Mountain Views News          Saturday, March 2, 2013

4

Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 2, 2013 


POLICE CALL FOR 
INDEPENDENT 
AUDIT OF 
DEPARTMENT

Family Rescued from Third 
Story During Apartment Fire 

By Dean Lee 

 A family of five were rescued 
by firefighters Sunday night 
after a blaze fully engulfed the 
second story of an apartment 
building in the 700 block of 
Worcester Avenue, just off 
Orange Grove Boulevard. 

 Three children and two 
adults were treated for smoke 
inhalation after becoming 
trapped on a third story 
balcony by flames and heavy 
smoke. The woman and 
children were transported 
to Huntington Memorial 
Hospital. Firefighters 
searched the 30 unit complex 
and no other injuries were 
reported. 

 Pasadena Fire spokeswoman 
Lisa Derderian said the 
woman became unconscious 
and had to be carried out of 
the building. 

 Derderian said the fire 
broke out around 5:20 p.m., 
damaging three units, and 
was put out in about 20 
minutes. The blaze caused 
an estimated $ 170,000 in 
damage she said.

 Half the building was not 
inhabitable due to safety and 
security reasons displacing 
61 people. Red Cross assisted 
with temporary shelter she 
said.

 Firefighters also said 
overcrowding conditions 
existed in a number of the 
units and an investigation 
was currently underway. 
Early reports suggest the 
fire may have started when 
flammable items were placed 
too close to a heater.

 Pasadena Mayor Bill 
Bogaard and Police Chief 
Phillip Sanchez announced 
Monday that a comprehensive 
independent audit of cases 
within the Detective Bureau 
will be implemented in 
response to allegations of 
misconduct against Pasadena 
Police Officers Kevin Okamoto 
and William Broghamer. The 
decision for an independent 
review was initiated following 
a recent court ruling involving 
a 2007 homicide investigation.

 “The allegation of misconduct 
against the two members of 
our department is deeply 
concerning and has an immense 
impact on our employees and 
the community we serve,” said 
Sanchez. “I will not tolerate 
any misconduct. However, I 
would caution against broad-
based assumptions of our 
professional men and women 
based on the allegations against 
a few.”

 The audit will be conducted 
by Los Angeles-based Veritas 
Assurance Group, led by 
31-year law enforcement 
veteran Ron Sanchez. The 
company will be contracted 
to examine cases investigated 
by Okamoto and Broghamer 
dating back to 2005 and will 
also examine a cross-section of 
Detective Bureau reports and 
criminal case filings to ensure 
consistency in reporting and 
that procedures were followed. 
At the conclusion of the audit, 
an Executive Summary will be 
made available to the public.

 In addition to the external 
audit, the Pasadena Police 
Department’s Internal Affairs 
Section continues to investigate 
the allegations against the two 
officers. The department will 
continue to fully cooperate 
with any outside inquiries.

 “Chief Sanchez has 
worked diligently since 
his appointment in 2010 
to further changes within 
the department’s policies, 
procedures and protocol to 
enhance accountability,” said 
Mayor Bill Bogaard. “While 
those efforts continue, we must 
also ensure that the residents 
of Pasadena have confidence 
in our police department, and 
I believe these internal and 
external reviews initiated by 
Chief Sanchez will accomplish 
that goal.”

Adult Entertainer Speaks At PCC

 School officials at Pasadena 
City College recanted on earlier 
statements that the school 
would limit adult entertainer 
James Deen’s appearance 
Wednesday to properly enrolled 
students. The lecture would be 
off limits to the public and press 
an official statement said.

Instead, Deen, whose real name 
is Bryan Sevilla, spoke to a 
packed room filled with media 
and students.

 “I knew we were over the fire 
code, I expected the police to 
come in at any minute and 
shut it down,” Instructor, Hugo 
Schwyzer said. “I’m thrilled they 
left us alone. It was the right 
thing to do.” 

The school refused to 
acknowledge the course 
Deen spoke to, Navigating 
Pornography, even existed.

 Robert Bell, assistant 
superintendent of Academic 
and Student Affairs said “The 
college, also notes, that PCC 
does not have any course titled 
‘Navigating Pornography,”

 As the Instructor for the course, 
Schwyzer said the official title is 
Humanities 3.

 “That’s what it goes by on 
a transcript,” he said. “Each 
professor who teaches it, and 
I’m not the only one, then gets to 
call it whatever subtitle they like 
for whatever specialty. I teach it 
as ‘Navigating Pornography.’” 

Schwyzer said the class covers 
everything from the history 
of pornography to current 
controversies of pornography. 

“Issues around what James 
was talking about today, issues 
around shame, issues around 
the condom law [last year’s Los 
Angeles County voter approved 
Measure B]. 

Schwyzer said that Deen was 
unique, in that, he appeals to a 
female audience.

 “We talk about the way in which 
pornography has transformed 
so that, you have someone 
that who is a major star, who 
primarily appeals to a female 
audience. What it means to 
recognize that women consume 
pornography too.” 

 During his hour speech Deen 
touched on subjects ranging 
from getting into the adult 
movie industry to personal 
sexuality. 

 “The idea of sexuality and being 
able to enjoy the act of sex and 
the types of sex is still relatively 
limited to taboos…,” Deen said. 
“Limiting the education is where 
I see the issue, because you end 
up with this world where people 
have sexuality and are ashamed 
of it. 

 Deen is an alumnus of PCC. 
He also grew up in Pasadena he 
said.


Pasadena Sandwich 
Company Hosts Blood Drive

Artnight Returns, Features 
11 Exciting Free Venues

 The Pasadena Sandwich 
Company (PSC) family will 
host a blood drive On Saturday, 
March 9th, from 10:00 a.m. – 
4:00 p.m., in memory of their 
owner, Stephen Fink, who 
passed away of Amyloidosis, a 
very rare blood condition. 

 Affectionately known as 
“Steve,” his three daughters and 
son have carried on the art of 
crafting sandwiches after being 
mentored by their father since 
the creation of PSC in 1995. His 
children have also created the 
Stephen E Fink Memorial Fund 
which supports the Amyloidosis 
Foundation through donations 
for research towards a cure.

 Donors must be in good 
health, bring a valid form 
of identification, weight at 
least 110 lbs., drink plenty of 
fluids, eat a nutritious meal, 
have no tattoos within the last 
year and be at least 17 years 
old. Each donor will receive a 
commemorative t-shirt with 
the purchase of a sandwich and 
PSC will “Steve Style” your meal 
as a thank you (small drink and 
salad).

 The Pasadena Sandwich 
Company is located at 259 
Sierra Madre Villa, just north 
of Foothill Blvd. and the 210 
freeway. To register please 
sign-up at PSC4life.givesblood.
org or for bone marrow donors 
visit www.bethematch.org. 
The Providence Blood Donor 
Center Blood Mobile will be 
on-site.


Chamber 
Hosting 
Cuba Trip 
Info Meeting

 Pasadena will once again 
celebrate creative, artistic 
community as ArtNight 
Pasadena returns Friday, with 
free admission to 11 exciting arts 
and cultural venues throughout 
the city. 

 This four-hour cultural 
extravaganza offers a wide array 
of dance, music, visual arts and 
other fun activities for families 
and people of all ages to enjoy. 
Free shuttle buses will help 
provide transportation to each 
location.

 Among the many highlights: 
Experience Listening as (a) 
movement by Elana Mann, at 
Side Street Projects, 730 N. Fair 
Oaks Ave., pairing interactive 
acoustic sculptures with 
community-based performance 
art. Attend the opening night 
of “monument” on the survival 
of Mrs. Reppin: an Artwork by 
Dan Flavin at the Norton Simon 
Museum, 411 W. Colorado Blvd.

 Celebrate the history of 
wedding ceremonies at the 
Pasadena Museum of History, 
470 W. Walnut St., for a special 
presentation of I do! I do! 
featuring more than 35 vintage 
wedding gowns from 1860 
to 1950. Enjoy free family 
art-making workshops at 
artWORKS Teen Center, 2932 
E. Walnut St. Hear guitarist Joe 
Gamble play jazz, world music 
and French melodies at Alliance 
Française, 34 E. Union St. in 
Kendall Alley.

 It’s all happening, and much, 
much more, during ArtNight 
Pasadena 2013. For a full listing 
of events, activities and other 
important information, go online 
to www.artnightpasadena.org. 
A Spanish-language version of 
the website is also available.

 Free, specially marked shuttle 
buses will be available to 
take you to all of the venues. 
For those who ride Metro 
into Pasadena for ArtNight, 
remember to bring your Metro 
TAP card as many of the host 
venues plan to offer special 
discounts on store merchandise 
and memberships, including the 
Pasadena Museum of History, 
470 W. Walnut St., Alliance 
Française, 34 E. Union St., and 
the Pacific Asia Museum, 46 N. 
Los Robles Ave.

 Another popular way to 
enjoy ArtNight is by bicycle! 
Visit www.cicle.org/events/66/
artnight-ride for more 
information on how to bike 
through ArtNight. And, several 
venues will also have trendy 
food trucks nearby with tasty 
treats for purchase to quench 
your thirst and appetites.

 ArtNight takes place from 6:00 
p.m. to 10:00 p.m. 

For more information call 
the ArtNight Hotline (626) 
744-7887 or visit www.
artnightpasadena.org.

 Free, no-obligation, 
meeting will provide 
information and answer 
questions for potential 
travelers on fall trip to 
Cuba

Nonprofit Resource 
Center Opens at Library 

 The Pasadena Chamber 
of Commerce is hosting an 
informational, no obligation, 
meeting on its fall trip to Cuba 
on Wednesday, March 6th at 
6pm in the Arroyo Room at 
Brookside Golf Club at 1133 
North Rosemont Drive (near 
the Rose Bowl) in Pasadena. 
FREE parking is available 
on the street and in nearby 
parking lots. The meeting 
is free and open to anyone 
interested in travel to Cuba.

 With a flight from Los 
Angeles (LAX) you can legally 
visit the unspoiled, preserved 
Cuba this October. Travelers 
will depart from LAX on 
October 18th and return eight 
days later.

 Chamber travel partner 
Chamber Explorations offers 
over 100 years of group travel 
experience, a nationwide team 
of travel consultants and first 
class people to people travel 
programs. They are committed 
to providing the highest level 
of service, quality and value to 
our chamber organizers and 
travelers.

 For information or to RSVP 
for the informational meeting, 
call 626-795-3355 or email 
Leanne@pasadena-chamber.
org. 

 Pasadena Public Library 
and Flintridge Center is set 
to open, March 12, the new 
Nonprofit Resource Center at 
La Pintoresca Branch Library. 

 This special collection was 
created by Flintridge in 1993 
and maintained at its offices 
through 2012 as a free resource 
library to support the work of 
local nonprofit organizations. 
The holdings include extensive 
reference and circulating 
materials on fundraising and 
nonprofit management. 

 “The collection’s new home 
in Flintridge’s service area of 
Northwest Pasadena/West 
Altadena is an ideal fit,” said 
Flintridge Center President 
Jaylene Moseley. “Now these 
valuable resources will be 
more accessible to nonprofits 
and our community, since La 
Pintoresca is open six days a 
week. Donating them to the 
library frees us to concentrate 
on pressing community needs.”

 The Nonprofit Learning 
Center is equipped with a 
dedicated computer with 
access to the Foundation 
Directory Online database. 
This computer is available on 
a first-come, first-served basis, 
Monday through Thursday, 
from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on 
Friday and Saturday, from 10 
a.m. to 6 p.m. Two additional 
computers, located in the 
branch’s Technology Learning 
Lab, also provide access to the 
grants research database during 
the Lab’s designated hours for 
adults. La Pintoresca staff is 
available onsite to assist users 
with the database.

 Join us for the ribbon-cutting 
ceremony a March 12 at 5 p.m. 
to celebrate the opening. 

For more information, contact 
Diane Walker (626) 744-7268 or 
dianewalker@cityofpasadena.
net.

Pet of the 
Week

 
Rory is a shy, four-year-
old Parson Russell terrier 
mix. He’s been out on our 
Mobile Unit and did well 
despite being shy. He warms 
up quickly and enjoys 
attention. Rory needs time 
adjusting to other dogs so 
an attentive home would be 
great for him. 

 Rory’s adoption fee is 
$125, 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, 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 
A321715, 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.

Learn How to Produce 
Your Own TV Show

Speed Dating For a Job

 
Pasadena Media offers 
a free television-training 
program for volunteers. 
Various Areas of training 
are available to Pasadena 
residents. Plan to attend 
an orientation to discover 
the right classes for you. 
Producers’ Training teaches 
citizens how to produce their 
own show for The Arroyo 
Channel. Studio Production/
Equipment training is 
also offered for volunteer 
crewmembers. In addition, 
on-going training and 
memberships are available in 
our citizen journalism and 
digital film groups. Call the 
office (626) 794-8585 or go 
to PASADENAMEDIA.ORG 
explore all that Pasadena 
Media has to offer.

 
Women At Work will host 
one if it’s most popular client 
events Wednesday from 
3:00 p.m. to 5:00p.m., the 
Employer Forum. 

 “This program has a history 
of some clients getting 
hired on the spot,” says 
Assistant Director, Janet 
Pope Givens. “Employers 
come with positions that 
they have open and are able 
to conduct a number of 
interviews in one afternoon 
with a number of qualified 
candidates. In that respect, 
Women At Work is not only 
an advocate for its clients, 
but we have also become a 
significant recruiting tool for 
many businesses in the San 
Gabriel Valley.”

 Over a half dozen employers 
that have jobs open and 
ready to fill will be present 
Pope Givens said. They will 
accept résumés and conduct 
interviews on site. The 
Forum will take place at the 
Women At Work Career 
and Job Resource Center 
at 3871 E Colorado Blvd in 
Pasadena.

 A Drop-In Résumé 
Critique service is available 
on Monday at 1:30 p.m., 
where an experienced 
career counselor will review 
résumés. The service costs 
$20 for a 15 minute critique 
that will prepare a résumé for 
presentation on Wednesday. 

 For more information, 
visit www.womenatwork.
org or call the center at 
626.796.6870. Employers 
who are interested in 
participating should call and 
ask for Job Developer Perla 
Bernal. Women At Work is 
working for every one.

 Women at Work Host 
Employer Forum

City 
Celebrates 
One City, 
One Story

 Author Karen Thompson 
Walker will join Jan 
Sanders, Pasadena Public 
Library Director, in 
conversation as they discuss 
her experiences writing 
“The Age of Miracles.” 
A question and answer 
session from the audience 
will immediately follow.

 Thursday, March 14, 7 
p.m. All Saints Church, 
Sanctuary, 132 N. Euclid 
Ave.

 Event parking is available 
in surrounding parking 
facilities. All parking is fee 
based.

Class Offerings 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Nightly

Orientation: 1st & 3rd Monday

Producers’ Training 2nd & 4th Monday

Camera 1st & 3rd Tuesday

Character Generator 2nd & 4th Tuesday

Lighting 1st & 3rd Wednesday

Audio 2nd & 4th Wednesday

Video Tape Operator 1st & 3rd Thursday

Technical Director 2nd & 4th Thursday

Stage Manager 1st & 3rd Friday

Teleprompter 2nd & 4th Friday

Citizen Journalism Every Tuesday

Digital Film Group Every Thursday