Mountain Views News          Saturday, October 20, 2012

4


Mountain Views-News Saturday, October 20, 2012 


Fire Breaks 
Out at City 
Power Plant

Wicked Lit Live Horror 
Theater Sells Out, 
Adds More Shows

 Power Conservation 
Urged

By Dean Lee

 Lightning may never strike 
twice—knock on wood— 
and although Thursday’s 
freak storm brought rain, 
hail, lightning and even 
some flooding that did not 
stop Unbound Productions’ 
opening night of live 
horror theater, Wicked 
Lit, on the grounds of the 
Mountain View Mausoleum 
and Cemetery Friday in 
Altadena. 

 The show must go on. 

 One of the show’s producers 
and writer Jonathan 
Josephson said any problems 
they had leading up to 
opening night, including 
losing all power due to a 
lighting strike behind the 
cemetery Thursday, they 
wanted invisible to patrons 
at the show.

 “When we realized that the 
power was not going to come 
back on within a few hours… 
I called our lighting designer 
said the only thing I would 
think of is to get another 
generator in here and rewire 
every single cable,” he said. 
“The electricians arrived 
Friday morning at 9 a.m. and 
were working until 7 p.m. 
that night.”

 The opening show started 
on time at 8 p.m. he said.

 Josephson said they 
estimated that they rewired 
3960 feet, .75 miles of cable. 

 “It is so important to us that 
the show happens and that 
it happens with all of our 
technical elements in place,” 
he said. 

J osephson suggested 
that all three of this year’s 
adaptations of M.R. James’ 
“Count Magnus,” F. Marion 
Crawford’s “The Dead 
Smile” and Johann Ludwig 
Tieck ‘s “Wake Not the 
Dead” benefitted by having a 
slightly darker setting. 

 Audiences experience the 
three short plays, as well as 
other surprise, as they are led 
through the grounds of the 
mausoleum and cemetery by 
a story guide. 

 Co-director, Jeff Rack, 
explained that only a few 
props were missing, most 
he said, were things the 
audience would not have 
noticed, as they focused 
on safety making sure the 
walkways and restrooms 
were properly lit. 

 Along with Rack and 
Josephson, Paul Millet also 
Co-directs the productions.

 Josephson said due to 
overwhelming popular 
demand, Wicked Lit will 
extend through November 10 
adding seven performances 
(16 total performances 
remain) making Wicked Lit 
2012 the longest running 
single show in the history of 
Unbound Productions.

 Tickets range from $39-65, 
see website wickedlit.org or 
call 818-242-7910 for details.

 A fire broke out at Tuesday 
morning, inside a turbine 
containment unit at Pasadena’s 
Glenarm Power Plant. Cause 
of the fire reported around 
10:18 a.m., remains under 
investigation, but initial 
indications are that a turbine 
blade in the “GT-2” power 
turbine broke loose, causing 
equipment damage and the 
fire. 

 No injuries were reported. 

Approximately 27 firefighters 
from the Pasadena, South 
Pasadena and Alhambra fire 
departments responded. Two 
operators were in the GT-2 
Control Room adjacent to 
the turbine room when the 
equipment failure and fire 
occurred. A fire suppression 
system activated automatically 
and plant operators 
immediately powered down 
the unit. Firefighters were on 
scene for about two hours.

 With GT-2 now out of service 
and GT-1 and GT-3 both 
offline for repairs, Pasadena’s 
local power plant is currently 
operating with just one 
power generating unit, GT-
4, a natural gas-fired system 
than can produce at peak 
about 45 megawatts of power. 
PWP is urging all Pasadena 
residents and businesses to be 
extra vigilant in their energy 
conservation during this 
week’s hot weather, especially 
between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 
p.m. The power plant does 
have a fifth unit, B-3, which 
uses steam technology and 
cannot be brought online in 
time to help augment power 
needs due to the heat wave.

 “Since the generation output 
from our local power plant 
is limited at this time, PWP 
will have to rely more heavily 
on electricity from external 
supplies that come through 
our cross-town transmission 
lines,” PWP General Manager 
Phyllis Currie said. “If there 
is too much demand for 
electricity during this heat 
wave, our city’s electric system 
could overload.”

 PWP customers with any 
power emergencies should call 
(626) 744-4673. 

World’s Largest Potato Visits Giant Fork

 Why did the potato cross the road? Because there was a fork in the road. 

 Numerous residents came out Tuesday to get pictures taken with Pasadena’s famous Fork in the 
Road sculpture and the world’s largest six-ton potato— a traveling monument commissioned by the 
Idaho Potato Commission.

 The large “Spud Missile” 
made a brief stop at Fork 
Plaza 200 Bellefontaine Street 
as part of a U.S. tour. The 28-
foot long potato was recreated 
from an iconic image. 

 Bob Stane, owner of the 
Coffee Gallery Backstage in 
Altadena and recipient of the 
fork as a birthday gag said the 
potato’s visit was to support 
their upcoming food drive 
the weekend of November 
10th and 11th at the fork, to 
share lots of potato jokes and 
“forklore.”

 Ironically, the potato tour 
also serves to celebrate the 
Potato Commission’s 75th 
anniversary and to help 
promote Meals on Wheels. 

 Local artist Ken Marshall 
built the fork in 2009 for 
Stane’s 75th birthday.

Tournament Names 
95th Rose Queen


Vanessa Natalie Manjarrez (far left) named Rose Queen

 The Pasadena Tournament of 
Roses named Vanessa Natalie 
Manjarrez as the 95th Rose 
Queen. The announcement 
was made Thursday at the 
Tournament house. 

 Manjarrez was selected 
from the recently appointed 
seven-member Royal Court. 
The Rose Queen and Royal 
Court will reign over the 2013 
Tournament of Roses festivities, 
culminating in the 124th Rose 
Parade themed Oh, the Places 
You’ll Go!, and the 99th Rose 
Bowl Game.

 The announcement concludes a 
month-long process that began 
with more than 900 Pasadena-
area young women who 
participated in the Tournament 
of Roses Royal Court tryouts. 

 “Our Rose Queen Vanessa 
Manjarrez and six Rose 
Princesses for 2013 are all 
outstanding young women 
who will represent the 
Tournament of Roses and the 
City of Pasadena with poise and 
confidence,” said Tournament 
of Roses President Sally Bixby. 
“They will be wonderful role 
models and I know they will 
inspire many young girls as 
they reign over the 124th Rose 
Parade and the 99th Rose Bowl 
Game.”

 Manjarrez and the six Rose 
Princesses were selected based 
upon a combination of qualities, 
including public speaking 
ability, poise, academic 
achievement and community 
involvement. 

 Manjarrez, 17, lives in 
Pasadena and attends Mayfield 
Senior School, where she is 
on the Diversity Committee 
and Advising Council. She 
also participates in the Dance 
Conservatory and is involved 
with the National Charity 
League, the Pasadena Humane 
Society and Villa Esperanza. 
Vanessa is a Girl Scout Gold 
Award recipient. As an official 
ambassador of the Tournament 
of Roses, Queen Vanessa 
will participate in more than 
150 community and media 
functions along with Rose.

Spooktacular 
Fun at Fall 
Festival

 
The City of Pasadena 
summons all good ghosts 
and ghouls, witches, 
zombies and others to join 
in the fantastic family fun 
at its Fall Festival 2012 at 
Victory Park, 2575 Paloma 
Street, from 5:00 p.m. to 
8:30 p.m., Wednesday, 
October 31.

 The event offers an 
enchanting night of safe, 
family fun with activities 
for the entire family! All are 
welcome to come out and 
enjoy live entertainment, 
games, face painting, 
pumpkin decorating, arts & 
craft, big slide, sticky wall, a 
train ride around the park 
and, of course, delicious 
food!

 Admission is free and 
special costume contests for 
all age groups are planned, 
starting with the Toddler 
contest at 5:30 p.m.; Youth 
at 6:00 p.m.; and Teens, 
Adults and Seniors at 7:00 
p.m. Tickets for main 
attractions including a train 
ride around the park, a big 
slide and Haunted House 
will be sold onsite.

 The event is sponsored 
by the City, including 
the Police Department, 
Pasadena Fire Department, 
among others. 

 For more information 
regarding this event, call 
(626) 744-7507.

 Susannah Mryvold and Katie Pelensky in Wake Not the Dead. 
Photo by Daniel Kitayama.


Citizen 
Journalism 
Meet-up

Pet of 
the Week

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

Local Police Seeking 
Witnesses to Sexual Assault

 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. 23 from 6: 
30 p.m. to 8p.m. at the Pasadena 
Community Network - Studio 
G, 2057 N. Los Robles Ave.

 For more info call 626.794.8585.

 An adult female was sexually 
assaulted last Saturday after 
leaving a restaurant/bar in the 
area of Colorado Boulevard and 
Holly Street. 

 According to police the 
victim was walking alone at 
approximately 11:30 p.m. when 
she was approached from 
behind by the suspect and 
forcibly taken to Legge Alley, 
where the assault occurred. The 
suspect fled the alley on foot. He 
is described as a male Hispanic, 
30’s-40’s, 5’8, medium build, 
and wearing dark clothing. 
Pasadena Police Detectives 
responded to the scene and the 
investigation is on-going.

 Police are asking that anyone 
who saw someone or something 
suspicious in the area that 
evening to contact Detective 
Schuyler Sandeen at ssandeen@
cityofpasadena.net or (626) 
744-7099, or Pasadena Police 
Department Dispatch at (626) 
744-4241.

 If you any have information, 
you may report it anonymously 
through Crime Stoppers at 
(800) 222-TIPS (8477) or http://
lacrimestoppers.org (insert key 
word Pasadena).

 

 Rachmaninoff International 
Award winning pianist Rueibin 
Chen joins conductor Edwin 
Outwater and the Pasadena 
Symphony in concert at both 2 
and 8 pm on Saturday, November 
3 at the acoustically acclaimed 
Ambassador Auditorium. 
Tchaikovsky’s Symphony 
No. 4 and Rachmaninoff’s 
Paganini Variations for Piano 
and Orchestra are the featured 
masterworks on the program.

 Tchaikovsky’s breakthrough 
Fourth Symphony is a bounding 
creative leap in scale, intensity 
and ambition combining 
theatrical flair with emotional 
contrasts that reach epic 
proportions. Chen will perform 
his talisman, Rhapsody on a 
Theme of Paganini – brilliant 
with delicious wit and one of 
the world’s most irresistible 
melodies popularized by the 
movie “Somewhere in Time.” In 
this concert, conductor Edwin 
Outwater and the Pasadena 
Symphony will deliver music so 
personal, it becomes universal. 

 Chen, who recently performed 
as part of the opening 
ceremony of the Los Angeles 
Chamber Orchestra’s “Play 
Me I’m Yours” project, is a 
favorite among Chinese and 
American audiences. He has 
earned countless accolades and 
awards for his appearances in 
concert halls and international 
piano competitions, including 
competitions in Tel Aviv 
(Rubinstein), in Warsaw 
(Chopin) ,Salt Lake City 
(Bachauer), Athens (Callas), 
Vienna, Manresa, and Italy 
(Rome, Rachmaninov, Bellini, 
and Stresa).

 Rachmaninoff’s virtuosic 
Rhapsody on a Theme of 
Paganini was one of the 
composer’s later works, written 
in 1934. Based on a famous 
violin theme by Niccoló 
Paganini, Rachmaninoff’s 
work takes the artist on a 
grand adventure reveling in 
inventiveness and sheer speed. 
With its technical mastery and 
captivating melodies, Rhapsody 
on a Theme of Paganini became 
an instant hit with audiences. 

 Tickets to see Rueibin Chen 
and Edwin Outwater in concert 
with the Pasadena Symphony 
on Saturday, November 3 at 
Ambassador Auditorium are 
on sale now. For tickets or 
more information, contact the 
Pasadena Symphony box office 
online at PasadenaSymphony-
Pops.org or call 626.793.7172.

Symphony 
to Perform 
Tchaikovsky 
and 
Rachmaninoff

 Zoey is a sweet, well-behaved 
2-year-old German shepherd/
Rottweiler mix. She’s been 
out on our Mobile Unit to 
various community events and 
practically stole the show with 
her charm and grace. She’s also 
a Blue Ribbon dog! 

 In honor of Adopt-a-Shelter-
Dog Month, Zoe’s adoption 
fee is $99(regular adoption 
fee is $120) for the month of 
October. The $99 adoption 
fee includes her spay 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, 
as well as a goody bag filled 
with information on how 
to care for your pet. Ask an 
adoptions counselor for more 
information during your visit 

 Call the Pasadena 
Humane Society & SPCA at 
626.792.7151 to ask about 
A315978, or visit at 361 S. 
Raymond Ave. in Pasadena. 
Adoption hours are 11-4 
Sunday, 9-5 Tuesday –Friday, 
9-4 Saturday. Pets may not 
be available for adoption and 
cannot be held for potential 
adopters from phone calls or 
email. Directions and photos 
of all pets can be found at 
www.pasadenahumane.org.

Local Hire Report on Rose 
Bowl Project to Be Heard 

Elect To Read 
At the Library

 

 The public is invited to hear 
the latest status on local hiring 
activities related to the Rose 
Bowl Renovation Project. The 
meeting of the Rose Bowl Local 
Hiring Advisory Group will be 
held at 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, 
October 24, at the Brookside 
Clubhouse, 1133 Rosemont 
Ave. near the Rose Bowl.

 The latest results and 
achievements related to local 
hiring efforts for the project 
will be presented, including 
information from Pasadena 
residents who worked on 
the project as well as data 
from contractors and others 
organizations who have assisted 
with local hiring efforts.

 “The meeting was requested 
by the Local Hiring Advisory 
Group to update the community 
on the latest results,” Pasadena 
Finance Director Andrew 
Green said. “It is important that 
both the Advisory Group and 
the public know about efforts 
and accomplishments to date.”

 The Local Hiring Advisory 
Group has worked with the 
City and the Rose Bowl staff 
in support of local hiring. The 
Advisory Group’s contributions, 
leadership and broad 
discussions have been essential 
to integrating the community’s 
concerns about local hiring 
and sharing information on the 
project, Green said.

 Some of the highlights from 
the 18-month update to be 
presented on Oct. 24 include:

 T he 161 Pasadena residents 
employed on the Rose Bowl 
project have earned wages 
totaling $883,576

 More than $4.7 million has been 
paid to local subcontractors 
based in Pasadena.

 More than $3.4 million has 
been paid for goods and services 
purchased from Pasadena 
businesses.

 Total direct local economic 
benefit to the Pasadena 
community from the Rose 
Bowl Renovation Project 
exceeds $9 million

 For more information go 
online to http://cityofpasadena.
net/Pasadena_First/ or call 
(626) 744-8382.

 It’s an election year and you 
don’t have to be an adult 
to be a part of the process. 
Children twelve and under 
can participate and vote 
for their favorite children’s 
books during Children’s 
Book Month in November. 
It’s easy, fun and allows 
kids to experience elections 
first-hand.

 Each Pasadena Public 
Library site will have 
copies of the nominees for 
children to review, plus 
ballots to complete. Voting 
starts November 1 and will 
continue through the end 
of the month. Each voter 
will also be entered to win a 
special prize—one per site.

 Let your voice be heard. 
Elect to read at Pasadena 
Public Library.

 For more information, 
contact Pat Smith at (626) 
744-4045 or psmith@
cityofpasadena.net.