Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 19, 2014

SR 710 
FreewayStudyDelayed 


Illegal Boarding Home Operators Charged 

 
In a letter released Tuesday, 
Metro officials stated that the 
long anticipated release of the 
Draft Environmental Impact 
Report/Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIR/EIS) for the 
State Route 710 North Study is 
being delayed.

 The Draft EIR/EIS will 
thoroughly analyze five 
alternatives to closing the 

4.5 mile gap in the original 
710 Freeway design that 
exists between Alhambra 
and Pasadena including, 
Bus Rapid Transit, Light Rail 
Transit, Transportation System 
Management/TransportationDemand Management, a 
freeway tunnel, and a No Build 
option. 
“Metro is working with 
Caltrans on a revised 
schedule and will make an 
announcement as soon as it is 
confirmed’” they announced. 
“Metro had hoped to release 
the draft environmental 
documents this spring but 
the work was delayed while 
the latest Southern California 
Association of Governments 
(SCAG) regional travel 
demand computer model for 
analyzing the alternatives was 
calibrated and applied.

 Metro, Caltrans, local cities 
and private developers all are 
required to use the SCAG 
regional travel demand model 
as a basis for project planning. 
It predicts future (2035) traffic 
through a thorough analysis 
of projected travel patterns 
considering such factors as 
population and employment 
growth, goods movement, 
land use changes and other 
variables. Other critical 
analysis including air quality, 
a health risk assessment, noise 
and energy effects also depend 
on travel demand computer 
modeling. 

 Officials said they are one of 
the first agencies to use the new 
model and that forecasting for 
all of the alternatives was not 
completed until February of 
this year leading to the delay.

 For updates, go to metro.net/
sr710study. 

Pet of the 
Week

 
Dakota is a five-year-old St. 
Bernard. She’s very friendly 
and calm. She enjoys going 
on walks in the park too! 
Don’t let her size fool you; 
she’s a sweet gentle giant. 

 Dakota’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. She also 
qualifies for our “Seniors for 
Seniors” program in which 
her adoption fee is waived 
for adopters 60 years old 
and older. 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 
A353359, 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.

In separate cases, two property 
owners who operated illegal, 
unlicensed and over-crowded 
boarding homes were charged 
earlier this month with 
numerous violations including 
substandard housing that may 
have played a role in an arson 
fire that killed two tenants.

 On April 7, Jeanette Broussard 
pled no contest to, and was 
convicted of, 23 counts 
regarding operating an illegal 
boarding house at 1385 El 
Sereno Avenue where up to 19 
people were living. As part of 
her sentence, Broussard will pay 
more than $2,000 in fines, serve 
36 months of probation, not 
use the property as a boarding 
house in violation of city codes 
and submit to all inspections of 
the property by the City at any 
time without notice during the 

Eric Walsh 
Named PCC 
Graduation 
Speaker 

 Dr. Eric Walsh will deliver 
the Commencement address 
at Pasadena City College on 
Friday, May 9, 7pm, at the Jackie 
Robinson Memorial stadium, 
President-Superintendent,
Mark Rocha announced 
Tuesday. 

 “We are pleased that Dr. Walsh 
has agreed to deliver this year’s 
Commencement address,” 
Rocha said. “As a preeminent 
leader in the Pasadena 
community, his extraordinary 
community work and 
commitment to public service 
will serve as an inspiration to 
our students.”

 Walsh is the Director and Health 
Officer for the Department of 
Health in Pasadena, Ca. He is 
on the staff of the Loma Linda 
University School of Medicine 
and teaches at the University of 
California, Irvine as an adjunct 
professor.

 In addition to his academic 
endeavors, Walsh serves 
on the President’s Advisory 
Council on HIV/AIDS. He is 
the immediate past President 
of the California Academy of 


Biologist Wins Albany
Medical Center Prize


 Alexander Varshavsky, 
Howard and Gwen Laurie 
Smits Professor of Cell Biology 
at Caltech, has been named 
the recipient of the 2014 
Albany Medical Center Prize 
in Medicine and Biomedical 
Research. 

The award, of which 
Varshavsky is the sole recipient 
this year, recognizes him for 
his groundbreaking work in 
biology, specifically for the 
“discovery of critical molecular 
determinants and biological 
functions of intracellular 
protein degradation,” a set 
of fundamentally important 
processes that is central to the 
physiology of both individual 
cells and multicellular 
organisms.

“Studies by my laboratory, 
initially at MIT and later 
at Caltech, focused on the 
understanding of how and 
why cells destroy their own 
proteins to withstand stress, to 

probation.

 “Pasadena will not tolerate the 
owners of illegal, unsafe, and 
over-crowded boarding houses 
who believe they can operate 
with impunity at the expense of 
public safety,” said City Attorney/
City Prosecutor Michele Beal 
Bagneris. “The City will not 
allow these property owners to 
become unjustly enriched while 
blatantly violating the law and 
endangering the public.” 

In the second case, husbandand-
wife Nicholas Benson 
Mnkandla and Eva Meyers on 
April 10 both pled no contest 
to, and were convicted on, 
numerous charges of operating 
an illegal boarding home and 
other housing code violations 
regarding their property at 280 

W. Washington Boulevard. 
Mnkandla was convicted of 14 
Dr. Eric Walsh


Preventive Medicine and is an 
active committee member with 
the Centers for Disease Control.

 Walsh is board certified 
in Family Medicine and is 
board eligible in Preventive 
Medicine and Public Health. 
He is currently completing his 
Doctorate in Public Health.

 The recipient of many awards, 
including Congressional 
Recognition for his leadership 
and contribution to the health of 
children, he was most recently 
awarded the prestigious 100 
Black Men of Orange County 
Award in Health and Wellness 
Care.

 Walsh is dedicated to serving 
the residents of Pasadena 
through public health practices 
and policy development 
that increases the ability of 
individuals to attain health and 
wellness. 

grow and divide, to differentiate 
into new kinds of cells, and 
to do countless other things 
that make living organisms so 
astonishing and fascinating,” 
Varshavsky says.

 He and colleagues in his lab 
have spent the past several 
decades studying the ubiquitin 
system, a set of biological 
pathways that have in common 
a small protein called ubiquitin. 
This highly complex system was 
found to mediate the regulated 
degradation of intracellular 
proteins, and other processes 
as well. It was gradually 
understood that functions of 
this system are relevant to just 
about everything that living 
cells do.

 “The field of ubiquitin research 
has been expanding at an 
amazing pace, and is now one of 
the largest arenas in biomedical 
science,” Varshavsky says. “Both 
earlier and recent discoveries 
illuminate the ubiquitin system 
and protein degradation from 
many different angles and 
continue to foster our ability 
to tackle human diseases, 
from cancer, infections, and 
cardiovascular illnesses to 
neurodegenerative syndromes 
and the aging process itself.” 

Varshavsky is the second 
Caltech faculty member to 
receive the $500,000 Albany 
Prize for research in life sciences. 
The late Caltech geneticist and 
molecular biologist Seymour 
Benzer was a recipient of the 
Albany Prize in 2006. 

counts—five for operating an 
illegal boarding house and nine 
code violations for substandard 
housing. Mnkandla‘s wife was 
convicted on three counts— 
one for operating the illegal 
boarding house and two for 
substandard housing violations. 

Mnkandla received an 
18-month county jail sentence, 
suspended, three years of 
probation, 500 hours of 
community service, a $500 fine 
plus penalty assessments, and 
one day in jail. 

 A former tenant of Broussard 
faces two felony murder charges 
and 15 counts of attempted 
murder for his alleged role in 
setting the November 1, 2012 
arson fire that killed two other 
tenants at the property. 

The ground at the site for the 
Pasadena Armenian Genocide 
Memorial will be blessed 
Sunday, April 27, during a 
6 pm public ceremony at 
Memorial Park. 
Retired U.S. District Court 
Judge Dickran M. Tevrizian will 
serve as Master of Ceremonies 
and the consecration will 
be performed by Hovnan 
Derderian, Archbishop of 
the Western Diocese of the 
Armenian Apostolic Church, 
and Archbishop MousheghMardirossian of the Western 
Prelacy of the Armenian 
Apostolic Church. 
Choirs from the Sahag Mesrob 
Armenian Christian School in 
Altadena and the Armenian 
General Benevolent Union 
High School in Pasadena will 
sing. 
“I encourage the greater 
Pasadena community to 
attend this important event,” 
said former California 
Assemblyman Anthony 
Portantino, who serves on the 
Pasadena Armenian Genocide 
Committee. “This Memorial 
will offer a place for reflection, 
hope and inspiration.” 
Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard 
and California Assemblyman 
Chris Holden will be among 
the elected officials at the 
event. 
The Memorial, approved by 
the Pasadena City Council 
in September 2013, will be 
completed and dedicated at the 
north side of Memorial Park in 
April 2015 to mark the 100th 
anniversary of the killing of 
1.5 million Armenians over a 
three-year period beginning 
in 1915. It will commemorate 
the Armenian Genocide and 
condemn all crimes against 
humanity 
Armenian 
Genocide 
Memorial site 
to be blessed
Lawn Mower 
Exchange 

 
Southland residents can 
register starting this week to 
get up to 75 percent in savings 
on a new electric lawn mower 
with the South Coast AQMD’s 
popular Lawn Mower 
Exchange Program. 

Now in its 12th year, the 
program helps air quality 
by trading residents’ used, 
gas-powered lawn mowers 
for, cordless battery-electric 
models.

 This year’s program offers 
4,000 mowers for trade-in. 
Once registration opens, 
secure a spot at one of four 
events being held this year 
in Long Beach, Pasadena, 
Riverside and Anaheim. 
Pasadena will be May 17 from 
8 a.m. to noon.

 Residents must pre-register 
at www.aqmd.gov or calling 
1-888-425-6247. To qualify, 
participants must live in 
SCAQMD’s jurisdiction. 

Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 19, 2014 

Bike Week Pasadena to 
Pedal through the City


 Weeklong bicycling 
activities finish with a 
front row seat to this 
year’s Amgen Tour of 
California.

The 8th Annual Bike Week 
Pasadena rolls through the 
city May 11th-17th, providing 
even more opportunities for 
community members to zip 
along on two wheels in fun, 
supported, and engaging ways. 
C.I.C.L.E., an L.A. based bike 
advocacy non-profit, and the 
City of Pasadena will present a 
week-long showcase for most 
skill levels and age groups to 
promote bicycling as a safe 
and sustainable way to access 
your daily errands and favorite 
activities. 
All Bike Week Pasadena 
activities are free and open to 
the public. 

 Bike Ed Day May 11, 10 a.m.


12:30 p.m. 
Drop by for a basic bicycle 
maintenance workshop to 
learn bicycle fixes and get 
informed about Traffic Safety 
with a dynamic presentation. 
Location: Incycle 175 S Fair 
Oaks Ave. 

 A Taste of Pasadena Ride May 
12, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

 Cruise along to the Pasadena 
Playhouse restaurants, Whole 
Foods, and the Luggage Room 
Pizzeria for the most delicious 
tour you’ve ever pedaled 
through. Location: Meet at 
Memorial Park Pasadena 
(Raymond Ave & Holly St.) 

Shop by Bike Day May 13 
(Business Hours)

 Roll into Pasadena shops and 
businesses for Pasadena’s first 
Shop by Bike Day. Participating 
business will be offering 
discounts and incentives for 
local customers eager to start 
shopping by bike.

 Women on Bikes Night (Ride 
& Bicycle Clinic) May 14, 6:30 
p.m.-9:30 p.m.

 Join C.I.C.L.E. for a women-
focused social ride and 
workshop. This ride will take 
on the streets of Pasadena and 
roll over to Pasadena Cyclery 
for a safety clinic with Team 
Luna Chix. The evening will 
end with a post-event “All Night 


New Summer Venue for 
Pasadena Farmers Market 

 The City’s Human Services 
and Recreation Department 
announces the summer location 
for the Farmers Market will be 
held April 16 to Oct 2, 2014 in 
Centennial Square in front of 
City Hall, 100 N. Garfield Ave., 
at Holly Street. Each year the 
Pasadena Certified Farmers 
Market selects a summer 
location to expand its offerings 
of healthy, delicious, and locally 
grown food.

Every Wednesday from 4-8 
p.m., April 16 to October 2, 
2014, the Market will be open. 
Summer highlights include 
fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers, 
eggs, honey, bread, cheese and 
more. Other treats such as 
coffee, tamales, roasted corn 
and barbequed meats will be 
available for sale. 

In addition to the summer 
location at City Hall, the 
program includes two other 
regular locations at: 

 Victory Park, in the PHS 

Learn How to Produce 
Your Own TV Show 

 With the opening of the new 
Pasadena Media 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 
Class Offerings 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Nightly

 Producers Training 

Monday April 21 at 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm 

Training Orientation 

Monday April 28 at 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm 

Introduction to Field Production Training 

Wednesday April 30 at 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm 

Producers Training 

Monday May 5 at 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm 

Citizen Journalism coming soon 
Digital Film Group coming soon

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. 


Happy Hour” for the Women 
on Bikes Night participants at 
Sushi Roku. Location: Meet 
at Memorial Park Pasadena 
(Raymond Ave & Holly St.)

 Bike to Work Day May 15th 

6:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m. 
Stop by the Pasadena City 
Hall for a pit-stop during your 
morning commute to work for 
coffee and snacks. Learn safe 
riding tips and bike routes from 
seasoned commuters and renew 
your commitment to bike 
commuting or take the plunge 
and pledge to join this growing 
community. 

 Bike-In Movie Night May 
16th 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

 Watch the Goonies for 
Bike Week’s ever-popular 
Bike-In Movie! Ride with 
us to Paseo Colorado for an 
outdoor screening, Meeting 
Location: Meet at Caltech’s 
Beckman Lawn, 440 South 
Wilson Avenue, (between Del 
Mar Blvd & San Pasqual St.)

Ride, Roll & Stroll and Bike 
Ride with the Mayor May 17th 

11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m. 
The Kaiser Permanente Ride, 
Roll & Stroll will feature an 
organized bike ride with Mayor 
Bill Bogaard in celebration 
of the final day of Bike Week 
Pasadena. After the ride, plan to 
stay and watch the Amgen Tour 
of California, cycling’s most 
prestigious professional road 
race in the US. Location: City 
Hall, 100 N Garfield Ave. 

Parking Lot, off Sierra Madre 
Boulevard, near the park at 
2575 Paloma St., from 8:30 a.m. 
to 1 p.m., Saturdays, and 
Villa-Parke Community Center, 
363 E. Villa St., 8:30 a.m. to 1 
p.m., Tuesdays. 

 For more information 
about these farmers 
markets, go online to www.
pasadenafarmersmarket.org or 
call (626) 744-7509 or (626) 4490179. 
For more information 
about the Human Services and 
Recreation Department please 
visit www.cityofpasadena.net/
humanservices. 

A fourth Farmers Market 
is also held in Old Pasadena, 
on Holly Street at Raymond 
Avenue, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 
Sundays. This market is 
sponsored by the Old Pasadena 
Management District. For more 
info visit www.oldpasadena.
org/farmersmarket; by phone 
at (626) 356-9725 or email to 
info@oldpasadena.org