Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, March 25, 2017

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Mountain View News Saturday, March 25, 2017 

Free Events Roundup at the 
Pasadena Senior Center

Mars Volcano Earths 
Dinosaurs Went Extinct 
about the Same Time

Aspen Institute Recognizes 
PCC for Student Success

 

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

 Tax Time – Wednesdays 
and Fridays through April 
14, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. 
Representatives from the 
AARP Foundation’s Tax-Aide 
program will assist low- to 
middle-income seniors ages 
50 and older in preparing their 
federal income tax returns. 
Appointments are required: 
626-795-4331. Please note 
there is no age limit for this 
service.

 Citizenship Classes – 
Wednesdays through May 17, 
from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Make your 
dreams come true by attending 
these sessions to become a U.S. 
citizen! The first classes cover 
some of the American history 
and U.S. government questions 
on the citizenship exam along 
with discussions about the 
rights and responsibilities of 
citizenship. The four remaining 
classes cover more questions on 
the exam as well as strategies 
for completing the application 
for citizenship and having a 
successful interview.

 A Pain in the Neck! – 
Thursday, March 30, at 10 
a.m. Do you have neck pain? 
Learn easy and comfortable 
exercises to reduce cervical 
pain and make your neck feel 
better. Presented by Vincent 
Physical Therapy.

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

 A Toast to the Joys of Music 
– Tuesdays, April 4, 11, 18 and 
25, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. 
Tom Campbell will play guitar 
and sing songs in the Senior 
Center Lounge. Stop by and 
enjoy his covers of traditional 
country, country rock, blues, 
folk, gospel and classic rock 
originally made famous by 
Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, 
Vince Gill, Elvis Presley, B.B. 
King, Neil Young, The Grateful 
Dead, The Rolling Stones and 
many more.

 A Matter of Balance – 
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 
April 4 to May 23, from 1 
to 3 p.m. Are you concerned 
about falling? Learn how to 
reduce the fear of falling and 
increase balance and activity 
levels during this interactive 
workshop that combines 
discussion, video and exercise. 
Reservations are required: 
626-685-6732.

 Medication Review Clinic 
– Wednesday, April 5, from 9 
a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A pharmacist 
and a nurse from Huntington 
Hospital pharmacist will review 
your current prescription 
medications and answer any 
questions you have to make 
sure you understand how they 
work and why they have been 
prescribed. Space is limited 
and appointments are required: 
626-397-3376.

 Scenic Walkers Club – 
Wednesdays, April 5, 12, 19 
and 26, at 10 a.m. Enjoy a series 
of leisurely walks in the great 
outdoors. Alan Colville will 
give you a list of items to bring, 
let you know what to expect, 
provide detailed itineraries and 
arrange transportation. For 
more information or to sign up, 
email alancolville@charter.net 
or call 626-221-3741.

 Protect Yourself from 
Fraud – Thursday, April 6, at 10 
a.m. Seniors can be vulnerable 
to simple and complex scams 
that happen in person, by 
traditional mail, email and 
telephone. Learn about the 
latest scams and how you can 
avoid becoming a victim of this 
growing problem. Presented by 
the California Department of 
Business Oversight’s Consumer 
Education and Outreach Office.

 Memories in the Making 
– Thursdays, April 6 and 
13, at 11 a.m. This program, 
developed by the Alzheimer’s 
Association, helps people 
in early stages of dementias 
preserve memories through 
art. Reservations are required: 
626-685-6732.

 Friday Movie Matinees – 
Fridays, April 7, 14 and 21, 
at 1 p.m. Everyone enjoys 
movies and the pleasures they 
bring. April 7: “Snowden” 
(2016, R) starring Joseph 
Gordon-Levitt and Shailene 
Woodley. An employee of the 
National Security Agency leaks 
thousands of classified NSA 
documents to the media and 
becomes one of the most wanted 
men in the world.Founded 
in 1960, the Pasadena Senior 
Center is an independent, 
nonprofit organization that 
offers recreational, educational, 
wellness and social services to 
people ages 50 and older in a 
welcoming environment. 

 Pasadena City College 
was recognized today 
in Washington, D.C., as 
one of ten finalists for 
the 2017 Aspen Prize 
for Community College 
Excellence, the nation’s 
pre-eminent recognition 
of high achievement and 
performance in America’s 
community colleges.

 “We hold ourselves to 
high standards of student 
success and equity,” said 
Rajen Vurdien, Ph.D., PCC’s 
superintendent-president. 
“We have made significant 
progress in addressing the 
persistent achievement 
gap we see our student 
population, particularly 
among African American 
and Latino students. 
The recognition we have 
received today is a strong 
endorsement of our work.

 “Today, we are all proud to 
be Lancers,” he added.

 The outstanding student 
outcomes that helped PCC 
earn its recognition include:

 A graduation/transfer 
rate of 49%, well above the 
national average of 39%.

 A 52% bachelor’s degree 
attainment rate among 
Pasadena graduates who 
transfer to a four-year 
university, compared to 42% 
nationally.

 “Pasadena City College 
serves a large and incredibly 
diverse suburban district 
of the Los Angeles metro 
region, and is a destination 
for students who want 
to transfer to a four-year 
institution,” said Joshua 
Wyner, executive director 
of the Aspen Institute 
College Excellence Program. 
“The college has a strong, 
demonstrated commitment 
to making sure all students 
succeed both while in 
college and in promising 
careers after they graduate. 
This commitment to 
equity, exceptional faculty 
engagement, as well as smart 
investments in classroom 
innovations have improved 
learning and retention for 
all students and maintained 
Pasadena City College’s 
strong reputation for student 
success.”

 PCC was selected from 
1,000 public community 
colleges nationwide. The 
$1 million Aspen Prize 
recognizes institutions 
for their outstanding 
outcomes in four areas: 
student learning; certificate 
and degree completion; 
employment and earnings; 
and high levels of access and 
success for minority and 
low-income students.

 
New NASA research reveals 
that the giant Martian volcano 
Arsia Mons produced one new 
lava flow at its summit every 
1 to 3 million years during 
the final peak of activity. The 
last volcanic activity there 
ceased about 50 million years 
ago -- around the time of 
Earth’s Cretaceous–Paleogene 
extinction, when large numbers 
of our planet’s plant and animal 
species (including dinosaurs) 
went extinct.

 Located just south of Mars’ 
equator, Arsia Mons is the 
southernmost member of a trio 
of broad, gently sloping shield 
volcanoes collectively known 
as Tharsis Montes. Arsia Mons 
was built up over billions of 
years, though the details of its 
lifecycle are still being worked 
out. The most recent volcanic 
activity is thought to have taken 
place in the caldera—the bowl-
shaped depression at the top 
-- where 29 volcanic vents have 
been identified. Until now, it’s 
been difficult to make a precise 
estimate of when this volcanic 
field was active.

 “We estimate that the peak 
activity for the volcanic 
field at the summit of Arsia 
Mons probably occurred 
approximately 150 million 
years ago -- the late Jurassic 
period on Earth -- and then 
died out around the same 
time as Earth’s dinosaurs,” 
said Jacob Richardson, a 
postdoctoral researcher at 
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight 
Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. 
“It’s possible, though, that the 
last volcanic vent or two might 
have been active in the past 50 
million years, which is very 
recent in geological terms.”

 Richardson is presenting the 
findings on March 20, 2017, 
at the Lunar and Planetary 
Science Conference in The 
Woodlands, Texas. The study 
also is published in Earth and 
Planetary Science Letters.

 Measuring about 68 miles 
(110 kilometers) across, the 
caldera is deep enough to hold 
the entire volume of water in 
Lake Huron, and then some. 
Examining the volcanic features 
within the caldera required 
high-resolution imaging, which 
the researchers obtained from 
the Context Camera on NASA’s 
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

 The team mapped the 
boundaries of the lava flows 
from each of the 29 volcanic 
vents and determined the 
stratigraphy, or layering, of 
the flows. The researchers also 
performed a technique called 
crater counting -- tallying 
up the number of craters at 
least 330 feet (100 meters) in 
diameter -- to estimate the ages 
of the flows.

 Using a new computer model 
developed by Richardson and 
his colleagues at the University 
of South Florida, the two types 
of information were combined 
to determine the volcanic 
equivalent of a batting order 
for Arsia Mons’ 29 vents. The 
oldest flows date back about 
200 million years. The youngest 
flows probably occurred 10 to 
90 million years ago -- most 
likely around 50 million years 
ago.

 The modeling also yielded 
estimates of the volume flux 
for each lava flow. At their peak 
about 150 million years ago, 
the vents in the Arsia Mons’ 
caldera probably collectively 
produced about 0.25 to 2 cubic 
miles (1 to 8 cubic kilometers) 
of magma every million years, 
slowly adding to the volcano’s 
size.

 “Think of it like a slow, 
leaky faucet of magma,” said 
Richardson. “Arsia Mons was 
creating about one volcanic 
vent every 1 to 3 million years 
at the peak, compared to one 
every 10,000 years or so in 
similar regions on Earth.”

 A better understanding of 
when volcanic activity on Mars 
took place is important because 
it helps researchers understand 
the Red Planet’s history and 
interior structure.

 “A major goal of the Mars 
volcanology community is 
to understand the anatomy 
and lifecycle of the planet’s 
volcanoes. Mars’ volcanoes 
show evidence for activity over 
a larger time span than those 
on Earth, but their histories 
of magma production might 
be quite different,” said Jacob 
Bleacher, a planetary geologist 
at Goddard and a co-author on 
the study. “This study gives us 
another clue about how activity 
at Arsia Mons tailed off and the 
huge volcano became quiet.”

 Malin Space Science Systems, 
San Diego, built and operates 
the Context Camera. NASA’s 
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 
Pasadena, manages the Mars 
Reconnaissance Orbiter for 
NASA’s Science Mission 
Directorate, Washington. For 
more information about NASA 
missions investigating Mars, 
visit: mars.nasa.gov/.


Pet of the 
Week

 New Orleans (A413553) is 
a 3-year-old, spayed female, 
white cat with brown tabby 
patches. Sweet and social, 
this affectionate gal loves 
attention and will likely greet 
you with a head bump. New 
Orleans is very calm and 
enjoys snoozing away the 
afternoon in our volunteers’ 
laps. She currently resides in 
the communal room in our 
shelter, so she would likely 
do very well in a home with 
other cats.

 The normal adoption fee 
for cats is $70, but thanks 
to generous donors, New 
Orleans is free to adopt 
as part of our Slam Dunk 
for the Animals event! 
All cats are spayed or 
neutered, microchipped, 
and vaccinated before being 
adopted.

 New adopters will receive a 
complimentary health-and-
wellness exam from VCA 
Animal Hospitals, as well 
as a goody bag filled with 
information about how to 
care for your pet.

 Call the Pasadena Humane 
Society & SPCA at (626) 
792-7151 to ask about 
A413553, or visit at 361 S. 
Raymond Ave. in Pasadena. 
Adoption hours are 11 a.m. 
to 4 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m. 
to 5 p.m. Tuesday through 
Friday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
Saturday.

 Pets may not be available 
for adoption and cannot be 
held for potential adopters 
by phone calls or email. 
Directions and photos of 
all pets can be found at 
pasadenahumane.org.

Breaks Observed in NASA 
Rover Wheel Treads

 

 A routine check of the 
aluminum wheels on NASA’s 
Curiosity Mars rover has found 
two small breaks on the rover’s 
left middle wheel-the latest sign 
of wear and tear as the rover 
continues its journey, now 
approaching the 10-mile (16 
kilometer) mark.

 The mission’s first and second 
breaks in raised treads, called 
grousers, appeared in a March 
19 image check of the wheels, 
documenting that these breaks 
occurred after the last check, on 
Jan. 27.

 “All six wheels have more 
than enough working lifespan 
remaining to get the vehicle to 
all destinations planned for the 
mission,” said Curiosity Project 
Manager Jim Erickson at NASA’s 
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 
Pasadena, California. “While 
not unexpected, this damage is 
the first sign that the left middle 
wheel is nearing a wheel-wear 
milestone,”

The monitoring of wheel 
damage on Curiosity, plus a 
program of wheel-longevity 
testing on Earth, was initiated 
after dents and holes in 
the wheels were seen to be 
accumulating faster than 
anticipated in 2013. Testing 
showed that at the point when 
three grousers on a wheel have 
broken, that wheel has reached 
about 60 percent of its useful 
life. Curiosity already has 
driven well over that fraction 
of the total distance needed 
for reaching the key regions 
of scientific interest on Mars’ 
Mount Sharp.

Curiosity Project Scientist 
Ashwin Vasavada, also at JPL, 
said, “This is an expected part 
of the life cycle of the wheels 
and at this point does not 
change our current science 
plans or diminish our chances 
of studying key transitions in 
mineralogy higher on Mount 
Sharp.”

 Curiosity is currently 
examining sand dunes partway 
up a geological unit called the 
Murray formation. Planned 
destinations ahead include 
the hematite-containing “Vera 
Rubin Ridge,” a clay-containing 
geological unit above that 
ridge, and a sulfate-containing 
unit above the clay unit.

 The rover is climbing to 
sequentially higher and 
younger layers of lower Mount 
Sharp to investigate how 
the region’s ancient climate 
changed billions of years ago. 
Clues about environmental 
conditions are recorded in the 
rock layers. During its first 
year on Mars, the mission 
succeeded at its main goal 
by finding that the region 
once offered environmental 
conditions favorable for 
microbial life, if Mars has ever 
hosted life. The conditions in 
long-lived ancient freshwater 
Martian lake environments 
included all of the key chemical 
elements needed for life as we 
know it, plus a chemical source 
of energy that is used by many 
microbes on Earth.

 Through March 20, Curiosity 
has driven 9.9 miles (16.0 
kilometers) since the mission’s 
August 2012 landing on Mars. 
Studying the transition to 
the sulfate unit, the farthest-
uphill destination, will require 
about 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) 
or less of additional driving. 
For the past four years, rover 
drive planners have used 
enhanced methods of mapping 
potentially hazardous terrains 
to reduce the pace of damage 
from sharp, embedded rocks 
along the rover’s route.

 Each of Curiosity’s six 
wheels is about 20 inches (50 
centimeters) in diameter and 16 
inches (40 centimeters) wide, 
milled out of solid aluminum. 
The wheels contact ground 
with a skin that’s about half as 
thick as a U.S. dime, except at 
thicker treads. The grousers are 
19 zigzag-shaped treads that 
extend about a quarter inch 
(three-fourths of a centimeter) 
outward from the skin of 
each wheel. The grousers bear 
much of the rover’s weight and 
provide most of the traction 
and ability to traverse over 
uneven terrain.

ALTADENA POLICE BLOTTER

Public Help Needed To 
Plant Trees for Arbor Day

Sunday, March 12th

3:00 AM – A vehicle 
burglary occurred in the 80 
block of W. Manor Street. 
Suspect(s) entered the 
vehicle by shattering the 
window. Stolen: currency. 

12:30 PM – A vehicle 
burglary occurred in the 
area of PinecrestDrive and 
Bowring Drive. Suspect(s) 
entered the vehicle by 
shattering the window. 
Stolen: turquoise wallet, 
credit cards, and brown 
glasses. 

3:00 PM – A vehicle 
burglary occurred in the 
2600 block of Bowring 
Drive. Suspect(s) entered 
the vehicle by shattering 
the window. Stolen: brown 
Dolce and Gabbana purse, 
credit cards, and currency. 

9:00 PM – A theft from an 
unlocked vehicle occurred 
in the 2200 block of E. 
Washington Boulevard. 

Monday, March 13th

3:40 PM – Jose Avila, 23 
years old of Altadena was 
arrested in the 50 block of 
W. Mountain View Street for 
carrying a concealed dirk or 
dagger. 

5:15 PM – A residential 
burglary occurred in the 900 
block of E. Mount Curve 
Avenue. Suspect(s) entered 
the residence by shattering 
the door. Stolen: beige Louis 
Vuitton purse. 

9:00 PM – A vehicle 
vandalism occurred in the 
600 block of Pine Street. 
Vehicle damage: shattered 
windows and keyed. 

Wednesday, March 15th

4:07 AM – A commercial 
burglary occurred in the 
2300 block of E. Washington 
Boulevard. Suspect(s) 
entered the location by 
shattering the window. 
Stolen: unknown. 

9:45 PM – A bomb threat 
occurred in the 500 block 
of W. Woodbury Road. 
Threat was found to be non-
credible. 

1:00 PM – A package theft 
occurred in the 3500 block 
of McNally Avenue. Stolen: 
package containing seat 
cushion and dog vest. 

6:00 PM – A package theft 
occurred in the 3500 block 
of McNally Avenue. Stolen: 
package containing clothing.

Thursday, March 16th

1:00 PM – A residential 
burglary occurred in the 
2100 block of Sunny Oaks 
Circle. Suspect(s) entered 
the residence by cutting the 
lock box. Stolen: stainless 
steel Kitchen Aid stove, 
stainless steel Kitchen Aid 
refrigerator, Sony stereo, 
table, and painting. 

Friday, March 17th

3:25 PM – Oscar Espinoza, 
23 years old of Altadena 
was arrested in the 200 
block of Mountain View 
Street for possession of drug 
paraphernalia.

 The City of Pasadena, 
in partnership with 
the Pasadena Beautiful 
Foundation, is hosting 
Arbor Day this morning, 
and is inviting volunteers to 
plant trees.

 Volunteers will meet at 842 
E Howard Street, Pasadena 
91104. Tree planting will 
occur on Howard Street, 
Los Robles Avenue, and 
Madison Avenue. Activities 
will begin with registration 
at 9:00 a.m., followed by tree 
planting demonstrations, 
and the coordination and 
assignment of volunteer 
tree planting teams. Public 
Works staff will be on hand 
to share information on 
proper tree care, the City’s 
environmental programs 
and services, and to provide 
free mulch for pick-up.

 Participants are encouraged 
to bring gloves, a shovel, and 
to wear comfortable clothes 
and closed-toe shoes.


Women 40 and Older 
Invited To Join Pasadena 
Senior Basketball League

 

 Registration is open and all 
skill levels are invited for the 
Pasadena Senior Center 3x3 
Basketball Winter League 
for women ages 40 and older.

 Games will be played 
Sundays, March 26, April 2, 
9 and 30 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. 
in the Braun Athletic Center 
at Caltech. Drop in any or all 
play dates for only $10 per 
player.

 For more information and 
to register contact Oma Soto 
at omaksoto@hotmail.com 
or call 323-320-0948.

 Founded in 1960, the 
Pasadena Senior Center is 
an independent, nonprofit 
organization that offers 
recreational, educational, 
wellness and social services 
to people ages 50 and older in 
a welcoming environment. 
Services are also provided 
for frail, low-income and 
homebound seniors.

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com