Mountain Views News          Saturday, January 10, 2015

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Mountain View News Saturday, January 10, 2015


Former Chiefs Welcome 
New Fire Chief Washington

Boggard to 
Give His Last 
State Of The 
City Event

By Dean Lee

 On his last day, Dec. 29, with 
the Pasadena Fire Department, 
Retiring Fire Chief Calvin Wells 
passed on vital information 
to new Fire Chief Bertral 
Washington. Former city Fire 
Chief Dennis Downs also 
welcomed Washington into the 
department. 

 The two were also on hand 
to help with the Rose Parade 
preparation. 

 “We chatted about things that 
were pertinent to Pasadena 
so that there’s no down time,” 
Wells said. “So there is a smooth 
transition. We shadowed 
each other for two weeks; I 
introduced him to some of the 
key stakeholders throughout the 
greater Pasadena community, 
people that he is going to need 
to be in close contact with.”

 Downs continued the thought 
saying, “Your precious assets 
are your community and your 
staff, and trying to make sure 
balance the staff needs with 
the community needs… to 
really be able to engage with the 
community, and care about the 
community.”

Washington comes to Pasadena 
from Clark County Nevada, a 
much larger department Wells 
said.

 “I do have experience, not just 
being fire chief but fire chief in 
a jurisdiction [including Los 
Vegas] where there are a lot of 
special events, there are a lot of 
things going on,” Washington 
said.

 Washington said he planned 
to follow the experience Downs 
and Wells have brought to the 
department. Between the two 
of them they have over 60 years 
of fire service. Washington said 
he adds another 20 years to that.

 “The fire service always 
changes, we do so many more 
things than fighting fires,” he 
said. “I’m just excited to see 
what that’s going to bring.”

 Pasadena Fire Spokesperson, 
Lisa Derderian said it was a 
rare occurrence to have two fire 
chiefs on duty at the same time.

 “It really is a testament to the 
city of Pasadena to allow me 
to come in while the outgoing 
fire chief is still in place,” 
Washington said. “That gives us 
a tremendous opportunity and 
gives me a great start.” 

 Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard 
will give his final State of the 
City address, Thursday night, 
capping nearly 16 years of 
service as Pasadena’s first 
directly elected mayor. Mayor 
Bogaard retires from service as 
Pasadena’s top elected official 
later this year. 

 This year’s State of the 
City theme of “Rediscover 
Pasadena” will help highlight 
some “Hidden Gems” in the 
City. Mayor Bogaard will 
provide his report on recent 
accomplishments by the City, 
plus some reflections on his 
time as Mayor during the past 
16 years, and information on 
future plans for Pasadena’s city 
government in 2015.

 The City is proud to partner 
this year with the famous 
Pasadena Playhouse, pasadena 
playhouse.org, which serves as 
the host site for the event. The 
Pasadena Playhouse has been 
designated as the official State 
Theater of California since 
1937 and its vibrant heritage as 
a must-attend theater for both 
arts patrons and performers 
dates back to 1917.

 Vice-Mayor Jacque 
Robinson will serve as emcee. 
Spanish translation and 
assisted hearing services will 
be available on site.

 The event will take place at the 
historic Pasadena Playhouse, 
39 S. El Molino Ave. Doors 
open at 6:30 p.m., with the 
formal program starting at 7 
p.m.

 Free self-parking will be 
available in two City-owned 
parking lots on a first come, 
first served basis: (1) the 
municipal lot directly behind 
The Playhouse on Madison 
Avenue, between Colorado 
Boulevard and Green Street, 
and (2) the municipal lot at the 
northeast corner of El Molino 
Avenue and Union Street. 
Free parking is also available 
on surrounding surface streets 
after 6 p.m.

 Additional free parking is 
being made available at the 
Playhouse Plaza, currently 
under construction across 
from the Playhouse, courtesy 
of IDS Real Estate Group of 
Los Angeles. Free parking 
for about 100 cars will be 
available on the first level only 
by entering off of El Molino 
Avenue, between Colorado 
Boulevard and Green Street.

Councilembers, Public, 
Speak Out Over Scandal

 The public reacts to worst 
embezzlement scandal in city’s 
history. Photo D.Lee/MVNews

By Dean Lee

 About a dozen people spoke 
their minds Monday night 
during a lengthy special city 
council meeting centered on the 
embezzlement of $6.4 million 
by a former city employee— 
some called for City Manager 
Michael Beck to be fired, while 
others said they will never 
approve, or give money to, any 
future project that required 
public funds. 

 This was the first time the 
council and staff addressed the 
issue. Beck and other city staff 
gave presentations focused on 
flaws in the city’s accounting 
practices while councilmember 
expressed their concerns.

 “We can implement all the 
procedures in the world, and I 
do think we need to change some 
of our procedures… but the 
fundamental lack of confidence 
that we have is… where is the 
focus on accountability and 
consequences for not following 
existing procedures, I haven’t 
heard reference to that. I think 
that the real concern that I’m 
hearing… is a fear that it may 
have been happening in other 
departments and accounts as 
well,” Councilmember Terry 
Tornek said. “I think the 
public wants to hear is what 
level of confidence do we have 
that this isn’t epidemic within 
the system… we’ve lost the 
confidence, we need to rebuild 
the public’s confidence in our 
ability to provide service and 
handle their money.” 

 Councilwoman Margaret 
McAustin called the city’s 
accounting system “sloppy.”

Before members of the public 
spoke Council Member Victor 
Gordo said the city had an 
obligation to try and recoup 
some of the money.

 “This is a tremendous breach 
of the public’s trust… I think it’s 
important that we understand 
and the circumstances, and from 
those circumstances I think it’s 
important that we understand 
the recovery of those dollars, 
I think that we ought to be 
aggressive in recovering those 
dollars… the city of Pasadena 
is a victim in this case, and the 
city of Pasadena has the right 
as a victim to communicate 
with the district attorney’s office 
and insure that the individuals 
responsible for this are not let 
off the hook,” he said.

 Member of the public called 
for more oversight in the City 
Manager’s office something 
McAustin also mentioned. 
Others called for oversight of 
other organizations partnered 
with the city.

 “I hope when you are talking 
about all these reforms, all these 
auditors and all this financial 
analysis that’s going to go on in 
the future… I hope it includes 
all the Operating Companies as 
well, internally and the external 
relationships to the city,” 
said longtime resident Nina 
Chomsky, 

 Another resident, Brian 
Weiss, called out Beck to take 
responsibility.

 “As long as Mr. Beck sits in 
that seat, and remains as the city 
‘mismanager’ I will personally, 
and I will encourage my fellow 
citizens, to oppose any kind 
of vote that requires taxpayer 
approval for additional funding 
in this city, period.” 

 Councilmember Steve Madison 
called for the creation of an 
audit oversight board. He also 
said a third of the total amount 
of money was taken in the last 
three years. 

 A city audit completed in 
November documented that 
Danny Wooten, a Management 
Analyst IV in the Engineering 
Division of the Public Works 
Department, allegedly provided 
as many as 296 potentially 
fraudulent invoices to the city 
on behalf of four vendors he 
was affiliated with for check 
payments in excess of $6.4 
million. The money came 
from the Underground 
Utilities Fund that covers 
the cost of moving overhead 
power and communications 
lines underground. Revenues 
to the Fund come from the 
underground surtax paid by 
electric customers. He was 
arrested Dec. 30.

 If convicted, Wooten faces 
up to 28 years in state prison 
according to the district 
attorney’s office.


In a rare moment, former fire chiefs, Dennis Downs (top right) 
and Calvin Wells (bottom right) pose for a photo with new Fire 
Chief Bertral Washington (left). Photo D.Lee/MVNews

Trustee Counselor Appointed 
To Chancellor’s Task Force

 Pasadena Area Community 
College District Board of 
Trustees member, Linda Wah 
and Lynell Wiggins, a counselor 
at Pasadena City College, 
have been appointed to serve 
on a California Community 
Colleges task force charged with 
developing policies to prepare 
more students for existing 
high value jobs and promote 
job creation with workforce 
training.

 Wah, who represents Area 5 of 
the district, and Wiggins were 
two of 24 individuals selected 
by California Community 
Colleges Chancellor Brice 
Harris to serve on his Task Force 
on Workforce, Job Creation, 
and a Strong Economy. The 
group will also represent 
the California Community 
Colleges, business community, 
labor groups, public agencies 
involved in workforce training, 
K-12 policy, and community-
based organizations.

 Harris said. “The members 
have an impressive and unique 
blend of qualifications that 
will give the task force an 
informed understanding of 
the needs, experiences, and 
capabilities of the business 
community, academia, and 
labor organizations.”

 Two more individuals remain 
to be appointed to the task 
force, which was commissioned 
in November by the California 
Community Colleges Board of 
Governors.

 The task force will conduct its 
work in three separate phases. 
The first phase, which began 
in December, involves holding 
meetings with community 
college practitioners. 

 The second phase will 
start in February 2015 and 
involves town hall meetings in 
regions across the state with 
elected officials and leaders 
from business, economic 
development agencies, K-12, 
labor, and other community 
organizations to vet and build 
on ideas and practices that 
bring stronger alignment 
between community colleges 
and key industry sectors. 

 The final phase involves 
meetings of the full task force 
itself. Members will deliberate 
over information and issues 
identified at the regional 
meetings and develop a set 
of recommendations by the 
end of summer 2015, which 
will be proposed for adoption 
by the Board of Governors. 
These deliberations will be 
held at the California Chamber 
of Commerce office in 
Sacramento.

City Manager Michael Beck

Antonovich 
Criticizes 
Cost of AB60

 L.A. County Mayor Michael 
Antonovich sharply criticized 
the $240 million dollar cost 
to implement AB60, authored 
by Democratic Assemblyman 
Luis Alejo of Watsonville and 
signed by Governor Brown, 
to issue 1.4 million California 
driver’s licenses to illegal 
immigrants over the next three 
years. 

 “Once again, the state has 
shortchanged the needs of 
foster children, emancipated 
foster youth, the mentally 
ill, and public safety by 
reallocating funding to a 
program that provides illegals 
with driver’s licenses,” said 
Mayor Antonovich. “The $240 
million dollars should be used 
to enhance programs that serve 
the needs of the underserved 
and underprivileged which 
have been neglected for years 
by the state.”

 Implementation of this 
program will require hiring an 
additional 900 Department of 
Motor Vehicle employees. The 
funding for those employees 
will not come from the State 
General Fund; rather AB 
60 assumes the cost will 
be covered by the license 
applications themselves at $32 
a license. However, the DMV 
is already considering raising 
the fee for all new drivers’ 
license from $32 to as $100 to 
cover the implementation cost 
of AB 60.

 “AB 60 is an irresponsible 
law which provides another 
incentive to those who break 
federal immigration laws.” 
said Mayor Antonovich. “In 
Los Angeles County alone, 
children of illegal immigrants 
born here are receiving 
over $640 million a year for 
welfare and food stamps. In 
addition the cost to provide 
medical services exceeds 
$500 million. These costs do 
not even include those illegal 
immigrants incarcerated in 
County jails”.

 Extremely long waits for 
scheduled appointments and 
walk-in appointments have 
been reported at most DMV 
offices. Residents living near 
DMV offices have reported 
dangerous conditions 
associated with parking and 
long lines on residential 
streets. The impacts of these 
lines and crowds have caused 
exasperation from business 
leaders as well as residents.

Pet of the 
Week

Mars Rover Curiosity Gets 
New Project Manager

 
Lizzy is a 3-year-old female 
brown and white Boxer and 
Staffordshire Bull Terrier 
mix. She’s energetic and 
playful which means she 
would be best suited to a 
home where she can get lots 
of exercise. Lizzy is friendly 
and affectionate and walks 
well on a leash. She is a very 
sweet dog who would love 
to find her forever home! 

 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

Ashwin Vasavada

 NASA’s Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory announced Monday 
that the new project scientist for 
Mars Rover Curiosity is Ashwin 
Vasavada, a deputy project 
scientist for NASA’s Mars 
Science Laboratory Project 
since 2004 -- five years before 
the name Curiosity was chosen 
for the project’s rover.

 The project scientist’s role 
is to coordinate efforts of an 
international team of nearly 
500 scientists operating the 
rover’s 10 science instruments, 
planning rover investigations 
and assessing data from 
Curiosity. The project scientist 
also works closely with the 
JPL-based project manager 
and rover engineering team 
to maximize the science while 
using the rover efficiently and 
safely.

 Vasavada succeeds John 
Grotzinger of the California 
Institute of Technology, who 
recently became chair of 
Caltech’s Division of Geological 
and Planetary Sciences and 
remains a member of Curiosity’s 
science team.

 Vasavada has helped 
shepherd the project through 
development of the spacecraft, 
selection and integration of the 
science instruments, selection 
of the landing site in Mars’ Gale 
Crater, activities of Curiosity 
since its August 2012 landing, 
and publication of many 
research findings.

 “John Grotzinger put his heart 
and soul into Curiosity for seven 
years, leaving a legacy of success 
and scientific achievement,” 
Vasavada said. “Now I look 
forward to continuing our 
expedition to Mars’ ancient 
past, with a healthy rover and 
a dedicated and passionate 
international team. And yes, 
this is all just incredibly cool.”

 Researchers are currently 
using Curiosity to investigate 
the geological layers at the 
base of a mountain inside 
Gale Crater. Recent findings 
indicate that the lower portion 
of the mountain formed as 
sedimentary deposits in lakes 
and streams. During its two-
year prime mission, Curiosity 
found evidence that Mars 
offered favorable conditions 
for microbial life about three 
billion years ago.

 JPL, a division of Caltech, 
manages the Mars Science 
Laboratory Project the project 
for NASA’s Science Mission 
Directorate in Washington, 
and built the project’s Curiosity 
rover.

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

 

 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 

Class offerings days and nights weekly

Station Schedule 

Producers Training

Monday January 12, at 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Studio Cameras & Floor Manager

Tuesday January 13, at 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Director Training

Tuesday January 13, at 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Lighting Basics

Wednesday January 14, at 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Citizen Journalism Training

Wednesday January 14, at 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.