
such as birds and flowers, 
mythology, characters related 
to virtues, and scholars’ objects. 
The exhibition will be divided 
by these themes, and discuss the 
meanings of each subject and 
the patrons who commissioned 
the works. The dates of the 
objects range from the mid-
16th century to the early 20th 
century.

 This exhibition includes a 
stunning eight-panel screen 
of flowers and rocks recently 
acquired by Pacific Asia 
Museum. The motif represents 
wealth and eternity, and 
would likely have decorated a 
women’s personal space to fill 
the household with auspicious 
meaning. A screen such as this 
one would have been prepared 
as a wedding dowry and 
cherished as a family heirloom 
for generations.

 Minwha, or folk painting, 
during the Joseon dynasty 
(1392-1910) serves as an 
entry point to Korean culture, 
reflecting societal values, 
religious ideas, and popular 
humor. Auspicious Beauty 
introduces popular themes 
in minwha and illuminates 
their meanings, functions and 
patrons. Usually placed in a 
room in folding screen format 
or hung on walls in scroll 
format, this genre illustrates 
various subjects such as 
scholars’ equipment, characters 
related to Confucian virtues, 
and natural themes such as 
birds-and-flowers and a range 
of animals. These minwha not 
only decorated the rooms of 
many households but were also 
understood to bring good luck, 
ward off evil spirits, and depict 
moral virtues. In contrast to 
highly revered literati painting 
by scholar-gentlemen, minwha 
received little respect as an art 
form but continued to enjoy 
strong support among the 
growing middle class during 
periods of political stability.

Participants with Disabilities to Show Art

 
Two art exhibitions will be on display this 
fall thanks to the talented students in the 
city of Pasadena’s Adaptive Recreation art 
program.

 Adaptive Recreation serves adults with 
disabilities who live in the Pasadena 
community.

From September 24 to October 24, the exhibit 
“I Love a Rose Parade” will be displayed 
at the Coffee Gallery, 2029 N. Lake Ave., 
Altadena. The exhibit features a series of 
drawings illustrating an array of floats from 
the Tournament of Roses Parade. Opening 
reception will be on Saturday, Sept. 24 from 
7 to 9 p.m.

 On Friday, Oct. 14 the artists will participate 
in the annual ArtNight Pasadena. A series of 
drawings highlighting Western Americana 
Art will be displayed for this event only from 
6 to 8 p.m. at Pasadena Central Library, 285 
E. Walnut St.

 The exhibitions are sponsored by the 
Pasadena Recreation and Parks Foundation. 
For more information call Jackie Scott, 
Adaptive Recreation specialist, at 626-744-
7257 or jackiescott@cityofpasadena.net.

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 Sept 20. 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

Top Colleges 
to Attend PCC 
University Day

Paseo Colorado to Host 
Annual Business Expo

 


 The annual Pasadena Chamber 
of Commerce Business 
Showcase and Mini-Taste 
of Pasadena will be held at 
Paseo Colorado on Thursday, 
September 29th from 4:00 
p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Vendors and 
exhibitors will set up in the 
public area of the outdoor mall. 
A select group of new Pasadena 
Chamber member restaurants 
are invited to provide free food 
samples to visitors. The public is 
invited to attend the event free 
of charge. Visitors also get 90 
minutes of free parking in the 
Paseo parking garage.

 This year’s event will feature 
exhibits by a wide variety of 
Pasadena area businesses. The 
event is generously sponsored 
by the Foothill Workforce 
Investment Board. Other 
sponsoring businesses are Bob 
Hope Airport and Eagle Star 
Security.

 In conjunction with the event, 
El Cholo and Noor Restaurant 
and Ballroom will host extended 
happy hours for those attending 
the event at their restaurants 
on the second floor at Paseo 
Colorado. Restaurants that will 
be providing food include Noor 
and El Cholo, Toro Sushi Bar 
and Luminares/Monterey Hills 
Restaurant. 

The Chamber Business 
Showcase is the Pasadena 
area’s largest networking event. 
Dozens of businesses take 
advantage of the opportunity 
to present their products and 
services to other businesses 
and those from the public 
who attend. Businesses taking 
part include Be Structured 
Technology Group, the 
Pasadena Public Library, 
Anderson Business Technology, 
See’s Candies, Southern 
California Edison, the Pasadena 
Convention and Visitors’ 
Bureau, Renewal by Anderson, 
Valley Economic Development 
Center, High Point Academy, 
Saint Andrew School and 
Pasadena Highlands. Businesses 
from all parts of our local 
economy will be exhibiting 
at the Pasadena Chamber of 
Commerce Business Showcase 
and Mini-Taste of Pasadena. 

Those who would like to 
be exhibitors or who would 
like more information about 
the Pasadena Chamber of 
Commerce Business Showcase 
and Mini-Taste of Pasadena 
can call the Chamber office at 
(626) 795-3355 or visit the web 
site at www.pasadena-chamber.
org or email leanne@pasadena-
chamber.org.

 The Pasadena Chamber 
of Commerce and Civic 
Association is a professional 
business organization. The 
Pasadena Chamber of 
Commerce serves more 
than 1450 members. The 
organization was founded in 
1888 as the Board of Trade

 More than 50 colleges 
and universities, including 
Columbia University, 
Pepperdine University, 
UCLA, and USC, are slated 
to attend Pasadena City 
College’s University Day on 
Sept. 19. Students interested 
in transferring to a four-
year college or university 
can explore transfer 
opportunities, learn about 
academic programs and 
majors, attend application 
workshops, learn about 
financial aid, and apply 
to guaranteed admissions 
programs during the event.

 “University Day is an 
opportunity for PCC 
students to explore their 
transfer options and meet 
university representatives 
who can serve as contacts 
in the transfer process,” 
said Dina Chase, director of 
the PCC Outreach, Degree 
and Transfer Center. 
Informational booths will 
be set up between 10 a.m. 
and 1 p.m. in the PCC 
Quad.

 For more information 
on University Day, call 
the Outreach, Degree and 
Transfer Center at (626) 
585-7287.

Santino is a very sweet male 
black and white domestic 
long-haired cat about 2 
years old. He is playful, 
although a little shy. He 
enjoys his kennel and the 
toys in it. He has been 
neutered and can go home 
with you immediately.

The regular cat adoption fee 
is $70 which includes spay/
neuter surgery, a microchip, 
the first set of vaccinations, 
and a free follow-up health 
check at a participating vet.

 Call the Pasadena Humane 
Society & SPCA at 
626.792.7151 to ask about 
A292409, or visit at 361 S. 
Raymond Ave. in Pasadena. 
Adoption hours are 11-4 
Sunday, 9-5 Tuesday –
Friday, 9-4 Saturday. 
Directions and photos of all 
pets can be found at www.
pasadenahumane.org.

Expo to Bring Employers, 
Applicants Together

 

If, like so many people, you’re 
looking for work, then plan to 
attend the free Career Expo in 
Pasadena this Monday, Sept. 19, 
to meet with local employers 
looking to hire.

 The Expo, sponsored by the 
Foothill Workforce Investment 
Board, is being held in 
collaboration with the state 
Employment Development 
Department and Pasadena 
City Councilmember Jacque 
Robinson.

Local demand for jobs is high. 
The unemployment rate for 
L.A. County rose in July from 
12 percent to 12.4 percent. 
The Expo is a chance to help 
expedite the process and bring 
employers and potential 
employees face to face.

 “While searching for work 
online can be effective, it 
lacks the immediate response 
most people are looking 
for,” explained Pasadena 
Councilmember Robinson, “so 
it’s even better when we can 
work together with the private 
sector and get employers and 
applicants that immediate face 
time.”

The Career Expo runs from 10 
a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Foothill 
Employment and Training 
Connection One-Stop Career 
Center at 1207 E. Green St.

Local employers planning 
to be on hand include Avery 
Dennison, Kaiser Permanente, 
Sears and more.

 Applicants of all ages, 
experience levels and 
backgrounds are encouraged 
to attend, and be prepared with 
resumes. 

For more information call 626-
796-JOBS.