Mountain Views News          Saturday, February 4, 2012

4


Mountain Views-News Saturday, February 4, 2012 

POLICE USE LICENSE PLATE 
READER TO NAB CAR THIEF 


ATTACKER 
SENTENCED IN 
ART CENTER 
INSTRUCTOR’S 
MURDER

By Dean Lee

 Armed with a new policing 
tool, officers apprehended an 
active parolee Friday night 
driving a stolen car by using 
an automated license plate 
reader (ALPR) able to check 
thousands of plates per shift.

 Police said around 10 p.m. 
they arrested Christopher 
Castro, 24, after a snapshot 
of the car he was driving 
license plate popped up on 
the officer’s computer screen 
confirming the car was 
stolen. Castro was taken into 
custody without incident 
they said.

 Police said the ALPR 
technology serves as a “force 
multiplier” by allowing a 
patrol car to scan plates while 
officers remain focused on 
proactive patrol. 

 “The Pasadena Police 

Department continues to 
explore technology systems 
that increase our capacity 
to protect the community. 
When combined with skilled 
law enforcement officers, the 
ALPR is an effective crime 
fighting tool and enhances 
proactive patrols,” said Police 
Chief Phillip Sanchez.

 He added that the purchase 
of the ALPR system was 
obtained through the Federal 
Homeland Security Urban 
Area Security Initiative 
(UASI) and Community 
Oriented Policing Services 
(COPS) grant funds.

 Former Pasadena Police 
Chief Barney Melekian 
was named director of the 
Department of Justice’s 
Office COPS in October 
2009.


Rose Bowl Under Renovation

Panel Floats Arroyo Conservancy Idea

 By Dean Lee

 A five member panel from the 
Urban Land Institute suggested 
Thursday that the best way 
the city can generate revenues 
and enhance the Arroyo Seco, 
including all amenities around 
the Rose Bowl, is the creation of 
a Central Arroyo Conservancy 
modeled after New York City’s 
Central Park. 

 The group also made clear their 
opinion that any temporary use 
of an NFL team at the Rose Bowl 
was a bad idea.

 “You need to shy away from 
having an NFL team here, 
even for a couple of years,” said 
Urban Land Institute committee 
member and Washington 
D.C. commercial real estate 
developer Richard Perlmutter, 
“While it will help financially, 
in the short run, it will take way 
from the longer term ‘what to 
do with the Arroyo.’ It’s hard to 
turn down money, we all have 
to live and die by revenue, but I 
think you need to have a longer 
view of where we are going.”

 Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard 
said he did not see any short-
term temporary use for an NFL 
team and the conservancy idea 
as conflicting. The city is looking 
to fill a $20 million funding gap 
in the current $160 million 
stadium renovation set to be 
completed in time for 100th 
Rose Bowl game Jan. 1 2014. 

“I don’t think it’s one or the 
other,” he said although making 
clear that any long term NFL use 
or a permanent team was not an 
option. 

“Professional football is simply 
not a question for the future of 
Pasadena,” he added.”

 A number of ideas for the 
Arroyo were suggested from, 
better traffic management, paid 
parking, tours, sponsorships to 
refurbishing the Brookside Golf 
Clubhouse to holding weddings 
on the Rose Bowl 50-yard line. 

 Perlmutter estimated the long 
term proposals could bring $10 
million a year.

 Rose Bowl Operating Company 
board member Khatchik 
Chahinian said if this could 
even generate $3 million or $4 
million they would be in good 
shape for day-to-day operations. 
He also said there was no 
concern over folding the ROBC 
into the proposed conservancy. 

 Bogaard said he personally 
liked the idea of seeing the, 
now concrete channel alongside 
the bowl, being used as a focus 
of recreation, “I think this is a 
dramatic new way of thinking 
about the future of the Arroyo 
Seco, that could both enhance 
the quality of life and increase 
revenues,”

 Linda Vista/Annandale 
Association member Nina 
Chomsky said she liked 
everything that was said, 
including paid parking and 
bringing back stop signs —
taken out years ago for the safety 
of peloton cyclists. 

 President of the Urban Land 
Institute, Rick Rosan said 
developing a fee based parking 
program should be structured 
based on residency and non-
residency something Chomsky 
said she agreed with. ULI 
panelist Ryan Bouma said paid 
parking could significantly 
reduce traffic in the area. He said 
they should look at upgrading 
paved and non-paved parking 
areas, possibly straightening 
main roads. 

Tim Brick, the Managing 
Director of the Arroyo Seco 
Foundation, said the entire area 
needed to be thought of as a 
river and planned accordingly. 
He added the U.S. Army Corps 
of Engineers had proposed 
similar ideas.

 Perlmutter said a central 
conservancy would be tasked 
with creating a physical mater 
plan, create a business plan and 
create a programing template. 
He said the conservancy would 
be designed to be transparent 
in its actions and the city would 
control the lease terms and 
renewals similar to New York 
Central Park Conservancy 
which, he said, revisits their 
lease between 8 and ten years. 
The benefit he said was that 
everything operates under one 
lease for the city.

 Perlmutter said, in about 60 
days, a prepared written report 
would be given to the city. Vince 
Bertoni, Pasadena’s Planning 
Director, said the council would 
decide how to move forward. 

Bogaard said the idea of one 
agency controlling the entire 
Arroyo Seco had never been 
raised.

 “I certainly have a lot to 
learn about how Central Park 
operates,” he said. “If we can 
strike the right balance between 
integrated management of 
the Arroyo and ultimate city 
control… it strikes me as a 
way to handle the affairs and 
activities better than we ever 
have before.”

 Says, temporary use of 
the Rose Bowl for a pro 
football team is a bad 
idea. 

Community To Help Develop 
Zero Waste Strategic Plan

 A Westlake Village 
man convicted of fatally 
shooting a Pasadena art 
college instructor at a party 
was sentenced Thursday to 
21 years in state prison, the 
District Attorney’s Office 
announced. 

 A Van Nuys Superior 
Court jury convicted 
Steven Ronald Honma, 56, 
of one count of voluntary 
manslaughter on Nov. 17, 
2011, for the killing of 
Norman Schureman, 50. 

Van Nuys Superior Court 
Judge Thomas Rubinson 
imposed Honma’s sentence 
at a morning hearing. 

 Honma and the victim 
were at a Persian New Year’s 
Eve party on March 20, 
2010, when the defendant 
got into a fight and was 
asked to leave. Honma 
left the party but returned 
with multiple concealed 
weapons, ammunition and 
a serrated knife. 

 When Honma was asked to 
leave a second time, a fight 
ensued and the defendant 
drew a handgun, fatally 
shooting Schureman. The 
victim was a design teacher 
at Art Center College of 
Design in Pasadena. 

 The case was prosecuted 
by Deputy District Attorney 
Maureen Green. The Los 
Angeles County Sheriff’s 
Department conducted the 
investigation.

 Imagine a Pasadena that 
less than 30 years from 
now produces no garbage 
and recycles and reuses 
everything that today it 
throws away. 

 Pasadenans are being asked 
to do more than just imagine 
it. The Pasadena Public 
Works Department wants the 
community to work together 
to make that dream come 
true by helping develop the 
Zero Waste Strategic Plan to 
get us there by the year 2040.

 It’s an ambitious goal that 
includes more recycling 
and, even more important, 
an emphasis on waste 
reduction. The city has 
already embarked on a 
planning process to identify 
the policies and programs 
that will be needed to reach 
zero waste. Community 
participation is critical for 
developing a plan that works 
for all Pasadena residents, 
businesses and institutions. 

 Two meetings are 
scheduled Thursday, Feb. 
2, in the Donald R. Wright 
Auditorium at Pasadena 
Central Library, 285 E. 
Walnut Street. The morning 
meeting from 9:30 to 11:30 
a.m. will focus on the 
perspectives of the business 
community; the evening 
meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. will 
consider the perspectives of 
residents. All Pasadenans are 
welcome at both meetings.

 For more information call 
Gabriel Silva of the Pasadena 
Public Works Department at 
(626) 744-4721.

Windstorm 
Provides 
Free Mulch

 Millions of pounds of 
green debris collected from 
the December windstorm 
has been ground up and will 
be available to the public 
for free in February. Any 
non-commercial Pasadena 
resident with a shovel and 
something to carry the 
mulch with is welcome to it. 

 Mulch is an important 
organic protective cover 
placed over soil to help 
retain moisture, return 
nutrients, discourage weed 
growth and encourage seed 
germination and healthy 
plant growth. 

 Free mulch will be available 
starting Wed., Feb. 1, from 7 
a.m. to 3 p.m. at Robinson 
Park, 1081 N. Fair Oaks 
Ave., in the parking lot on 
Morton Street. 

 For more information 
about free mulch or other 
city recycling programs, 
contact Public Works 
Customer Service at (626) 
744-4087.

A NOISE WITHIN 
RAISES $13.1 MILLION

JPL Feb. 
Events 
Calendar


Citizen 
Journalism 
Meet-up

Pet of 
the Week

 
The Science and 
Aesthetics of Deep 
Space

 Artist David Em and 
astrophysicist Julian Merten 
will present a free public 
lecture, “Light and Dark 
Energy: The Science and 
Aesthetics of Deep Space,” 
in connection with the 
exhibition “The Shape of the 
Universe: Recent Deep Space 
Photography” at the Pasadena 
City College art gallery, which 
is curated by David Em.

Lecture: Wednesday, Feb. 8 
at 7 p.m., lecture hall R-122 
(directly behind the art 
gallery).

 Exhibition: The gallery will 
remain open before and after 
the lecture, from 6:30 until 
approximately 8:30 p.m. The 
exhibition closes on Feb. 9.

 Climate Sciences 
and JPL’s Climate 
Center

 Understanding the far-
reaching effects of climate 
change and how to adapt 
to them is one of the great 
challenges facing society today. 
Underpinning this challenge 
is the need to strengthen our 
understanding of the science 
and improve our ability to 
project future climate change, 
particularly at regional scales. 
JPL lies at the forefront of key 
areas of climate science, in 
developing the critical global 
observations of Earth required 
to meet these challenges, and in 
advancing our understanding 
of key climate processes. This 
talk will place many aspects 
of the research pursued at JPL 
into this larger context. 

Free lectures on Feb. 16 at 
JPL; Feb. 17 at Pasadena City 
College; both at 7 p.m.

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

 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 Feb. 7 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.

 

 The acclaimed theatre company 
A Noise Within announced 
Thursday they have raised $13.1 
million of its $13.5 million 
capital campaign through more 
than 1,500 individual, corporate 
gifts and foundation grants. 

 “We are honored to thank face 
to face those who have made A 
Noise Within’s spectacular new 
theatre possible,” said Founder/
Artistic Director Julia Geoff 
Elliott.

Also a Founder/Artistic 
Director Julia Rodriguez-
Elliott added, “Every single gift 
supports the vision of creating 
A Noise Within’s permanent 
home, and we are looking 
forward to celebrating this true 
community effort with our 
supporters.”

 As A Noise Within prepares 
to launch the first set of spring 
productions in its new 33,000 
square-foot, state-of-the-
art venue in Pasadena, the 
acclaimed classical repertory 
theatre company announces 
two special parties to thank 
donors who have helped make 
its dazzling permanent home a 
reality. 

The first, a festive brunch 
at which “Name A Seat” 
contributors have the 
opportunity to preview “their” 
seat, is set for Saturday, March 
17, 2012, 11 am. Each donor is 
recognized with a plaque affixed 
to the seat in perpetuity. 

 On Sunday, May 20, 2012, 7 
pm, ANW fetes major donors 
of $10,000 or more at an 
exclusive “Campaign Founders 
Donor Appreciation Dinner.” 
Held on stage with company 
Founders/Artistic Directors 
Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and 
Geoff Elliott, the intimate event 
includes a sumptuous sit-down 
meal, performances by some of 
the company’s resident artists 
and other special entertainment. 

 A range of special funding 
opportunities is still available 
to anyone wishing to make 
a first-time or additional gift 
in support to the celebrated 
theatre company. Among them, 
120 of the theatre’s seats are still 
available for naming. Naming 
rights for the theatre’s lobby 
at $1,000,000, Classics Live! 
Learning Resource Center at 
$750,000 and historic gardens 
at $500,000, are also available. 
New donors and current donors 
who wish to increase their 
support of ANW are eligible 
to attend the special events, 
based on the level of their 
participation, for gifts received 
by March 1 for the Name A 
Seat event and May 1 for the 
Founders event.

 Murray is a four-year-old 
brown tabby. He loves to lay 
in your lap and snuggle. He 
loves to purr while being 
petted too. 

 Murray’s adoption fee 
is $70, 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. 
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 
A300771, 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.

State of the City Replays 
on KPAS and Internet

 

 Pasadena’s 2012 State 
of the City event is now 
replaying daily on KPAS 
television. It can be seen 
Sundays at 10 p.m., Mondays 
at 3 p.m., Tuesdays at 10:30 
a.m., Wednesdays at noon, 
Thursdays at 5 p.m., Fridays 
at 8 a.m. and Saturdays at 4 
p.m. 

 KPAS is on channel 3 on the 
Charter Communications 
cable system in Pasadena 
and on channel 99 on AT&T 
U-Verse. 

 The annual State of the City 
event, held each January, 
is a recap of the previous 
year’s accomplishments and 
a look ahead at Pasadena’s 
opportunities and challenges. 

 The program, just over one 
hour in length, can also be 
viewed at the times listed 
above via streaming video by 
visiting www.cityofpasadena.
net/publicaffairs and clicking 
on the KPAS logo. Video on 
demand is available at www.
cityofpasadena.net/Mayor/
State_of_the_City_Video. 

 With the theme “Spotlight 
on Performance,” the 
Jan. 26 event at the new 
A Noise Within theater 
featured the annual State of 
the City report by Mayor 
Bill Bogaard, a video 
production that reviewed 
city accomplishments for 
2011, and entertainment 
provided by actors from A 
Noise Within. Vice Mayor 
Margaret McAustin served 
as master of ceremonies. 

 The full text of Mayor 
Bogaard’s speech is available 
at www.cityofpasadena.net 
under Latest News. 

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