Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 29, 2013

A4

Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 29, 2013 


POLICE AND 
FIRE TO BEEF 
UP SECURITY 
4TH OF JULY

LOCAL MAN 
SENTENCED 
TO PRISON 
FOR BOMB 
THREATS

SIGNS TO CURB SUICIDES 
TO BE PLACED ON BRIDGE


Man jumps from the 
bridge to his death 
Tuesday night.

 Event goers to this year’s 
87th Annual AmericaFest 
can expect increased security 
measures including, additional 
law enforcement and private 
security, bag checks at 
congestion points, bomb 
sniffing dogs and use of metal 
detectors. 

 Police said officers will also be 
armed with assault rifles. The 
extra efforts are in response 
to recent domestic terrorism 
including the Boston Marathon 
bombing police said. 

 Pasadena Police Chief Phillip 
Sanchez said there would be 
about 60,000 people at this 
year’s celebration. 

 “Police and fire will have 
joint enforcement out there 
confiscating and patrolling for 
[illegal] fireworks.” He said. 
“Fireworks will be seized, 
citations will be issued. Those 
cases will be summited to the 
city’s prosecutor’s office.”

 Sanchez also made a plea for 
the public’s help in keeping the 
area safe.

 “While celebrating our 
country’s National Day 
of Independence, please 
remember safety first and if you 
See Something, Say Something,” 
he said. 

 Pasadena Fire Chief Wells 
Calvin Wells said Tuesday Phos-
Chek, a long-term fire retardant, 
was sprayed around the Arroyo 
Seco. 

 “The four of July weekend 
will be particularly hot and dry 
which creates high fire danger.” 
Wells said. 

 Phos-Chek is a wild land 
fire retardant made with 
phosphate and fertilizer, “It is 
environmentally friendly, it will 
not cause harm to domestic 
animals or wildlife,” he said. 

 To report suspicious activity or 
fireworks violations call (626) 
744-4241.

 

 City officials announced last 
week they are set to place signs 
on the Colorado Street Bridge in 
August in hopes of preventing 
people from jumping to their 
deaths from the iconic structure 
nicknamed, “Suicide Bridge.”

 The 12 inch by 18 inch signs 
will display a telephone number 
for suicide hotline crisis 
counselors and the message, 
“Life Is Worth Living.” 

 Four metal signs will be placed 
on the bridge, two at each end 
according to city officials.

 They also said since 1919 
there have been more than 
150 deaths, and “Earned its 
reputation as ‘Suicide Bridge’ 
during the Great Depression.”

 The average age for suicide 
from the bridge is 47 years old. 
Men commit suicide, more 
often, from the structure than 
women. According to statistics 
supplied by the Police and 
Public Health Departments, 81 
men have jumped compared to 
13 women. 

 According to reports, a 
57-year-old man died Tuesday 
night after jumping from the 
bridge. An unidentified witness 
told officials they saw a man 
standing around 8 p.m. outside 
the railing. Fire officials, a 
short time later, found the man’s 
body below the bridge.

 Built in 1913 and opened 
December 13th, this year marks 
the Colorado Street Bridge 100 
anniversary. 

 A 25 year-old Pasadena 
man was sentenced last 
week to 16 month in prison 
for making bomb threats 
that prompt police to close 
streets, evacuate a middle 
school and the city’s Health 
Department headquarters.

 Gerardo Cortez, was 
charged and sentenced June 
21 for making false bomb 
and criminal threats to the 
police department Oct. 24 
and Oct. 25. Police said 
that, at the time, Cortez 
also claimed to have an 
assault weapon. Both 
Washington Middle School 
on North Marengo Avenue 
and the Pasadena Health 
Department headquarters 
were evacuated during the 
instances. 

 Although police, using 
bomb sniffing dogs, never 
found any explosives, a 
number of streets were also 
closed.

 They were eventually able 
to find and arrest Cortez.


Fourth of July, City 
Closures, Reminders

Concerts in 
the Park

STUDENT 
NAMED IN 
ALLEGATIONS 
AGAINST 
PCC ADVISER

 Pasadena residents and 
businesses are reminded 
that City Hall and many City 
services will be closed on 
Thursday, July 4, Independence 
Day, in observance of our 
Nation’s Birthday.

 The City Council will not meet 
in regular session on Monday, 
July 1. The Council’s next 
regular meeting is scheduled 
for Monday, July 8, 2013.

 Pasadena residents and 
businesses with any power 
emergencies should call the 
Pasadena Water and Power 
(PWP) Department at (626) 
744-4673 and for water-related 
emergencies call (626) 744-
4138. PWP’s Customer Service 
Call Center will be closed for 
the holiday, but customers 
can access their accounts and 
make payments by phone at 
(626) 744-4005 or online at 
www.PWPweb.com. The City’s 
Municipal Services Payment 
Center at City Hall also will be 
closed.

 For any life-threatening 
emergencies, always remember 
to call 9-1-1. To report illegal 
fireworks, call (626) 744-4241

 Residents with City of 
Pasadena trash and recycling 
pickup services will be on a 
regular schedule for trash, 
recycling and yard waste 
pickups the week of July 1, 
including Independence Day. 
No pickups for bulky items will 
be scheduled for July 4.

 All Pasadena Public Library 
sites will be closed on July 4.

 The City’s ARTS (Area Rapid 
Transit Service) and Dial-A-
Ride transportation programs 
will not be operating, but will 
resume normal schedules again 
on July 5. All parking meters 
are free and parking time limits 
will not enforced on July 4, 
however, violations for red 
curb parking and blocking fire 
hydrants will continue to be 
issued.

 All Recreation and 
Community Centers operated 
by the City’s Human Services 
and Recreation Department 
will be closed on July 4, but all 
parks will be open for picnics, 
fun and festivities. No site 
reservations are accepted on 
holidays.

 For more information about 
the City of Pasadena, visit 
www.cityofpasadena.net. 
Follow the City on Twitter @
PasadenaGov.

 The Pasadena Senior Center 
presents Concerts in the 
Park on Tuesday evenings all 
summer-long at the Levitt 
Pavilion in Memorial Park. 
From June 25 to September 
3, on Tuesday evenings from 
6:00 to 7:00pm, spend summer 
evenings in the Park listening 
to music from around the 
world. Bring your own picnic 
or dine at our BBQ Snack Bar.

Concert Schedule

JULY 2 | Susie Hansen Latin 
Jazz Band

Latin Jazz

Sponsored by Bankers Life and 
Casualty

JULY 9 | Mariachi Bella

All women mariachi band

Sponsored by CareMore

JULY 16 | Salty Suites

A blend of Americana, 
Bluegrass and Folk

JULY 23| Tumbleweed Rob 
and the Southwest Junction

Traditional Western “Cowboy” 
with a Country Twist

JULY 30| Pasadena Summer 
Youth Chamber Orchestra

Classical music

AUGUST 6| The Folk 
Collection

Americana at its Best

AUGUST 13| The Perfect 
Gentlemen

A Cappella blend of harmony 
and humor keeping the 
tradition of vaudeville alive

AUGUST 20| Lisa Haley and 
the Zydekats

Cajun - Grammy Award 
Winners

Sponsored by LA Arts 
Commission

AUGUST 27| The Rock 
Bottom Boys

Rock and Roll hits of the 60’s 
and 70’s with a hillbilly twist

Sponsored by CareMore

SEPTEMBER 3| The Great 
American Swing Band

Big Band sounds of the 
1940’s, Standards, Swing, Jazz, 
Rhythm and Blues, Dixieland

Sponsored by CareMore

Free and open to the public

Levitt Pavilion in Memorial 
Park 6:00 - 7:00pm

For more information http://
www.pasadenaseniorcenter.
org

Or call 626.795.4331

Colorado Street Bridge

Old Pasadena Walking Tours

 While the Pasadena City 
College Board of Trustees 
publicly announced the 
name of a student who 
filed allegations of sexual 
harassment by journalism 
adviser Warren Swil, the claim 
itself was not released. 

 According to the school’s 
newspaper, The Courier, 
a member of their staff, 
Raymond Bernal filed the 
claim. Bernal is listed as the 
newspaper’s opinion editor.

 The Board of Trustees 
rejected, June 5, a $100,000 
plus claim for damages filed by 
Bernal.

Swil was placed on leave and 
escorted off the campus by 
police March 28 after Bernal 
filed the complaint.

 
Pasadena Heritage members, 
friends and visitors have more 
opportunities to tour Pasadena’s 
original downtown. The Old 
Pasadena Walking Tour is offered 
monthly on the first Saturday of 
each month.

 Old Pasadena has gone from 
drab and dingy to a shopping and 
dining destination but without 
Pasadena Heritage, it would 
have been demolished! When 
founded 35 years ago, saving Old 
Pasadena was a top priority. Now 
it is one of the finest examples 
of downtown revitalizations in 
the country. As you wander Old 
Pasadena with one of the trained 
docents, you will find many 
beautiful and unusual details. 
During the research process, 
it was discovered that the old 
alleyways had remained virtually 
unchanged since Pasadena’s 
earliest days. Some alleyways 
even retain their historic signs, 
which are protected today.

 Walking Tour is offered First 
Saturdays, July 6, August 
3, September 7, October 5, 
November 2, and December 7. 

 Pasadena Heritage is a nonprofit 
organization dedicated to historic 
preservation in and around 
Pasadena, California.

 Tours are $12 members/$15 
non-members, all tours start 
9:00 a.m. For more information 
visit pasadenaheritage.org, or call 
(626) 441-6333. 

Pet of the 
Week


Sheriff’s Station to Hold 
‘Coffee with the Captain’

Road Closures, Reminders 
for Pasadena Marathon

 
The Altadena Sheriff’s Station 
will hold another “Coffee with 
the Captain” event on Tuesday, 
July 2, 2013 from 5:00 p.m. to 
6:30 p.m. 

 Altadena Sheriff’s Station 
Captain John Benedict and his 
staff will be at the Cafe Culture, 
located at 1359 N. Altadena Dr. 
The Cafe Culture is located on 
N. Altadena Drive just North 
of E. Washington Blvd. This is a 
new location for the Altadena 
Sheriff’s Station and we are 
looking forward to visiting with 
the community. 

 Captain Benedict has enjoyed 
meeting members of the 
community at these events. He 
finds these events an excellent 
opportunity to continue building 
on existing partnerships with the 
community and is very interested 
in hearing any questions or 
concerns anyone may have. These 
events help Captain Benedict and 
the Altadena Sheriff’s Station in 
identifying and prioritizing issues 
occurring in the community. 

 Partner to prevent or report 
crime by contacting Altadena 
Sheriff’s Station. Or if you wish 
to remain Anonymous, call “LA 
Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-
222-TIPS (8477), texting the 
letters TIPLA plus your tip to 
CRIMES (274637), or using the 
website http://lacrimestoppers.
org 

 If you see any suspicious activity 
either close to your home, or 
while you are out in the Altadena 
Area, call the Altadena Sheriff’s 
station at (626) 798-1131 or 9-1-
1 in an emergency. 

 Remember to interact with 
your local sheriff’s deputies by 
following us on Twitter, and 
liking our page on Facebook. 

 Altadena Station Twitter - @
ALDLASD 

 Captain Benedict Twitter - @
jbLASD 

 Facebook - https://
www.facebook.com/
AltadenaSheriffsStation

 

 The public is reminded about 
the following road closures and 
other event information for 
the Pasadena Half-Marathon 
happening from 6:30 a.m. to 
10:30 a.m., Sunday. Event 
includes a half marathon and 
10k & 5k runs followed by a 
post-race festival at Pasadena 
City College. About 3,500 
participants are expected to 
participate.

 The Start and Finish line is 
at Pasadena City College. The 
half marathon begins at 6:30 
a.m., followed by the 10k and 
5k starting at 7:00 a.m. and a 
special Kids Run at 8:00 a.m. 
The Finish Line Festival is from 
8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. 

 Motorists and residents are 
advised that numerous City 
streets will be closed, restricted 
or unavailable to vehicles. All 
streets slated for barricades or 
closure will be closed no later 
than 5:30 a.m. on Race Day. 
Staggered re-openings of streets 
will occur until about 10:30 
a.m. when most roads should 
be re-opened.

 Any suspicious activity 
should be reported to Pasadena 
Police or on-scene public 
safety personnel. “If You See 
Something, Say Something” is 
an instrumental component in 
working to keep the Pasadena 
community safe, every day.

 Race Day Detours

 Motorists are encouraged 
to look at the online maps 
for detailed detour routes. 
Primary detour routes include 
Washington Boulevard to the 
North, Hill or Allen to the 
East, Del Mar Boulevard to the 
South and Fair Oaks or the 710 
Extension to the West.

 Parking Information for 
Residents and Businesses

 No Parking signs will be posted 
along the course. Overnight 
parking restrictions will be 
lifted within a quarter mile 
radius of the half marathon 
route from 2:00 a.m. to 10:30 
a.m. on Race Day only. During 
this time, parking permits will 
not be required to park on 
City streets within this area. 
All other parking restrictions 
and prohibitions will apply, 
including temporary tow-away 
zones, no parking near fire 
hydrants or in red zones and 
parking by permit only in blue 
disabled parking spots.

 Vehicle Towing Along Route

 The half marathon route will 
be posted with No Parking 
signs. Vehicles that are parked 
on the course during the 
restricted times will be towed 
to the Pasadena Central Library 
parking lot at 1365 E. Colorado 
East Boulevard, and will be 
available for pick-up for free 
only until 1:00 pm on the day of 
the half marathon. Call (626) 
584-6538 on Race Day only for 
towing information. After that, 
unclaimed towed vehicles will 
be moved to a City storage lot 
and storage charges will apply.

 The Race Course

 The Race Course is divided 
into zones, including Red, Blue 
and Gold. Use the online maps 
at www.pasadenamarathon.org 
to show specific road closure 
hours near your neighborhood.

 On Race Day only, the public 
telephone number to call with 
day-of-event questions about 
street closures, parking, towed 
vehicles or sound complaints is: 
(626) 584-6538. 

 Event information and race 
course maps are online at www.
pasadenamarathon.org. Or, 
email the event at information@
pasadenamarathon.org.

 Layla is a five-year-old, 
brindle and white Boxer. 
She’s very energetic and 
loves attention. An active 
family would be great for 
her. 

 Layla’s adoption fee is 
$125, which 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. Layla also 
qualifies for our Seniors 
for Seniors program in 
which her adoption fee 
is waived for adopters 60 
years old and up. Ask an 
adoptions counselor for 
more information during 
your visit. 

 Call the Pasadena 
Humane Society & SPCA at 
626.792.7151 to ask about 
A329017, 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.

Chamber Celebrates 125th Anniversary

Pasadena Chamber of 
Commerce members, 
community leaders and 
guests will celebrate at the 
annual Pasadena Chamber of 
Commerce Inaugural Gala on 
Friday, July 12, at 6:00 p.m. at 
the Hilton Pasadena. This year, 
the Chamber celebrates the 
installation of CL Keedy of UBS 
Financial as Chair of the Board 
of Directors. The Chamber also 
installs new officers and Board 
members for the coming year.

 “In addition to installing 
officers and new Board 
members, we will be celebrating 
125 years of service to our 
community by the Pasadena 
Chamber of Commerce,” said 
CEO Paul Little. “We will also 
be honoring our Corporate 
Citizens of the Year in the large 
and small business categories 
and giving out scholarships to 
high school and community 
college graduates who are 
attending four-year colleges in 
the fall.”

 There are still seats available. 
Corporate tables of ten cost 
$1750. Individual tickets to 
the Inaugural Gala cost $175. 
A seat at the Inaugural Gala 
includes the hosted cocktail 
reception and the dinner and 
program. Complimentary 
valet parking is also included. 
Anyone wanting information 
can call the Chamber at (626) 
795-3355 or visit the website at 
www.pasadena-chamber.org to 
purchase tickets online.

 Event celebrates 
inauguration of CL Keedy 
as Chair of the Board, 
honors outgoing chair 
Patty Waggoner