Mountain Views News          Saturday, December 13, 2014

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Mountain View News Saturday, December 13, 2014 


GROUPS 
FILE LAWSUIT 
AGAINST 
DEVIL'S GATE 
DAM PROJECT

CITY CELEBRATES UN 
HUMAN RIGHTS DAY

 The community joined 
Mayor Bogaard and the 
Pasadena Chapter of the 
United Nations Wednesday 
night to commemorate the 
66th anniversary of the U.N. 
Universal Declaration of 
Human Rights. The event 
took place at the Pasadena 
Central Library. 

 Each year during 
International Human 
Rights Day, Pasadena joins 
communities around the 
world to celebrate the U.N. 
General Assembly’s adoption 
of the Universal Declaration 
of Human Rights Dec. 10, 
1948. This year’s celebration 
featured a special video 
presentation, lecture and 
exhibits centered on the 2015 
U.N. theme “International 
Year of Light and Light-
based Technologies.” 

 The events began with 
opening remarks by Bogaard.

 “As the international 
community tackles the 
challenge of global climate 
change, there has been 
an increased focus on 
conservation and using 
renewable and alternative 
energy sources,” Bogaard 
said of the event. “Pasadena’s 
ongoing commitment to 
attaining greater energy 
efficiency mirrors the U.N.’s 
2015 theme of light and 
light-based technologies.” 

 This year’s featured speaker 
was award-winning scientist 
and sustainability expert 
Elena Christopoulos. 

 Representatives of the 
Arroyo Seco Foundation 
and the Pasadena Audubon 
Society announced 
Wednesday their intent to 
file a lawsuit challenging the 
LA County Flood Control 
District’s program to scour 
the basin behind Devil’s 
Gate Dam in Hahamongna 
Watershed Park. The 
announcement was made 
during a morning news 
conference near the dam.

 Representatives said the 
lawsuit will challenge the 
environmental impacts of 
the Flood Control District’s 
Big Dig program, which 
would involve 150,000 diesel 
trucks removing more than 
2.4 million cubic yards of 
sand and sediment from the 
basin behind Devil’s Gate 
Dam over a five year period 
and permanently degrading 
more than 50 acres of 
streamzone habitat there. 
The massive nature of the 
sediment trucking program 
has raised serious concerns 
over air pollution, traffic 
and public health they said.

 “The Flood Control 
District’s Big Dig plan 
ignores overwhelming 
community support for a 
more moderate and less 
destructive approach to 
removing the sediment 
that has accumulated 
behind Devil’s Gate Dam 
over many decades,” said 
Tim Brick, ASF Managing 
Director. Laura Garrett, 
PAS Conservation Chair, 
said, “We can protect 
the habitat, wildlife and 
recreational activities 
at Hahamonga, while 
providing a safe level of 
flood protection. Pasadena’s 
recommendations and the 
scores of comments offered 
during the Environmental 
Impact Report process 
demonstrate that.”

 The plan was approved 
by the LA County Board 
of Supervisors on Nov. 12 
by a 4-1 vote, with County 
Supervisor Yaroslavsly 
dissenting. 

Chick-fil-A Quietly Opens in Pasadena

By Dean Lee

 After years of trying, Chick-
fil-A finally opened a store 
location in the city Thursday 
near Pasadena City College 
against the wishes of some 
students due to the company’s 
stand in opposition to same-sex 
marriage.

 Hundreds of people lined up 
Wednesday night for a change to 
be one of the first 100 customers, 
winning a free Chick-fil-A meal 
per week for a year, something 
the eatery does at every new 
store location.

 The first 100 were selected by 
raffle ticket. Those chosen, then 
camped overnight in the parking 
lot creating a scene reminiscent 
of the Rose Parade. An official 
ribbon cutting, with Pasadena 
Mayor Bill Bogaard, and the 
new owner and operators, took 
place around 6 a.m. Thursday 
morning.

 Bogaard took a bite of a chicken 
sandwich to mark the opening.

 During a deadlocked decision 
in May, Bogaard along with 
Councilmembers Jacque 
Robinson, Margaret McAustin 
and Councilman Steve Madison 
voted in favor of allowing the 
restaurant to take over the 
vacant Burger King and expand 
the drive-thru. 

 At issue was a request by 
Councilman Terry Tornek to 
revisit a request for building 
permits related to the drive-
thru and two protected trees. 
Some criticized Tornek’s move 
as political. In March Pasadena, 
LGBT students rallied against 
the restaurant arguing that the 
presence of Chick-fil-A near 
the school would “cause great 
distress.”

 Over a six year span, the city 
council had denied Chick-fil-A 
permits at six other potential 
restaurant locations throughout 
the city. 

 The eatery has promised to hire 
50 to 60 PCC students at the 
new location.


Rep. Schiff 
Urges Funds 
for Body 
Cameras


PCC Attends 
White House 
College 
Opportunity 
Day of Action

 

 Dr. Robert Miller, interim 
superintendent-president of 
Pasadena City College, joined 
President Obama, the First 
Lady, Vice President Biden, and 
hundreds of college presidents 
and higher education leaders 
last week announce new actions 
to help more students prepare 
for and graduate from college. 

 The White House College 
Opportunity Day of Action, 
Dec. 4, highlighted President 
Obama’s commitment to 
partner with colleges and 
universities, business leaders, 
and nonprofits in an effort 
to support students across 
the country to help reach the 
Administration’s goal of leading 
the world in college attainment. 

 “It is a humbling experience 
to be asked to represent our 
faculty and staff at our nation’s 
capital,” Miller reported from 
the event, which was held at the 
Ronald Reagan Building and 
International Trade Center. “As 
I participate, I will reflect on the 
quality of our great college and 
the miracles performed every 
day by our students, faculty 
and staff. PCC continues as 
one of the greatest colleges in 
the nation. And this tribute is 
further evidence of this fact.”

 Participants were asked to 
commit to new action in one of 
four areas: building networks 
of colleges around promoting 
completion, creating K-16 
partnerships around college 
readiness, investing in high 
school counselors as part of 
the First Lady’s Reach Higher 
initiative, and increasing the 
number of college graduates in 
the fields of science, technology, 
engineering, and mathematics.

 The President also announced 
new steps on how his 
Administration is helping to 
support these actions, including 
announcing $10 million to help 
promote college completion 
and a $30 million AmeriCorps 
program that will improve 
low-income students’ access to 
college. 

 Expanding opportunity 
for more students to enroll 
and succeed in college, 
especially low-income and 
underrepresented students, 
is vital to building a strong 
economy and a strong middle 
class. Today, only 9 percent 
of those born in the lowest 
family income quartile attain 
a bachelor’s degree by age 25, 
compared to 54 percent in the 
top quartile.

 In an effort to expand 
college access, the Obama 
Administration has also 
increased Pell scholarships by 
$1,000 a year, created the new 
American Opportunity Tax 
Credit worth up to $10,000 over 
four years of college, limited 
student loan payments to 10 
percent of income, and laid out 
an ambitious agenda to reduce 
college costs and promote 
innovation and competition.

 Rep. Adam Schiff, a former 
federal prosecutor who 
recently urged the Department 
of Justice earlier this month 
to help fund local police 
departments’ purchase of 
small body-worn cameras in 
order to increase transparency, 
decrease tensions between 
police and community 
members, and create a 
record of events, released 
the following statement after 
President Obama announced 
the Administration would 
provide $75 million in funding 
for this program:

 “The President’s 
announcement that he will seek 
$75 million in new funding to 
expand the use of body worn 
cameras for police officers 
is a welcome and important 
step towards making the use 
of body cameras standard 
practice in police departments 
across the country, and I’m 
looking forward to working 
to accomplish our shared goal 
of fully funding this initiative. 
The broader use of body 
cameras is a commonsense 
step which would help build 
trust and accountability where 
police-community relations 
are frayed, and potentially 
avert deadly confrontations 
like the one in which Michael 
Brown lost his life. We know 
that body cameras for police 
officers work, and it’s time to 
make them a reality.”

 Schiff, along with other 
Members of Congress, recently 
sent a letter to U.S. Attorney 
General Eric Holder urging the 
Department of Justice to help 
fund local police departments’ 
purchase of small body-worn 
cameras.

 From the letter: “These 
cameras provide a visual and 
audio record of interactions 
with the public, so that in 
the event of a confrontation 
or police-involved shooting, 
such as the one that occurred 
in Ferguson, there is an 
inalterable record of the events. 
There are also indications that 
the presence of body cameras 
has a civilizing effect on both 
police officers and the public, 
resulting in lower incidences of 
excessive force complaints and 
deescalating tense situations 
before they become violent.”

Altadena Residents Light 
Up Christmas Tree Lane

 


 The oldest large-scale 
Christmas lighting spectacle 
in the United States is set 
today to hold the 94th Annual 
Christmas Tree Lane Lighting 
Ceremony and Winter Arts 
and Crafts Festival starting at 2 
p.m. The tree lighting ceremony 
takes place at 6 p.m.

 Every Christmas season 
for more than 80 years, the 
majestic deodars on the “Mile 
of Christmas Trees” are strung 
with 10,000 lights.

 In 1885, real estate magnate 
John P. Woodbury of the 
Woodbury Family, the founders 
of Altadena - planted 134 
deodar trees (Cedrus deodara) 
as a grand mile-long driveway 
entrance to the mansion he 
would build. Woodbury’s 
mansion was never built, but the 
trees thrived and the “driveway” 
became Santa Rosa Avenue.

 In 1920, Altadena resident 
and department store owner 
Frederick C. Nash organized 
the first tree-lighting spectacle. 
In that first December when 
deodars were decorated with 
colorful lights with the goal of 
attracting shoppers to Nash’s 
store, one of the most celebrated 
Los Angeles-area traditions was 
born. The Lane is recognized as 
the oldest large-scale outdoor 
Christmas display in the 
world, listed in the National 
Register of Historic Places and 
designated as the California 
State Landmark No. 990.

 Christmas Tree Lane in 
Altadena is on Santa Rosa 
Avenue, between Woodbury 
Avenue and Altadena Drive. 
Arts and Crafts Festival to 
include 29 gift and food 
vendors, face painting, and the 
Girl Scouts will provide free hot 
cocoa. The Girl Scouts local 
troop #060401 will also light 
the Lane.

 For more information, visit 
www.christmastreelane.net.

Pet of the 
Week

 
Zoe is a 1-year-old female 
blue pit bull. She’s very 
energetic and enjoys playing 
and going for walks. She 
has earned her blue ribbon 
which means that she 
knows her sit, down, and 
stay commands. Because 
of her blue ribbon training, 
her adoption fee has been 
reduced to $100. 

 The regular dog adoption 
fee is $125 which includes 
the spay or neuter surgery, 
microchip, vaccinations, 
and 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. 

 Call the Pasadena 
Humane Society & SPCA 
at 626.792.7151 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

Free December Events at 
Pasadena Senior Center 

 
New Citizen Journalism 
training starts Wednesday 
nights, learn how to report 
news using social media 
skills.

 There is something for 
everyone in December at the 
Pasadena Senior Center, 85 
E. Holly St. You do not have 
to be a member to attend. 
Some events require advance 
reservations as noted.

 Stay Connected with 
Social Media – Tuesdays 
and Thursdays, through 
Dec. 23, from 9 to 11 a.m. 
Learn how to keep in touch 
with family and friends via 
email, Skype, Facebook 
and other forms of social 
media during a 30-minute, 
one-on-one meeting with 
an instructor. You’ll choose 
which applications you want 
to learn. Bring a laptop or use 
one of the onsite computers. 
If you have an email address, 
bring it and your password. 
Sign up with Edison at the 
Welcome Desk.

 Smart Phones, Tablets 
and Computers – Any 
Questions? – Tuesdays 
and Thursdays, through 
Dec. 23, from 10 to 11 a.m. 
Get the answers you need 
about technology devices, 
whether you own them 
already or are considering 
a purchase. Learn how to 
text, check voicemail, set an 
alarm, navigate the Internet, 
download apps and more.

 Friday Movie Matinees – 
Friday Dec. 26, at 1 p.m. 
“Miracle on 34th Street” 
(1947) starring Edmund 
Gwenn and Natalie Wood.

 Senior Living Options 
– Thursday, Dec. 18, at 
10 a.m. Several options 
for senior living are 
available, and knowing 
what Medicare covers is 
important in choosing the 
right one. Learn about long-
term care, assisted living, 
nursing homes and their 
relationships to Medicare. 
Presented by Laura Morgan 
& Associates.

 For more information visit 
www.pasadenaseniorcenter.
org or call 626-795-4331.

 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 crew members. 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.

Kwanzaa 
Celebration

 Join us for Kwanzaa: A 
Celebration of Family, 
Community & Culture 
on Saturday, December 27 
from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at La 
Pintoresca Branch Library, 
1355 N. Raymond Ave. 
Enjoy music, stories and 
tasty dishes prepared by 
members of the Pasadena 
Alumnae Chapter of Delta 
Sigma Theta Sorority.For 
more information contact 
Pat Smith (626) 744-7268 
or psmith@cityofpasadena.
net.

Class offerings days and nights weekly

Station Schedule 

PCAC Board Of Directors - Special Meeting

Wednesday December 17 at 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Citizen Journalism Training

Wednesday December 17 at 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Pasadena Media’s Winter Wonderland Bash

Friday December 19 at 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Orientation & Tour

Monday January 5 at 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Studio Cameras & Floor Manager

Wednesday January 7 at 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.