Mountain Views News          Saturday, October 15, 2011

4


Mountain Views News Saturday, October 15, 2011


Occupy 
Wall Street 
Invades 
Pasadena

Charisma Floats 
Builders Calls it Quits

 

By Dean Lee

 After 25 years of building 
floats for the Rose Parade, 
including last year’s tribute 
to 9/11, Charisma Floats 
announced earlier this 
month they were forced to 
close their doors after not 
receiving any business this 
year —the move leaves just 
three professional builders 
for all the floats in the parade. 

 “Usually we average around 
three floats a year,” said Katie 
Rodriguez who co owns the 
business. “We could have 
made things work with even 
one float but not to have any.”

 She explained that most 
of their clients were cities 
that have had major budget 
cuts in the last year and not 
buying floats, “Nonprofits are 
also having a lot of trouble 
fundraising,” she added.

 “Neither of our clients were 
able to fundraise enough 
money to come back this 
year and we were not able 
to attract a large corporate 
client and without any 
contracts there is nothing we 
could really do.”

 Rodriguez said this year 
would have been their 25 
anniversary.

She said the company also 
does floral decorations for 
the Academy Awards. “We 
are going to try and see 
if we can put something 
together so we could bid on 
that again.” Rodriguez said 
winning that bid could hold 
the company together. 

 She said this year could see 
a large downscaling in floats 
across the board.

“Even corporations are 
a little resistant to spend 
as much money on their 
advertising, the trend is to 
spend money on smaller 
advertising chunks than on 
one big one,” she said.

 She said past volunteers 
have banned together 
helping out on some of 
the self-built floats such as 
Burbank and Sierra Madre. 
“They are calling themselves 
the Charisma Refugees.”

 In a statement Jerry 
Thompson, sponsor of last 
year’s 9/11 Tribute Float 
said, “I along with my 
wife, Merrie will cherish 
Charisma’s friendship. I 
remember meeting Katie 
and Matt Rodriguez, 
discussing the tribute float. 
Going and meeting other 
float builders, I kept thinking 
about Charisma and how 
Katie and Matt made me 
feel that our float would not 
be another number, but be a 
float that would catch the eye 
of America. Looking back, I 
made the right choice.”

 Holding signs that call for 
a boycott of the big banks 
and chanting anti-corporate 
sayings, close to 100 protesters 
gathered Wednesday in front 
of two large banks on the 
corner of Lake Avenue and 
Colorado Boulevard— all part 
of growing support for Occupy 
Wall Street in New York. 

Many of the protesters were 
part of, and the event was 
organized by, MoveOn.org. 
Protesters said they were fed 
up with corporate greed, as 
they held signs, one read “Save 
the American dream, stop the 
global corporate feast.”

Another read, “Jobs not greedy 
pigs.”

Protesters said the movement 
was about the government 
bailing out the banks instead 
of helping the people. 

On the same day, Congress 
man Adam Schiff released the 
following statement:

“The Occupy Wall Street 
movement, which began last 
month with a small number 
of protesters at a park in 
New York City, has quickly 
spread across the nation. The 
movement puts a human 
face on the shared frustration 
Americans across the nation 
have over these persistently 
challenging economic times, 
marked by a struggling middle 
class, increased poverty, 
rampant home foreclosures, 
rising student loan debt, and 
big banks that have become 
outsized and out of touch.

In order for us to continue to 
grow economically, we have 
to have a strong, effective and 
efficiently regulated financial 
sector that works for both Wall 
Street and Main Street.

The protests raise legitimate 
concerns, and policymakers 
need to respond by continuing 
to focus on ways to foster an 
economy that offers stability 
and economic security for 
the middle class, and the 
opportunity for all to succeed.

I share America’s frustration 
with those folks who engaged 
in reckless decision-making 
and irresponsible behavior, 
and that are now trying to 
roll back Congress’ efforts to 
prevent the abusive practices 
that led us into this mess.

And I will continue to fight 
for meaningful reforms that 
bring manufacturing back to 
America, invest in the vital 
infrastructure of America’s 
future, and bring good paying 
jobs to our people.”


Seven Coming Up Roses

 Tournament of Roses officials 
announced Monday the seven 
members of the 2012 Royal 
Court. The announcement 
was made at the Tournament 
House. The court is chosen 
from a group of 34 finalists. As 
ambassadors of the Tournament 
of Roses, the Royal Court 
members will attend more than 
150 communities and media 
functions leading up to the 
123rd Rose.

 The seven Rose Princesses are: 
Morgan Eliza Devaud , 18, La 
Canada High School; Stephanie 
Grace Hynes, 18, Maranatha 
High School; Cynthia Megan 
Louie, 17, La Salle High School; 
Kimberly Victoria Ostiller, 17, 
Flintridge Preparatory School; 
Drew Helen Washington, 
16, Flintridge Sacred Heart 
Academy; Hanan Bulto Worku, 
17, Pasadena High School 
and Sarah Nicole Zuno, 17, 
Benjamin Franklin High School.

 The announcement follows a 
month-long process in which 
approximately 1,000 Pasadena-
area young women participated. 
Selections were based on a range 
of qualities including public 
speaking ability, poise, academic 
achievement, community 
involvement and personality.

 “We could not be more proud 
of the seven young ladies 
that will be representing the 
Tournament of Roses as the 
2012 Royal Court,” said Amy 
Wainscott, Chair of the Queen 
and Court Committee. “They 
were selected from a pool of 
the most talented and poised 
in the Pasadena area. They are 
outstanding role models and 
will be wonderful ambassadors 
for the Tournament of Roses.”

 The 2012 Rose Queen will 
be announced at Tournament 
House on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. 
The newly selected Rose Queen 
and Royal Court will reign for 
an entire year until the new 
court is selected in October of 
2012.

 This year’s parade will be 
held January 2 keeping with 
the Tournament’s “never on a 
Sunday” deal, struck with local 
churches as to not interfere with 
local warship. The parade starts 
at 8 p.m. 

 The 123rd Rose Parade 
presented by Honda, themed Just 
Imagine, will feature majestic 
floral floats, high-stepping 
equestrian units and spirited 
marching bands. Following 
the parade, the 98th Rose Bowl 
Game presented by VIZIO will 
kick off at 2:10 p.m. and feature 
an exciting match-up between 
two of the top collegiate football 
teams in the nation. For 
additional information on the 
Tournament of Roses please 
visit tournamentofroses.com.

Katie Rodriguez

Local Man Sentenced 
in 2009 Ax Murder

Tornek To 
Host District 
Meeting

 
An 87-year-old Pasadena 
man who murdered his wife 
with an ax and attacked his 
stepson was sentenced last 
week to 26 years to life in 
state prison.

 James Che Ming Lu was 
convicted of the first-degree 
murder of Michelle Lu, 55, 
and the attempted murder 
of her 32-year-old son. An 
allegation that Lu personally 
used a deadly and dangerous 
weapon, an ax, also was 
found to be true.

 Deputy District Attorney 
Amy Murphy of the 
Alhambra Branch Office 
prosecuted the case.

 On July 26, 2009, Lu 
bludgeoned his wife to death 
– striking her repeatedly over 
the head – with an ax as the 
victim lay in bed. The couple 
had been married nine years.

 Following the fatal attack, 
the defendant walked down 
the hall and tried to use 
the ax on his stepson. The 
younger man fought off his 
attacker.

 Evidence presented at trial 
revealed that Lu harbored 
feelings of anger because he 
believed he spent too much 
money on his wife. The 
defendant also was incensed 
because his wife spent too 
much time away from home 
at work, the prosecutor said.

 The couple and her adult son 
lived in an unincorporated 
area between Pasadena and 
Arcadia.

 The case was investigated 
by the Los Angeles County 
Sheriff’s Department.

 City Councilman Terry 
Tornek will host a District 
7 community meeting 
Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 6 
p.m. in the courtyard at The 
Commons, 140-146 S. Lake 
Ave.

 Join representatives from 
the South Lake Business 
Association, as well as South 
Lake Avenue stakeholders, 
for this important event. 
An update titled “Looking 
Forward” will be presented. 
Refreshments will be 
served.

 Park in the structure 
behind The Commons or 
on Shoppers Lane. 

 For more information 
contact District 7 Field 
Representative Pam Thyret 
at pthyret@cityofpasadena.
net or (626) 441-4802.

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 Oct. 18. 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


Parsons to Assist in 
Transporting Space Shuttle

Caltech 
Engineer 
Receives 
Popular 
Mechanics 
Award

 

 Parsons Corporation 
announced Wednesday they 
will play a crucial role in 
the transfer process of the 
Space Shuttle by preparing 
the Endeavour Final 
Placement Logistics Plan—a 
key document supporting 
the title transfer— NASA 
completed the transfer of 
title for the Space Shuttle 
Orbiter Endeavour to the 
California Science Center 
Foundation on October 11. 

Parsons assembled a team 
of local consultants to 
contribute their expertise 
and resources to assist the 
Science Center in developing 
the Logistics Plan. Following 
an investigation of possible 
approaches and routes, 
the plan identifies how 
Endeavour will be received 
at Los Angeles International 
Airport (LAX) and 
transported to Exposition 
Park. Multiple organizations 
and government agencies 
will be involved in this major 
logistical effort, which also 
will include public outreach 
and events.

“Endeavour’s wings, 
underside, and other portions 
of its body are covered with 
more than 24,000 surface 
insulation tiles, and our 
team was challenged to 
devise a logistics approach 
and find a route that will 
allow the orbiter to be 
moved to the Science 
Center with its body, wings, 
and tail intact,” said Marty 
Fabrick, Parsons Senior Vice 
President and Director of 
Global Business Solutions 
who led the Endeavour Final 
Placement Logistics Plan 
team. “Endeavour will be an 
amazing sight as it is moved 
along urban streets to its 
new home at the California 
Science Center, cheered on 
by thousands of people along 
the route.”

Endeavour is approximately 
122 feet long, with a 
wingspan of 78 feet, a height 
of 54 feet to the top of its 
tail on its transporter, and 
it weighs about 175,000 
lbs. It will be moved to the 
Science Center on a special 
transporter along 13 miles 
of urban streets through 
the cities of Los Angeles 
and Inglewood. It will be 
housed and displayed in a 
temporary building adjacent 
to the Science Center while 
Phase III of the Center’s 25-
year Master Plan is designed 
and constructed to house 
an entirely new gallery 
devoted to aeronautics and 
space exploration, including 
the permanent display of 
Endeavour.

Technology Week Honors 
Local Entrepreneurs

 At a ceremony in New York 
City on October 10, Caltech 
engineer Joel Burdick was 
among the recipients of a 
Breakthrough Award for his 
work that helped a paralyzed 
man stand. The awards are 
in recognition of “innovators 
whose inventions will make 
the world smarter, safer, and 
more efficient in the years to 
come.”

 As a robotics expert, Burdick 
developed robotically guided 
physical therapy equipment 
used by animal models in 
early studies of the electrode 
array. He also introduced the 
concept of using high-density 
epidural spinal stimulation 
to treat patients with spinal 
cord injuries, and is currently 
building physical therapy 
equipment for human patients 
with the spinal implant.

 “Our Breakthrough Award 
winners not only capture the 
imagination, but hold the 
potential to improve and save 
lives,” said James B. Meigs, 
editor-in-chief of Popular 
Mechanics, in a press release. 

 The 10th annual Los Angeles 
Technology Week will be 
held October 17-21, 2011 at 
the Altadena-based Business 
Technology Center (“BTC”). 
The BTC is a project of the 
Community Development 
Commission of the County of 
Los Angeles (CDC), and the 
largest technology business 
incubator in California. 

 “L.A. TechWeek has 
become known as a ‘don’t 
miss event’ among venture 
capitalists and both fledgling 
and veteran technology 
entrepreneurs,” explains Dr. 
Mark Lieberman, cofounder 
of Technology Week and 
director of the BTC. “It’s 
a rare local opportunity 
for this peer group to gain 
introductions, swap war 
stories and hear what’s new 
in their world.” The event 
showcases the innovations 
of high-tech companies, 
connects technology leaders 
and entrepreneurs with 
strategic resources and 
honors a local technology 
entrepreneur with the 
Technology Leader of the 
Year award.

 This year’s theme is 
“Where Innovation 
Meets Implementation.” 
TechWeek’s signature 
symposium on October 20, 
2011 features seven panel 
discussions with nationally-
recognized business 
entrepreneurs addressing 
topics ranging from the 
sales, legal and funding 
issues facing start-ups, to 
opportunities technology 
provides in the fields of 
entertainment, medical 
devices and green energy. 
Tickets to the symposium 
include lunch and are $85 
and $40 for students. Event 
details and registration 
are available at techweek.
ticketleap.com.

 Melody is one cute girl and 
has a great heartwarming 
story. She was brought into 
PHS when she was hit by a 
car. Since then she’s made 
a full recovery and is very 
sweet, charming and a 
quick learner. She already 
knows sit, down and stay! 

 Melody’s adoption fee is 
$120. Her fee 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 
A294190, 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.