Mountain Views News          Saturday, March 31, 2012

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 31, 2012 


Erdman to Lead Doo Dah 
Parade as Grand Marshal

Public 
Safety Bill 
Passes Key 
Committee

 Ann Erdman, soon-to-be 
retired Public Information 
Officer for the City of 
Pasadena, will serve as 
Grand Marshal of the 35th 
Occasional Pasadena Doo 
Dah Parade. Erdman marks 
her 18th year of service in 
the City’s Public Affairs 
Office after coming from 
Palm Springs where she 
served under then Mayor 
Sonny Bono.

 Ann has been a part of 
the Doo Dah experience 
for years. In 1996, she 
spontaneously became the 
event’s “official” pace car 
when, stricken with a case 
of walking pneumonia, she 
led the Parade in a hastily 
decorated wheelchair. Since 
then she has led marchers as 
a flower child, a motorcycle 
mama, baby in a giant high 
chair, Dorothy of the Wizard 
of Oz, captain of industry, 
and Elvis. Ann would never 
know how she would be 
costumed until just minutes 
before the parade rolled.

 Upon being notified of 
her selection, Ann was 
literally speechless then 
uttered, “Oh my God!” 
several times. Recently, 
Ann was given a surprise 
opportunity by friends to 
ride on the Kiwanis float of 
the ‘Other Parade’ and said 
she was every bit as floored 
when Doo Dah came calling. 
“This is a wonderful way to 
celebrate as I wind down my 
career!” she said. “Our city 
considers itself artistically 
rich, and Doo Dah proves 
that the arts don’t have to be 
stuffy to matter!”

 Parade organizer Tom 
Coston says Erdman has all 
the qualities a Doo Grand 
Marshal should possess. “If 
there’s anyone who walks to 
the beat of her own drum 
and appreciates a good 
laugh-it’s Ann!” he explains. 
The new Grand Marshal 
will lead hundreds of Doo 
Dah marchers and revelers 
on Saturday, April 28th, 
stepping off at 11am in East 
Pasadena. The Doo Dah 
Parade actually makes a 
loop on Colorado Boulevard 
and is the first parade in the 
country to move in opposite 
directions at the same time!

 AB 1527 Bans “Open 
Carry” of Long Guns

 Assemblymember 
Anthony Portantino’s public 
safety measure to expand 
on last year’s ban on openly 
carried handguns, has 
passed the Assembly Public 
Safety Committee on a vote 
of 4 to 2. AB 1527 would 
outlaw the “open carry” of 
unloaded long guns – such 
as rifles or shotguns – on 
Main Street, California.

 Portantino (D-La Cañada 
Flintridge) introduced the 
legislation at the urging 
of law enforcement as a 
follow up to last year’s 
successful AB 144, which 
banned openly carrying 
an unloaded handgun in 
public places.

 “Last year, we tried to 
craft a narrow bill to close 
a loophole in the hopes 
that gun enthusiasts would 
see this as a reasonable 
public safety measure,” 
commented Portantino. 
“Unfortunately, the Open 
Carry folks began to carry 
rifles and other long guns 
posing a threat to public 
safety on Main Street -- 
even taking their rifles to a 
police fundraiser. These 
actions call out for further 
legislative controls to 
protect law enforcement 
and families before 
someone is harmed by 
these unnecessary displays 
of weapon.”

 AB 1527 expands on 
the earlier bill and would 
authorize similar penalties – 
a misdemeanor punishable 
by up to one year in county 
jail and a fine of up to 
$1000 – for individuals who 
openly carry unloaded long 
guns in public. In addition, 
AB 1527 provides a similar 
list of exemptions included 
in AB 144 to enable safe 
transportation, lawful 
hunting, and use by law 
enforcement officials.

 “When law enforcement 
professionals ask the 
legislature to solve a 
problem, it’s incumbent 
on us to act. No one 
wants to read about the 
unintended consequence of 
gun proliferation on Main 
Street – it’s a tragedy that 
happens far too often. If it 
means I’ve got to do it again 
to make our streets safer 
for everyday Californians, 
I’m honored to do so,” 
concluded Portantino.

Officers Names Given in Police Shooting

By Dean Lee

 Police on Friday confirmed the 
names of two officers, almost a 
week after they were involved in 
a shooting that led to the death 
of an unarmed robbery suspect 
last Saturday night. 

 Police Chief Phillip Sanchez 
named officers Jeffery Newlen 
and Mathew Griffin, partners 
for the last year. 

 “I am committed to thoroughly 
investigating the Officer 
Involved Shooting.” Sanchez 
said “This is why in addition 
to Pasadena Police Detectives 
Professional Standards 
investigation, the Los Angeles 
County District Attorney’s 
Officer Involved Shooting Team 
are investigation as well as the 
Office of Independent Review 
Group”.

 At a press conference 
Wednesday, Sanchez said, 
without naming names, while 
attempting to arrest Kendrec 
McDade, of Azusa, shortly after 
11 p.m. Saturday, an officer 
involved shooting occurred 
involving both officers. McDade 
was struck by gun fire and 
transported to a local area 
hospital where he died of his 
wounds.

 Sanchez also confirmed that 
one officer fired from inside his 
police car. He also said, Griffin 
was involved in a shooting, two 
years ago, of a Rottweiller that 
was loose and had attached an 
individual and his dog. 

 He also confirmed that one of 
the involved officers is also a 
veteran of combat in the Middle 
East. He said officers who have 
served in the military currently 
do not go though any special 
training or therapy. 

 Sanchez, at the press 
conference, said a second 
suspect, a 17-year-old alleged 
accomplice, was charged with 
two counts of commercial 
burglary, one count of grand 
theft, and one count of failure 
to register as gang member per 
his conditions of probation. He 
remains in custody Sanchez 
said. Earlier charges of murder 
had been dropped he said. 

 During the week, events in 
the case took twists and turns 
including the arrest of the 911 
caller, Oscar Carrillo who police 
say fabricated the story he was 
robbed at gun point. 

 Police played the 911 call to 
reporters in which Carrillo 
repeatedly says he had been 
robed by two suspects at 
gunpoint. No gun was recovered 
from the scene.

 Police said after conducted 
extensive reviews of witness 
statements and reviewed audio 
and video recordings they 
re-interviewed Carrillo who 
admitted he falsely stated the 
suspects were armed during the 
crime to expedite the officers’ 
response. 

 At one point, frustrated, 
Carrillo says, “This is stupid, 
I need my laptop for work,” 
referring to questions being 
asked by the 911 operator, 
Carrillo said both suspects were 
dressed all in black and both 
had guns. 

 Sanchez said although no 
backpack or computer was 
found, police have surveillance 
video of the suspects stealing 
the items from Carrillo’s car as 
he described. 

 Carrillo was arrested 
Wednesday for Involuntary 
Manslaughter. He was held 
on $25,000 bond according to 
police.

 A candlelight vigil Thursday 
for McDade brought out more 
than 50 parents and teens to 
Sunset Avenue and Orange 
Grove Boulevard the location of 
the shooting.

 Sanchez will discuss the 
ongoing investigation during a 
community meeting Saturday, 
March 31, from 9 to 10 a.m. 
at New Revelation Missionary 
Baptist Church, 855 N. Orange 
Grove Blvd.


Nursing Home 
Rating System 
Reports 99 
Percent 
Compliance

Woman Rescued After 
Plunge off Highway


Citizen 
Journalism 
Meet-up

 The Department of Public 
Health report on the County’s 
nursing home grading system 
initiated by Supervisor 
Michael Antonovich, revealed 
that 99 percent of nursing 
home providers were in full 
compliance with the law in its 
first year of implementation. 
In effect since January 1, 
2011, the law requires nursing 
homes to publically post these 
ratings for; Preventable events 
such as bed sores and falls, 
Quality Measures, Facility 
conditions, Staffing, Health 
Inspections, Dietary and Fire 
Safety Inspections.

 In addition to posting ratings, 
each nursing home must make 
records available including 
licensing inspections, 
complaint reports and 
performance evaluations. 

 “These high compliance 
numbers indicate that this 
law is effectively providing 
vital information for families 
confronting difficult choices 
when making decisions on 
nursing home care,” said 
Antonovich, who also fathered 
the County’s successful 
restaurant grading system. 

 The 5-star rating is issued 
by the Federal Government’s 
Centers for Medicare and 
Medicaid Services. To ensure 
compliance, the County has 
established a hotline at 1-800-
228-1019.

 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 April 3 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.

 A missing woman spent a 
frigid night in the Angeles 
National Forest Sunday after 
her truck plummeted 300 feet 
down a steep embankment. 
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s 
Department Air-5 Rescue 
Helicopter Crew, Montrose 
Search & Rescue Team and 
other deputies found her 
alive at 5,000 feet, despite 
a harrowing crash and the 
bitter cold.

 Officials said Tracy 
Granger, 56, was driving 
from Pasadena to Littlerock 
in heavy rain when she lost 
control. Sheriff’s deputies 
said the car had done several 
flips and rolls and that the 
roof was caved in entirely. 
They said Granger either 
crawled or was ejected out 
of the truck spending the 
night next to the vehicle in 
the snow. Temperatures they 
said dipped below freezing. 

 When rescue crews arrived 
she was conscious but unable 
to speak. She was flown 
to Huntington Memorial 
Hospital in critical but stable 
condition according to 
reports. 

Pet of 
the Week

Human Trafficking Tattoo 
Removal Bill Passes Public 
Safety Committee

 
In the underworld of 
prostitution, it’s not unusual 
to find pimps marking girls 
and women with “brands” 
or tattoos to indicate they 
are property; sending a 
message to the girl that she 
is in essence, property. The 
brands make it that much 
harder for girls – or boys – 
to break out of “the life”. A 
recent international news 
story shows that some who 
are forced into trafficking 
are tragically “bar coded” by 
their abusers.

 In order to help these young 
people get a fresh start, 
Assemblymember Anthony 
Portantino (D-La Cañada 
Flintridge) has introduced 
legislation that would enable 
these marked young people 
to get free tattoo removals. 
Today, the Assembly Public 
Safety Committee agreed 
and voted unanimously to 
approve Portantino’s AB 
1956.

 “When my Sacramento 
State intern researched 
this issue and brought 
it to my attention, I was 
shocked and outraged,” 
stated Assemblymember 
Portantino. “Branding is a 
despicable act by despicable 
people. This bill provides 
a first step in breaking the 
bonds of prostitution and 
helping these young victims 
begin new, meaningful lives. 
As a father of two daughters 
I had to see this issue become 
law.”

 Funding for the bill comes 
from Federal sources to 
the California Emergency 
Management Agency, CAL 
EMA. CAL EMA currently 
administers the tattoo 
removal programs for at-
risk youth breaking free 
from gangs. In Los Angeles, 
some 1,500 former gang 
members have participated 
in the Tattoo Removal 
Program through Homeboys 
Industries. The current 
protocols do not allow 
women who break free from 
prostitution to qualify for 
the tattoo removal. AB 1956 
expands the definition for 
eligibility. 

 “This bill helps generate a 
new start for young women 
who need break free. I’m very 
pleased by the bi-partisan 
recognition and support 
and very proud of Deanna 
Hanson for researching and 
initiating this bill, concluded 
Portantino.

Nursing Home Rating Reports 
99 Percent Compliance


The Department of Public 
Health report on the 
County’s nursing home 
grading system initiated 
by Supervisor Michael 
Antonovich, revealed 
that 99 percent of nursing 
home providers were 
in full compliance with 
the law in its first year of 
implementation. In effect 
since January 1, 2011, the law 
requires nursing homes to 
publically post these ratings 
for; Preventable events 
such as bed sores and falls, 
Quality Measures, Facility 
conditions, Staffing, Health 
Inspections, Dietary and Fire 
Safety Inspections.

 In addition to posting 
ratings, each nursing 
home must make records 
available including licensing 
inspections, complaint 
reports and performance 
evaluations. 

 “These high compliance 
numbers indicate that this 
law is effectively providing 
vital information for families 
confronting difficult choices 
when making decisions 
on nursing home care,” 
said Antonovich, who 
also fathered the County’s 
successful restaurant grading 
system. 

 The 5-star rating is issued 
by the Federal Government’s 
Centers for Medicare and 
Medicaid Services. To ensure 
compliance, the County 
has established a hotline at 
1-800-228-1019.

 Danny is a three-year-old 
black and cream Siberian 
Husky. He’s a charmer and 
loves to sit and have his 
belly rubbed. Just look at 
his handsome picture! His 
adoption fee is $120. 

 Danny’s adoption fee is $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. 
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 
A303168, 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.

Einstein’s 
Archive Now 
Available 
Online

 If you ever wanted 
to glimpse into Albert 
Einstein’s thoughts, now 
you can. Last week, the 
complete catalog of 
about 80,000 documents 
written by or addressed to 
Einstein—letters, postcards, 
notebooks, and other 
papers—was made available 
online by the Hebrew 
University of Jerusalem and 
the Einstein Papers Project 
(EPP) at Caltech.

 The archive is available at 
www.alberteinstein.info.