Mountain Views News          Saturday, November 9, 2013

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, November 9, 2013 


Old Town Barnes & Noble 
to Close End of December

Dr. Ross 
Selvidge 
Elected To 
PCC Board 
Of Trustees

 

 A Barnes & Noble spokesperson 
confirmed Wednesday that 
they were, in fact, closing the 
old Pasadena location at the 
end of the year—speculations 
had risen after clearance signs 
went up this week in the store’s 
windows. Starbucks Coffee 
in the store will also close but 
move down the street.

 The store, on Colorado 
Boulevard, just east of Fair Oaks 
Avenue will close Dec. 31. 

 “We have operated the 
Pasadena location for the past 
20 years,” said David Deason, 
Vice President of Development 
for Barnes & Noble. “Our lease 
is expiring in February 2014 
and we worked diligently to 
come to an agreement with 
the property owner, but were 
unable to come to terms to 
extend the lease. As a result the 
store will be closing end of this 
year. We do have numerous 
locations throughout the LA 
metro area and we look forward 
to the opportunity to continue 
to serve our customers.”

 Deason said the company, 
last year, closed 12 stores and 
opened 5 new stores. He did not 
comment on whether or not 
employees in Pasadena would 
be relocated to Barnes & Noble 
stores still open in Glendale and 
Burbank.

 An employee at Starbucks 
Coffee said they were moving 
down the street to 93 W 
Colorado Blvd, the previous 
location of Barney’s Ltd.

 In 2011 Borders Group filed 
for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and 
closed the Pasadena bookstore, 
the building at 475 S. Lake St. 
still sits empty. At the time, 
Barnes & Noble claimed assets 
form Borders including the 
company’s distribution. The 
closing of Borders and Barnes 
& Noble in Pasadena leaves 
Vroman’s as the last major 
bookstore in the city.


ARTS to be Renamed Pasadena Transit 

By Dean Lee

 The city revealed a new brand 
identity plan for the Pasadena 
Area Rapid Transit System 
(ARTS) —to now be called 
Pasadena Transit. Staff made 
the announcement through a 
presentation to a divisive city 
council Monday night. 

 Councilmember Steve Madison 
took issue with the new name 
calling it ordinary.

 “Were there other words used 
that they considered,” he asked. 
“I got to tell you my issue 
with this is it’s sort of like the 
‘New Coke.’ You’ve got a brand 
that everybody knows, ‘let’s 
take the ARTS Bus’ and now 
we come up with this really 
prosaic, ‘Pasadena Transit,’ to 
me it doesn’t roll off the tong, 
it’s not going to be symbolic of 
anything.”

 The city’s Director of 
Transportation, Fred Dock 
said his department used focus 
groups to come up with the 
name, he said there were other 
ideas, such as using rose or 
crown in the name.

 Madison said the name, 
Pasadena Transit, sounded 
more like a “line item” in a city 
budget. 

 Other names, not chosen, 
included, Pasadena Transit 
Transpiration Authority, Urban 
Transit Bus, and Up Bus. 

 Dock said there was confusion, 
in that, that ARTS busses do 
not take people to museums 
something Madison said they 
do, do, but, “was not the soul 
intent.”

 Other councilmembers 
also expressed concern over 
changing the name.

 “I don’t fully understand why 
we are tinkering over the name 
that has apparently worked…,” 
Councilmember John Kennedy 
said. “I find it hard to make the 
leap to Pasadena Transit and 
still get what you’re hopping 
for, which is, a brand name 
that’s short and sweet that tells 
everybody what it is.” 

 Councilmember Victor Gordo 
said the idea was aimed at people 
coming to the city to shop for 
the day. He said the new name 
would make the busses more 
useful. 

 The name was chosen through 
students in a class at the Art 
Center College of Design.

 “What I was trying to convey is 
clear and efficacy and get people 
to want to ride the bus,” said the 
design artist Julie Yeow. “instead 
of a scary experience.” 

 The rebranding involves 
updating and replacing bus 
stop signs, bus wraps, printed 
schedules, bus stop information 
panels and shelter maps, 
in addition to preparation 
of marketing materials and 
updating of the website 
according to the staff report. 
The new logo is a blue dot with a 
P in the middle.

A public campaign kickoff, with 
the installation of new graphics, 
will start in January Dock said.

 Councilmembers say 
they are not happy 
with the new name.

 Dr. Ross Selvidge was 
elected, in a close race 
Tuesday night, to the 
Pasadena City College Board 
of Trustees, representing 
area 1 —beating out 
contenders Dianne 
Philibosian and 19-year-old 
student Alex Keledjian for 
the area encompassing La 
Cañada Flintridge, and the 
western areas of Pasadena 
and Altadena. 

 Selvidge won the election 
with 45.9 percent, getting 
2,430 votes. 

“With careful budgeting, 
I will work to increase the 
number of classes at PCC,” 
he said.

 Dr. Dianne Philibosian 
a Director of the Institute 
for Community Health 
and Wellbeing at CSU 
Northridge received 2,221 
votes with 42 percent.

 Keledjian, a political 
science student at PCC, was 
endorsed by a number of 
dignitaries including, State 
Sen. Carol Liu, Pasadena 
Mayor Bill Bogaard and Los 
Angeles County Supervisor 
Michael Antonovich. He 
received 636, or 12 percent 
of the votes. 

 Selvidge will be sworn in 
at the Board of Trustees 
meeting on Dec. 11.

 The seat opened after 
longtime trustees Geoffrey 
Baum stepped down.

 Selvidge graduated from 
John Muir High School and 
attended PCC in 1965 where 
he was a member of the 1965 
championship gymnastics 
team. 


Barnes & Noble Google Street 

Tour of Arlington Garden

 Pasadena Public 
Library’s Pasadena Grows: 
Community Seed Library, a 
new addition to Hill Avenue 
Branch Library is hosting 
a tour of Arlington Garden 
led by Betty and Kicker: 
the Constant Gardeners on 
Saturday, November 16 at 
10:30 a.m. 

 Inspired by Jan Smithen’s 
book Sun-Drenched 
Gardens: The Mediterranean 
Style and designed by Mayita 
Dinos, Arlington Garden is a 
three acre garden on Caltrans 
owned land and leased to the 
City of Pasadena. 

Arlington Garden is located 
at 275 Arlington Drive, 
Pasadena. The tour will 
begin at the Arlington Drive 
entrance to the garden.

 For more information 
contact Nvart Stephanian, 
(626) 744-7264.

Annual 
Music 
Benefit 
Concert

City Meeting on Transit 
Oriented Development

 
The City of Pasadena’s Human 
Relations Commission proudly 
presents the15th Annual 
“Peace Through Music” Benefit 
Concert beginning tonight at 
7:30 p.m. at the First Church 
of the Nazarene, 3700 E. Sierra 
Madre Blvd.

 This year’s theme will be 
“Ending Hate and Giving 
Hope.” That same evening, the 
Human Relations Commission 
will be celebrating 50 years as a 
City Commission.

 Performing Artists at this 
year’s concert include: Yin Yin 
Yuang, pianist; Dr. Svetlana 
Oganesian, violinist; Alisonne 
Crawford, vocalist; Victoria Gu, 
dancer; Serena Wang, pianist; 
Sarah Liu, pianist; Alice Pero, 
flutist; Vahe Hayrikyan, cellist, 
and Matthew Tso, pianist.

 Tickets are $20.00 each and 
redeemable at the door. Please 
make checks payable to the City 
of Pasadena Human Relations 
Commission. Proceeds 
benefit special programs of the 
Pasadena Human Relations 
Commission.

 The Pasadena Human Relations 
Commission is committed to 
reducing prejudice, violence 
and hate crimes in the greater 
Pasadena area while also 
promoting good will and equal 
opportunity. The Commission 
helps provide the community 
with the understanding and 
knowledge to foster, appreciate 
accept cultural differences and 
diversity.

Fall Holiday Crafts Bazaar


Del Mar Gold Line Station

 The public is invited to a 
community meeting beginning 
at 6:30 p.m., Thursday to discuss 
proposed changes to the City’s 
Zoning Code regarding transit 
oriented development. 

 The meeting will be held 
at Pasadena Presbyterian 
Church’s Gamble Lounge, 585 
E. Colorado Blvd. Free parking 
is available on the north side of 
East Union Street.

 The Transit Oriented 
Development (TOD) section of 
the City’s Zoning Code requires 
new businesses and buildings 
to encourage walking, bicycling 
and use of public transit. The 
TOD code applies to properties 
within a quarter-mile radius (a 
five-minute walk) of a public 
transit station. The TOD Code 
encourages options beyond 
driving by prohibiting some 
auto-oriented businesses and 
placing limits on the amount of 
parking spaces.

 The TOD portion of the 
Zoning Code plays an 
important role in the City’s 
vision to create active, exciting, 
walkable Transit Villages and to 
make Pasadena a place where 
people can circulate without 
driving. It also assists the City 
in meeting Greenhouse Gas 
goals, reducing air pollution 
and reducing the amount of 
traffic created by new buildings. 
The TOD code helps create 
districts where people will be 
more likely to choose to walk or 
use alternative transportation, 
instead of driving, between 
destinations.

 City staff will present the 
proposed changes to the TOD 
Ordinance, including changes 
on parking requirements and 
uses allowed. Public feedback 
from this meeting will help 
staff with its recommendations, 
which eventually go before 
the Transportation Advisory 
Commission, the Planning 
Commission, and City Council. 

 For more information on 
the community meeting, call 
Scott Reimers, with the City’s 
Planning Department, at 
(626) 744-6710, or by email to 
sreimers@cityofpasadena.net.

Pet of the 
Week

Rhythms of the Village

 


 The City’s 4th Annual Holiday 
Arts & Crafts Bazaar will 
be held from 10:00 a.m. to 
4:00 p.m., Wednesday in the 
Rotunda of Pasadena City Hall, 
100 N. Garfield Ave. The event 
is sponsored by the Human 
Services and Recreation 
Department and features a 
wonderful variety of vendors 
displaying and selling unique 
gifts at great holiday prices for 
friends, family, or that special 
someone. 

 Some of the local participating 
businesses include Rhythms 
of the Village; Laga Designs 
International, Inc.; and 
Kaban Azul. In addition to 
these popular local vendors, 
talented seniors from the Jackie 
Robinson Community Center 
will also be on hand to display 
their homemade items for sale. 
Choose from unique jewelry, 
creative hats, homemade 
lotions, soaps, quilts, and much 
more. This is the perfect event 
to get a jump on your holiday 
shopping while supporting 
local, talented vendors.

 Chuko is a two-year-old 
white rabbit with the cutest 
brown mustache. He’s very 
friendly and enjoys being 
held. 

 Chuko’s adoption fee is 
$30, which includes his 
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 
A341503, 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.

Learn How to Produce 
Your Own TV Show

Speaking Of: Kate Lain

 In anticipation of Pasadena 
Media opening new studios at 
150 S. Los Robles Ave, they are 
offering free television-training 
programs for producers. Plan 
to attend an orientation to 
discover the right classes for 
you. Producers’ Training 
teaches how to produce shows 
for The Arroyo Channel. Studio 
Production/Equipment training 
is also offered to volunteer 
crewmembers. In addition, 
on-going training will soon be 
available in citizen journalism 
and digital film groups. Call the 
office (626) 794-8585 or go to 
PASADENAMEDIA.ORG and 
explore what Pasadena Media 
has to offer.


Lecture to 
be given on 
Kennedy’s 
Assassination

 
Pasadena Public Library’s 
Allendale Branch’s fifth in a 
series of quarterly programs 
which explore the lives and 
creative journeys of Pasadena’s 
most enduring artistic and 
cultural figures – people 
who have left an indelible 
impression on the artistic and 
cultural landscape of Pasadena 
and beyond will be held on 
Saturday, November 16 at 2 p.m. 
at Allendale Branch Library, 
1130 S. Marengo Ave. The event 
will feature a discussion with 
filmmaker Kate Lain. 

 Born and raised in Pasadena, 
Lain received a Master of Fine 
Arts in science and natural 
history filmmaking from 
Montana State University. 
Her films range from artist 
portraits to explorations of 
nature to essay films on family. 
Lain’s works have screened at 
Los Angeles Filmforum, Black 
Maria Film + Video Festival, 
and Athens International Film 
+ Video Festival. 

 By day, Lain works as the 
New Media Developer at 
The Huntington Library, Art 
Collections, and Botanical 
Gardens, where she oversees a 
variety of creative endeavors, 
including the Videre online 
video series. Videre, which in 
Latin means “to see,” plays with 
the idea of re-seeing, and the 
short videos she has produced 
for this project examine sights, 
sounds, and sensing at The 
Huntington. The program will 
include a selection of Lain’s 
short films.

 Glenn Bybee will present a 
lecture on the 50th anniversary 
of John F. Kennedy’s 
Assassination on Thursday 
at 7 p.m. at Pasadena Central 
Library’s Donald R. Wright 
Auditorium, 285 E. Walnut St. 
A question and answer session 
will follow.

 Bybee has researched and 
studied the assassination for 
over thirty-eight years. His 
lecture will be historically 
informative and organized in 
such a way that you will utilize 
your critical thinking and 
analytical skills to determine 
what you think really 
happened. This will NOT be 
a conspiracy theory oriented 
lecture. 

 For more information contact 
Christine Reeder, Adult 
Services, (626) 744-7076 or 
creeder@cityofpasadena.net.

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

Closed for Veterans’ Day

Monday Nov 11 all day 

Stage Manager Training

Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Character Generator Training

Wednesday, Nov 13 at 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Video Tape Op. Training

Thursday Nov.14 at 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm 

Producer Training

Monday Nov. 18 at 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm 

Citizen Journalism coming soon

Digital Film Group coming soon