Mountain Views News          Saturday, January 21, 2012

4


Mountain Views-News Saturday, January 21, 2012 


Chamber Votes to 
Support Temporary NFL 
Team at the Rose Bowl

Portantino 
Political 
Career 
on Hold

 
The Pasadena Chamber 
of Commerce Board of 
Directors voted last month 
to formally take a position 
in support of the Rose Bowl 
exploring the opportunity to 
host an interim professional 
National Football League 
(NFL) team for as many as 
four years.

 “Without a deal on the table 
and without knowing what 
the financial, environmental 
and neighborhood impacts 
may be, the Chamber Board 
overwhelmingly supported 
the idea of looking at the 
Rose Bowl hosting an NFL 
team on a short-term basis, 
should that opportunity 
arise,” said Chamber CEO 
Paul Little. “The Board felt 
very strongly that it would 
be a huge lost opportunity 
to dismiss the interim NFL 
team before even hearing 
what any deal terms may be 
and without understanding 
what impacts may result.”

 Little further explained, 
to date, there has not been 
an NFL team announced 
for the Los Angeles area. 
Two proposals are currently 
competing for the rights to 
bring a team to Los Angeles, 
one that would be located in 
the City of Industry and the 
other intended to be housed 
at a stadium to be built in 
downtown Los Angeles. 
Neither entity has been able 
to secure an agreement to re-
located an NFL team to Los 
Angeles. If and when that 
happens, it is very likely that 
the Los Angeles NFL team 
would need a temporary 
stadium in which to play its 
home games for as many as 
four years as their permanent 
home is being built he said. 

 “Right now there is no 
indication that an NFL team 
will relocate to Los Angeles 
anytime in the near future, 
though we all recognize that 
an announcement could 
come in the next few weeks 
or five years from now,” 
Little said. “The Chamber 
Board simply wants our Rose 
Bowl stadium to be able to 
entertain the idea of hosting 
an interim NFL team. The 
Board encourages the Rose 
Bowl to, at the very least, 
look into the opportunity 
and determine if it is in the 
best interest of the stadium, 
the community and our 
local economy to play host 
to professional football for a 
defined period of time. If, at 
some point, there is a deal to 
be considered, the Chamber 
Board will likely look at 
the deal points and decide 
if the economic benefits 
outweigh any impacts to our 
community or the Arroyo 
Seco.” 

 Citing family matters, 
Assemblyman Anthony 
Portantino announced 
Wednesday that he will not 
seek office during the 2012 
election cycle. Portantino 
made clear, in an email to 
constituents, that he has no 
plans to end his political 
career.

 “Placing it on “hold” 
allows me to focus on my 
family while they need me,” 
he wrote. “I will continue 
to work to put trust and 
accountability back into 
public service, now and in 
the future.”

 Portantino said his 
mother, Barbara Portantino, 
has been in ill heath since 
the death of his brother 
Michael in December 2010. 
He said she is awaiting 
surgery on February 14.

 “Since I will be travelling 
back East to help with 
Mom’s care and it is likely 
that I will be needed in 
New Jersey to pack up her 
house and to help with 
her transition into assisted 
living,” he explained. “I 
won’t be available to 
campaign in the manner 
that my supporters expect 
and our district deserves, 
while still attending to my 
legislative responsibilities.”

 Portantino added, “Ellen 
and I are grateful for the 
tremendous support that 
I have received during 
my five years in the State 
Legislature and the eight 
years prior on the La Canada 
Flintridge City Council. 
Your ongoing support and 
encouragement for me to 
continue serving in office is 
truly appreciated. I assure 
you that I will not be ending 
my public service.”

Occupying the Courts

 As part of a nationwide 
protest, a group of about 40 
demonstrators Friday held 
signs as cars honked along East 
Walnut Street in front of the 
Pasadena Superior Court, as 
part of “Occupy the Courts.” 

 “This is about it being the 
second anniversary of Citizens 
United and we’re trying to raise 
awareness that this was a really 
bad Supreme Court decision,” 
said the event’s organizer, Patrick 
Briggs. “And as a result of it, and 
all of the corporate money that’s 
flooding the election system.”

 Briggs said on January 21, 2010 
the Supreme Court ruled that 
“you can’t deny corporate money 
coming into the system because 
its free speech.” This allows 
unlimited spending for political 
purposes by corporations and 
unions.

 Protesters were also collecting 
signatures that Briggs said 
would be presented to 
Congressman Adam Schiff 
sometime in February. He said 
they were hoping to get at least 
1,000 signatures supporting 
campaign reform. Briggs also 
said they plan to go before the 
city council in February.

 He said they were looking 
for support towards a 
Constitutional amendment that 

Crimes and 
Colorful 
Stories about 
Altadena 
Sheriff’s Station

Gang Members Arrested 
in Teen Murder Case

 Pasadena Police Detectives 
and law enforcement personnel 
from the United States Marshalls 
Fugitive Unit, California State 
Parole, and the Glendale Police 
Department arrested two men 
on Thursday in connection with 
the August 22 murder of an 
18-year-old Pasadena resident.

 Police said Scott King of 
Palmdale resident and Steven 
Fleming of Pasadena Marvin 
Laguan were taken into custody 
for the alleged killing of Marvin 
Laguan. Both suspects have 
gang associations and the 
assault is believed gang related 
they said. Laguan was shot and 
killed while conversing with a 
friend in the 400 block of North 
Mar Vista Avenue.

 The Los Angeles County 
District Attorneys’ Office filed 
charges of 1st degree murder on 
King and Fleming. Additionally, 
two counts of attempted murder 
with gang enhancements on 
both suspects was charged. 
King was charged with an 
additional count of Ex-Felon 
with a firearm. Both suspects 
are schedule for arraignment 
today. King is being held on 
$4,115,000 bail and Fleming is 
being held on $3,040,000 bail.

 “This case was very complex 
and required a great deal of 
investigation savvy, patience 
and determination. This ensures 
that criminal who pose threats 
to the safety of this community 
are taken off streets” said Chief 
Phillip Sanchez.

 Anyone with information 
regarding this case or other 
crimes are asked to contact the 
Pasadena Police Department at 
(626) 744-4241.

 
At the invitation of 
the Altadena Historical 
Society, Altadena Sheriff’s 
Station Sergeant and Los 
Angeles County Sheriff’s 
Department Historian John 
Stanley will be giving a 
lecture on the early history 
of Altadena Station Monday 
from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

 The event will take place at 
the Altadena Community 
Center, 730 E. Altadena 
Drive, Altadena 

 Sergeant Stanley’s 
presentation will include 
anecdotes, crime details 
and colorful stories that 
took place from 1920-
1950 under the tenure of 
six sheriff’s captains. The 
program will also feature 
numerous rare photos. 

 No reservations required. 
Seating is limited.


Citizen 
Journalism 
Meet-up

 Learn not just how to 
blog but how to report 
the news

Bixby Elected President of 
2013 Tournament of Roses

 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 Jan. 10 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.


In a ceremony Thursday, the 
Pasadena Tournament of 
Roses Association’s Board 
of Directors confirmed Sally 
Bixby as President for the 
2012-2013 Tournament year. 
Bixby will provide leadership 
for the 124th Rose Parade 
and the 99th Rose Bowl 
Game Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013.

 President Bixby also 
revealed “Oh, the Places 
You’ll Go!” as the theme for 
the 124th Rose Parade. 

 “The 2013 theme is 
about seizing the moment, 
throwing off the realistic 
cares of our daily lives and 
charging forth confidently,” 
said Bixby. “It is meant to 
encourage all to reach higher 
than the highest star, and to 
create and explore a world 
that is full of possibility, 
rich with imagination, and 
bursting with discovery.” 

 Bixby has been a volunteer 
member of the Tournament 
of Roses Association since 
1989 and was elected to 
the Executive Committee 
in 2005. Throughout her 
extensive Tournament 
career, Bixby has served on 
many committees and was 
chairman of three; Queen 
and Court, Decorating 
Places and Host committees.

Bixby recently retired from a 
long professional career as the 
director of surgical services 
for two local hospitals. Bixby 
is only the second woman 
to serve as president in 
the Tournament’s 123 year 
history and the first ever 
nurse.

 Bixby Announces “Oh, the 
Places You’ll Go!” as the 
theme for the Parade 

Pet of 
the Week

District 2 
Town Hall 
Meeting 
Scheduled

Baca Joins Law Enforcement 
Leaders at the White House

 


 On Wednesday, Baca joined 
a coalition of thirty-four 
other high-ranking law-
enforcement officials from 
around the country who 
were invited to Washington 
D.C. 

 The law enforcement 
leaders were there to speak 
with senior Administration 
officials concerning ways the 
federal government could 
improve support to state, 
local and tribal partners 
with community policing 
projects and other long-
range policing efforts. 

 Administration officials, 
including United States 
Attorney General Eric H. 
Holder and Department of 
Homeland Security Secretary 
Janet Napolitano, briefed 
the group on the federal 
government’s latest effort to 
counter violent extremism. 
Feedback was also sought 
concerning local realities 
on the Administration’s 
newly-released “Strategic 
Implementation Plan 
for Empowering Local 
Partners to Prevent Violent 
Extremism in the United 
States.” 

 In addition to providing 
insight to the particular law-
enforcement characteristics 
of Los Angeles County, Baca 
expressed his opinion that 
Congress should allocate 
at least $5 billion from 
the American Jobs Act to 
hire 40,000 new cops for 
the nation, insuring that 
critical law-enforcement 
jobs of the future are 
funded. “State, County and 
Municipal governments 
play a critical role in 
community preparedness 
and the necessary on-
going improvement to 
public safety,” said Sheriff 
Baca, “what we need is the 
appropriate funding to 
ensure a successful effort.”

Sally Bixby

 Pasadena Vice Mayor 
Margaret McAustin will 
host a District 2 town hall 
meeting Tuesday, Jan. 24, 
from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Santa 
Catalina Branch Library, 
999 E. Washington Blvd.

 Pasadena Unified School 
District Superintendent 
Jon Gundry will give a brief 
overview of PUSD and the 
principals of the five public 
schools that serve District 
2 will talk about their 
campuses and curriculum. 
The principals are Erica 
Ingber of Longfellow 
Elementary, Amin Oria 
of Jefferson Elementary, 
Sharon Leflar of Webster 
Elementary, Peter Pannell 
of Eliot Middle and Mark 
Anderson of Marshall 
Fundamental. 

 After the overviews, 
everyone will break into 
small groups and residents 
will have the opportunity to 
speak directly to principals 
and other parents.

 For more information email 
mfuller@cityofpasadena.
net or call District 2 Field 
Representative Margo 
Morales Fuller at (626) 744-
4742.

 Aquarius is a charming 
one-and-a-half-year-old 
gray and white tabby. He 
loves to be petted and 
is very observant of his 
surroundings. He enjoys 
being held and loves to 
relax in your lap. 

 Aquarius’adoption fee is 
discounted to $120, which 
includes his neuter surgery, 
a microchip, the first set of 
vaccinations, as well as a 
free follow-up health check 
at a participating vet. Also, 
new adopters will receive 
complimentary health and 
wellness exam from VCA 
Animal Hospitals. Ask an 
adoptions counselor for 
more information during 
your visit.

 Call the Pasadena 
Humane Society & SPCA at 
626.792.7151 to ask about 
A283102, 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.

 Los Angeles County 
Sheriff Lee Baca Joins 
Law Enforcement Leaders 
at White House Strategic 
Implementation Plan for 
Empowering Local Partners to 
Prevent Violent Extremism in 
the U.S. 

Red Light Enforcement Planned

 The Pasadena Police 
Department will be 
conducting a Red Light 
Enforcement Program on 
Monday. This enforcement 
detail will be deployed 
throughout the City of 
Pasadena. The hours of 
operation will be from 3:00 
P.M to 8:00 P.M.

 The Pasadena Police 
Department is committed 
to reducing the number of 
traffic collisions resulting 
from drivers running red 
lights or driving aggressively. 
The ultimate goal is to 
enforce and educate the 
driving public at the same 
time reducing serious 
injuries and fatal collisions.

 A RED LIGHT means stop 
at the stop line, crosswalk 
or before the intersection. 
Unless you are making a 
right turn, you must wait 
for the green light before 
you proceed. After making 
a complete stop, you may 
turn right on a red light if 
the intersection/crosswalk 
is clear of pedestrians and 
traffic. However, if the 
intersection is posted with 
a “No Right Turn on Red” 
sign, you must wait for 
a green light before any 
turning movement.

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