Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, April 15, 2017

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Mountain View News Saturday, April 15, 2017 

Free Events Roundup at the 
Pasadena Senior Center

New Company Licenses 
NASA Sensor Technology

Symphony Concludes 
Season with Beethoven

 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. 

 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 Toast to the Joys of Music 
– Tuesdays, April 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and classic rock originally 
made famous by Willie Nelson, 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, 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.

 Scenic Walkers Club – 
Wednesdays, April 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.

 Friday Movie Matinees 
– Fridays, April 21, at 1 p.m. 
Everyone enjoys movies and 
the pleasures they bring. April 
21: “Arsenic and Old Lace” 
(1944, NR) starring Cary 
Grant and Raymond Massey. 
In this quirky comedy, a man 
learns on his wedding day that 
his beloved maiden aunts are 
homicidal maniacs and that 
insanity runs in the family.

 LA Opera Talk: “Tosca” – 
Monday, April 17, at 1 p.m. An 
LA Opera community educator 
will take participants through 
Giacomo Puccini’s dramatic 
and melodic opera “Tosca.” 
Based on historic figures in 
1800 when control of Rome 
was threatened by Napoleon’s 
invading armies, the beloved 
opera is a tale of love, lust, 
loyalty and political intrigue.

 Estate Planning Basics, 
Part I – Thursday, April 20, 
at 10 a.m. Learn the basics 
about trusts, wills and probate, 
how to pass your assets to your 
family and loved ones, plus 
find out about issues related 
to incapacity. Presented by the 
Law Office of Geoffrey Chin.

 Estate Planning Basics, 
Part II – Thursday, April 
27, at 10 a.m. Learn how to 
avoid the court system and a 
conservatorship over yourself 
and your assets in the event 
of incapacity, discover how to 
use estate planning documents 
such as advance health care 
directives and durable powers 
of attorney, plus find out 
about estate taxes and probate. 
Presented by the Law Office of 
Geoffrey Chin.

 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 remaining 
classes cover more questions 
on the exam as well as strategies 
for completing the application 
for citizenship and having a 
successful interview.

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. 

 A new venture company, 
SeekOps Inc., has executed 
a license agreement with 
the California Institute of 
Technology for miniature 
gas sensor technology 
developed over the last 5 
years at NASA Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory. Founders 
Andrew Aubrey (CEO) 
and Brendan Smith (COO) 
led industry applications 
of the Open Path Laser 
Spectrometer (OPLS) 
technology while employed 
at JPL.

 The miniature form factor 
of this NASA gas sensor 
enables it to be used as a 
handheld tool or deployed 
on small unmanned aerial 
systems (UAS), commonly 
known as drones. This 
technology provides far 
greater sensitivity than 
current field-deployable 
measurement devices, 
allowing field crews to 
locate small leaks from 
infrastructure before they 
become a safety concern.

 Andrew Aubrey discussed 
the new NASA technology: 
“This sensor and software 
has been optimized for 
mobile leak detection 
using the handheld and 
aerial configurations. 
SeekOps’ products and 
services decrease the time 
required for leak detection 
operations, saving time and 
product, while enhancing 
public safety.”

 SeekOps is currently 
implementing an aggressive 
commercialization strategy 
at their Pasadena office. The 
sensors are made at their 
facility, then integrated with 
their professional-grade UAS 
or configured as handheld 
sensors for sale to natural gas 
service providers. This rapid 
schedule is possible due to 
the founders’ familiarity 
with the sensor design 
and their involvement in 
implementation of the 
technology.

 Brendan Smith leads the 
UAS integration efforts: 
“Energy companies can 
realize major benefits 
by integrating SeekOps’ 
services as part of their leak 
detection programs – the 
UAS deployment is the real 
game changer for enhanced 
detection and geolocation 
efficiency.”

 The company is currently 
planning to deploy their 
commercial leak detection 
services in Summer 2017 
while handheld sensors will 
be made to keep up with 
industry demand.

 

 The Pasadena Symphony 
closes out its 2016-2017 
Singpoli Classics Series with 
Beethoven Symphony No. 9 
on April 29 with both matinee 
and evening performances at 2 
p.m. and 8 p.m. at Ambassador 
Auditorium. This season 
finale will envelop audiences 
with voices from the Donald 
Brinegar Singers, the JPL 
Chorus, and the Los Angeles 
Children’s Chorus alongside 
four stellar solo vocalists: 
soprano Summer Hassan, 
mezzo soprano Tracy Van 
Fleet, tenor Arnold Livingston 
Geis and bass Steve Pence 
throughout the concert.

 Additional featured works 
on the program are Vaughan 
Williams’ Serenade to Music for 
chorus and orchestra, written 
for Henry Wood’s golden 
conducting anniversary and 
was premiered at The Proms 
in 1938; and Holst’s Choral 
Hymns from the Rig Veda, 
which will showcase Music 
Director David Lockington 
on cello and the Los Angeles 
Children’s Chorus conducted 
by Anne Tomlinson. Holst was 
intensely interested in Indian 
texts and music, an inspiration 
evident in several of his works 
from the first decades of the 
20th century.

 The Pasadena Symphony 
provides a quintessential 
experience combining great 
music with a festive social 
atmosphere. To learn more 
about the music join us 
for Insights – a free pre-
concert dialogue with David 
Lockington, which begins one 
hour prior to each performance. 
Patrons who plan to arrive 
early can also enjoy a drink 
or a dinner in the lively Sierra 
Auto Symphony Lounge, yet 
another addition to the carefree 
and elegant concert experience 
the Pasadena Symphony offers. 
A posh setting at Ambassador 
Auditorium’s beautiful outdoor 
plaza, the lounge offers 
uniquely prepared menus from 
Claud &Co for both lunch and 
dinner, a full bar and fine wines 
by Michero Family Wines, plus 
music before the concert and 
during intermission.

 All Classics concerts 
take place at Ambassador 
Auditorium, 131 S. St. John 
Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105 
with matinee and evening 
performances at 2:00 p.m. and 
8:00 p.m. Tickets start at $35 
and may be purchased online at 
pasadenasymphony-pops.org 
or by calling (626) 793-7172.

 Parking: Valet parking is 
available on St. John Ave 
for $15. General parking is 
available in two locations: next 
to the Auditorium (entrance 
on St. John Ave) at the covered 
parking structure for $10 and 
directly across the street at the 
Wells Fargo parking structure 
(entrance on Terrace at Green 
St). ADA parking is located at 
the above-ground parking lot 
adjacent to the Auditorium 
(entrance on St. John Ave.) for 
$10. Parking purchased onsite 
is cash only. 

Sierra Auto Symphony 
Lounge: Located on the plaza 
at Ambassador Auditorium. 
Opens at 12:30 pm before the 
matinee and 6:00 pm before the 
evening performance. 

 Pre-Concert Discussion: Pre-
concert discussions with David 
Lockington begin one hour 
before curtain and are available 
to all ticket holders at no cost.

 
Pasadena venture begins 
commercialization for 
energy industry.

 

 Say hello to our little 
friend Al Pacino (A413653), 
a 1-year-old, neutered male, 
black and white tuxedo kitty. 
Al has a lot energy can’t wait 
to entertain a new family 
endlessly with his playful 
antics! You can often find 
Al pawing at our volunteers’ 
keys or pouncing on a 
catnip-filled sock toy. When 
he isn’t busy being the life 
of our Neely Cat Center, Al 
enjoys plenty of head rubs 
and petting, purring up a 
storm to show his affection.

 The adoption fee for cats is 
$70, which includes the spay 
or neuter surgery, microchip, 
and vaccinations.

 You’ve gotta be kitten me! 
The Pasadena Humane 
Society is spaying and 
neutering all cats for just 
$20 this April 18 to April 
22! Making an appointment 
is easy! Simply visit 
pasadenahumane.org/snip 
and make an appointment 
online.

 What are you waiting for? 
Fix your cat now before 
they have a litter. Cats can 
be safely spayed or neutered 
as young as two months 
old. Other wellness services 
include low-cost vaccines, 
microchipping, FeLV/FIV 
testing, and feline nail trims.

 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 
A413653, 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.

Pet of the 
Week


NASA Invests in 22 Visionary 
Exploration Concepts

 NASA’s Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory in Pasadena is 
investing in 22 early-stage 
technology proposals that 
have the potential to transform 
future human and robotic 
exploration missions, introduce 
new exploration capabilities, 
and significantly improve 
current approaches to building 
and operating aerospace 
systems.

 The 2017 NASA Innovative 
Advanced Concepts (NIAC) 
portfolio of Phase I concepts 
covers a wide range of 
innovations selected for their 
potential to revolutionize 
future space exploration. 
Phase I awards are valued 
at approximately $125,000, 
for nine months, to support 
initial definition and analysis 
of their concepts. If these basic 
feasibility studies are successful, 
awardees can apply for Phase II 
awards.

 “The NIAC program engages 
researchers and innovators in 
the scientific and engineering 
communities, including agency 
civil servants,” said Steve 
Jurczyk, associate administrator 
of NASA’s Space Technology 
Mission Directorate. “The 
program gives fellows the 
opportunity and funding to 
explore visionary aerospace 
concepts that we appraise and 
potentially fold into our early 
stage technology portfolio.”

 The selected 2017 Phase I 
proposals are:

 A Synthetic Biology 
Architecture to Detoxify 
and Enrich Mars Soil for 
Agriculture, Adam Arkin, 
University of California, 
Berkeley

 A Breakthrough Propulsion 
Architecture for Interstellar 
Precursor Missions, John 
Brophy, NASA’s Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, 
California

 Evacuated Airship for Mars 
Missions, John-Paul Clarke, 
Georgia Institute of Technology 
in Atlanta

 Mach Effects for In Space 
Propulsion: Interstellar 
Mission, Heidi Fearn, Space 
Studies Institute in Mojave, 
California

 Pluto Hop, Skip, and Jump, 
Benjamin Goldman, Global 
Aerospace Corporation in 
Irwindale, California

 Turbolift, Jason Gruber, 
Innovative Medical Solutions 
Group in Tampa, Florida

 Phobos L1 Operational Tether 
Experiment, Kevin Kempton, 
NASA’s Langley Research 
Center in Hampton, Virginia

 Gradient Field Imploding 
Liner Fusion Propulsion 
System, Michael LaPointe, 
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight 
Center in Huntsville, Alabama

 Massively Expanded NEA 
Accessibility via Microwave-
Sintered Aerobrakes, John 
Lewis, Deep Space Industries, 
Inc., in Moffett Field, California

 Dismantling Rubble Pile 
Asteroids with Area-of-Effect 
Soft-bots, Jay McMahon, 
University of Colorado, 
Boulder

 Continuous Electrode Inertial 
Electrostatic Confinement 
Fusion, Raymond Sedwick, 
University of Maryland, 
College Park

 Sutter: Breakthrough 
Telescope Innovation for 
Asteroid Survey Missions to 
Start a Gold Rush in Space, Joel 
Sercel, TransAstra in Lake View 
Terrace, California

 Direct Multipixel Imaging and 
Spectroscopy of an Exoplanet 
with a Solar Gravity Lens 
Mission, Slava Turyshev, JPL

 Solar Surfing, Robert 
Youngquist, NASA’s Kennedy 
Space Center in Florida

 A Direct Probe of Dark 
Energy Interactions with a 
Solar System Laboratory, Nan 
Yu, JPL

 Phase II studies allow 
awardees time to refine their 
designs and explore aspects 
of implementing the new 
technology. This year’s Phase 
II portfolio addresses a range 
of leading-edge concepts, 
including: a Venus probe using 
in-situ power and propulsion to 
study the Venusian atmosphere, 
and novel orbital imaging 
data derived from stellar echo 
techniques -- measurement 
of the variation in a star’s 
light caused by reflections off 
of distant worlds -- to detect 
exoplanets, which are planets 
outside our solar system.

 Awards under Phase II of the 
NIAC program can be worth as 
much as $500,000, for two-year 
studies, and allow proposers 
to further develop Phase I 
concepts that successfully 
demonstrated initial feasibility 
and benefit.

 NASA selected these projects 
through a peer-review process 
that evaluated innovativeness 
and technical viability. All 
projects are still in the early 
stages of development, most 
requiring 10 or more years 
of concept maturation and 
technology development before 
use on a NASA mission.

 For more information about 
NIAC and a complete list of the 
selected proposals, visit: nasa.
gov/niac.

Pasadena Public Library 
to Celebrate Poetry

 Pasadena Public Library 
will celebrate poetry month 
this April with rhymes, 
poems, haiku, and prose for 
all ages. All programs are 
free and open to the public.

Perkins Alley Poets

 Perkins Alley Poets will 
present a poetry writing 
and critique workshop with 
facilitator, Carl Stilwell 
today, 3 p.m. at Santa 
Catalina Branch Library, 999 
E. Washington Blvd.

Pasadena Pioneers of 
Poetry

 Pasadena Pioneers of 
Poetry will feature Pasadena 
Rose Poets (Marcia Arrieta, 
Teresa Mei Chuc, Mel 
Donalson, Hazel Harrison 
and Gerda Govine) who 
will read poems from 
the pioneers of poetry in 
Pasadena including Rae 
Ballard, Thelma Reyna, 
Don Kingfisher Campbell, 
Beverly LaFontaine and 
small local presses that 
publish poetry and other 
types of writing on Thursday, 
April 27, 7 p.m. at Pasadena 
Central Library’s Studio on 
4th, 285 E. Walnut St.. Books 
will be available for sale and 
signing. 

Emerging Urban Poets

 Emerging Urban Poets 
will present featured and 
open poetry readings with 
facilitator Don Kingfisher 
Campbell on Saturday, April 
22, 3 p.m. at Santa Catalina 
Branch Library, 999 E. 
Washington Blvd.

The Wonderful World of 
Poems

 The Wonderful World 
of Poems show just how 
fun, easy, and kid-friendly 
poetry can be. Ten-year 
old writer Cassidy Kao will 
demonstrate Haiku, Tercets 
and concrete poems on 
Tuesday, April 18, 4 p.m. at 
Hastings Branch, 3225 E. 
Orange Grove Blvd. 

Rhyme Time Storytime

 Rhyme Time Storytime 
will feature rhyming 
stories, songs, and more on 
Thursday, April 13, 10:30 
a.m.., at La Pintoresca 
Branch 1355 N. Raymond 
Ave.

For more information 
contact Catherine Hany at 
(626) 744-4207.

Pasadena Bio Announces 
New CEO, Major Expansion

 

 Pasadena Bio Collaborative 
Incubator (PBC) Board of 
Directors today announced 
the appointment of Robert 
(Bud) Bishop, Ph.D, as the 
organization’s new President, 
effective April 14. Bishop 
succeeds Bruce Blomstrom, 
who is retiring after more than 
10 years with PBC, Pasadena’s 
premier high-tech incubator 
for early stage life science 
companies and a regional 
workforce development 
magnet for scientists seeking 
wet lab R&D competency.

 The announcement was 
made during a ribbon cutting 
ceremony at PBC, 2265 
East Foothill Boulevard, 
Pasadena, celebrating Bishop’s 
appointment along with 
Blomstrom’s retirement; the 
expansion of PBC’s educational 
program; its new branding 
campaign; and its increased 
capacity to help additional 
start-ups.

 “Today is an important 
milestone for PBC. We are 
celebrating the extraordinary 
effort and progress made 
under Mr. Blomstrom and 
announcing the beginning 
of a new chapter for the 
organization with Dr. Bishop 
and a renewed emphasis on 
scientific training,” said Bill 
Bogaard, Board Chair and 
former Mayor of Pasadena. 
“We’re also expanding our 
capacity to assist science-
based start-ups, which, I am 
proud to say, enables PBC 
to remain at the forefront of 
Southern California’s emerging 
bioscience community.”

 Under Mr. Blomstrom’s 
direction, PBC fostered 
more than 40 companies and 
achieved a highly respected 
standing in the field, putting 
Pasadena on the map with a 
national reputation as a center 
for innovation in science, 
technology, engineering 
and entrepreneurship. Mr. 
Blomstrom has been appointed 
the organization’s President 
Emeritus and he will continue 
to serve on the PBC Board to 
help in the transition.

 The event was attended by 
city and community leaders, 
including Board members 
Rajen Vurdien, Pasadena City 
College President, William 
Covino, CSU Los Angeles 
President, former State Senator 
Jack Scott, who played a major 
role in establishing PBC, and 
Pasadena City Manager Steve 
Mermell. 

County to look at Immigrant 
'Sensitive Location' Policy 

 The Board of Supervisors 
voted, 4-1, Tuesday to call 
on the county’s lawyers to 
develop a “sensitive location” 
policy and report back in 45 
days. Supervisor Kathryn 
Barger voted no based 
on strong concerns about 
possible fiscal consequences 
of non-cooperation by the 
county with federal law 
enforcement authorities. 
Supervisor Barger also voted 
against another motion to 
formally establish a task force 
to develop a countywide 
“immigrant protection and 
advancement strategy” by 
the end of this year. 

 “Creating a task force and 
hiding illegal immigrants 
from federal enforcement 
only institutionalizes 
their illegal status and 
forces them further into 
the shadows,” Supervisor 
Barger said. “These 
actions are reactionary and 
counterproductive in the 
effort to help individuals 
seek a path to citizenship or 
apply for legal status to be in 
the United States.”

 “Rather than moving toward 
becoming a ‘sanctuary’ state 
and county in violation of 
federal law, both the state 
and the county should be 
leading the effort to initiate 
congressional action to enact 
comprehensive immigration 
reform,” she added.`

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