SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 2018 
VOLUME 12 NO. 04 
PASADENA EDITION 
NASA Next Mars Lander 
Spreads its Solar Wings 
Pasadena Police 
investigated an armed 
robbery on January 17, 
in the 100 block of West 
California Boulevard. At 
about 5:28 p.m., officers 
talked with a clerk who 
said he saw the suspect 
walk into the business. 
The suspect immediately 
attempted to disguise his 
face with a fake beard 
while quickly walking 
Local Area 
News Briefs 
Man Steals Items form 
Rose Bowl 
Pasadena Police officers 
responded to a commercial 
burglary on January 17, in 
the 1000 block of Rose Bowl 
Drive. Officers learned that 
at about 3:28 p.m., security 
agents saw a male enter the 
fenced concourse area of 
the Rose Bowl. The agents 
confronted the subject; 
however, they disengaged 
their approach when he (the 
suspect) became aggressive. 
The suspect left the Rose Bowl 
with a bag of stolen items. On 
arrival, PPD officers talked 
with the security agents. 
Other officers checked the 
immediate area and located 
the suspect, who was arrested 
without incident. The suspect 
was taken to the Pasadena jail 
and booked for burglary. 
Man with Fake Beard 
Robs Business 
Council 
to Discuss 
Possible Tax 
Measure 
The city council is set Monday 
night to discuss putting a 0.75 
percent sales tax increase before 
the voters on the November 
ballot as Pasadena Mayor Terry 
Tornek outlined during his State 
of the City Speech earlier this 
month. 
“It is expected that as part 
of next year’s budget, every 
department—including Police, 
Fire, Human Services and 
Recreation, will have to reduce 
services,” Tornek said January 
16. “Even more worrisome is 
that given current projections, 
the city will be forced to make 
even more drastic cuts over 
the next few years which will 
directly impact the services our 
community relies on.” 
He continued “In addition 
to operating budget cuts, we 
won’t have funds to address our 
many capital needs. Pasadena’s 
infrastructure is aging and 
needs significant re-investment. 
Repairs that are delayed often 
cost far more to repair when 
they fail. We currently spend 
$32 million on non-utility 
capital improvements, but 
it’s not enough. We spend 
over $1million a year to fix 
damaged sidewalks, but 
there is $20 million worth of 
work to do. We simply aren’t 
paving enough miles of streets, 
replacing enough failing street 
lights, or rebuilding enough 
sewers to keep up. While we 
have managed to rebuild one 
fire station and seismically 
retrofit another, we don’t have 
the money to make necessary 
upgrades to the remaining six.” 
Tornek said the tax would 
generate $21 million annually. 
City staff said if the council 
votes in favor, the three-quarter 
percent District Transactions 
N 


SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 2018

Local Area 

Council 

News Briefs

to Discuss 

 Man Steals Items form 
Rose Bowl

Possible Tax 

 Pasadena Police officers 

Measure

responded to a commercial 
burglary on January 17, in 

 The city council is set Monday 

the 1000 block of Rose Bowl 

night to discuss putting a 0.75 

Drive. Officers learned that 

percent sales tax increase before 

at about 3:28 p.m., security 

the voters on the November 

agents saw a male enter the 

ballot as Pasadena Mayor Terry 

fenced concourse area of 

Tornek outlined during his State 

the Rose Bowl. The agents 

of the City Speech earlier this 

confronted the subject; 

month.

however, they disengaged 

 “It is expected that as part 

their approach when he (the 

of next year’s budget, every 

suspect) became aggressive. 

department—including Police, 

The suspect left the Rose Bowl 

Fire, Human Services and 

with a bag of stolen items. On 

Recreation, will have to reduce 

arrival, PPD officers talked 

services,” Tornek said January 

with the security agents. 

it’s not enough. We spend 

16. “Even more worrisome is 
Other officers checked the 

over $1million a year to fix 

that given current projections, 

immediate area and located 

damaged sidewalks, but 

the city will be forced to make 

the suspect, who was arrested 

there is $20 million worth of 

even more drastic cuts over 

without incident. The suspect 

work to do. We simply aren’t 

the next few years which will 

was taken to the Pasadena jail 

paving enough miles of streets, 

directly impact the services our 

and booked for burglary.

replacing enough failing street 

community relies on.”

lights, or rebuilding enough 

 Man with Fake Beard 

 He continued “In addition 

sewers to keep up. While we 

to operating budget cuts, we 

Robs Business 

have managed to rebuild one 

won’t have funds to address our 

 Pasadena Police 

fire station and seismically 

many capital needs. Pasadena’s 

retrofit another, we don’t have investigated an armed 

infrastructure is aging and 

the money to make necessary 

robbery on January 17, 

needs significant re-investment. 

upgrades to the remaining six.”

in the 100 block of West 

Repairs that are delayed often 

 Tornek said the tax would 

cost far more to repair when California Boulevard. At 

generate $21 million annually. 

they fail. We currently spend 

about 5:28 p.m., officers 

 City staff said if the council 

$32 million on non-utility 

talked with a clerk who 

votes in favor, the three-quarter 

capital improvements, but 

said he saw the suspect 

percent District Transactions 

walk into the business. 
The suspect immediately 

NASA Next Mars Lander

attempted to disguise his 
face with a fake beard 

Spreads its Solar Wings

while quickly walking 

VOLUME 12 NO. 04 

Arson Suspect Arrested forPasadena, Arcadia Fires 

Tornek during the State of the City 


toward the clerk. The 
suspect displayed a gun 
and ordered the clerk to lie 
on the floor. Fearing for his 
safety, the clerk complied 
with the suspect’s orders. 
The suspect then took 
cash from the drawer and 
fled the location. Despite 
a comprehensive search, 
PPD officers were not able 
to locate the suspect. He 
was described as Hispanic, 
5 foot 10 inches and 230250 
pounds, fake beard, 
light blue shirt, and jeans.
Anyone with information 
should call Pasadena police 
at (626) 744-4241. 

SAN MARINO/SO. PAS 
Pg. 4 
SIERRA MADRE Pg. 5 
ARCADIA Pg. 6 
MONROVIA 
THE ARTS B2 
CALENDAR Pg. 2 
MORE PASADENA NEWS 
Pg. 3 
THE GOOD LIFE Pg. 9 
AROUND SAN GABRIEL 
VALLEY B1 
EDUCATION/YOUTH 
Pg. 7 
BEST FRIENDS Pg. 11 
SECTION B: 
BUSINESS NEWS 
B3 
OPINION B4 
LEGAL NOTICES B5 
FOOD & DRINK Pg. 8 
WORLD AROUND US 
Pg. 10 
Denver, where 
InSight was built and 
has been undergoing 
testing ahead of its 
launch. The mission 
is led by NASA’s 
Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory in 
Pasadena.

 “This is the last 
time we will see 
the spacecraft in 
landed configuration 
before it arrives at 
the Red Planet,” 
said Scott Daniels, 
Lockheed Martin 
InSight Assembly, 
Test and Launch 
Operations (ATLO) 
Manager. “There are 
still many steps we 
have to take before 
launch, but this is 
a critical milestone 
before shipping 
to Vandenberg 
Air Force Base in 
California.” The 
InSight launch 
window opens in 
May.

 The fan-like solar 
panels are specially 
designed for Mars’ 
weak sunlight, 
caused by the planet’s 
distance from the 
Sun and its dusty, 
thin atmosphere. The 
panels will power 
InSight for at least 

one Martian year (two Earth 
years) for the first mission 
dedicated to studying Mars’ 
deep interior. InSight’s full 
name is Interior Exploration 
using Seismic Investigations, 
Geodesy and Heat Transport. 
“Think of InSight as Mars’ first 
health checkup in more than 

4.5 billion years,” said Bruce 
Banerdt of JPL, the mission’s 
principal investigator. 
“We’ll study its pulse by 
‘listening’ for marsquakes 
with a seismometer. We’ll 
take its temperature with a 
heat probe. And we’ll check 
its reflexes with a radio 
experiment.” 
In addition to the solar 
panel test, engineers added 
a final touch: a microchip 
inscribed with more than 

1.6 million names submitted 
by the public. It joins a chip 
containing almost 827,000 
names that was glued to the 
top of InSight back in 2015, 
adding up to a total of about 
2.4 million names going to 
Mars. “It’s a fun way for the 
public to feel personally 
invested in the mission,” 
Banerdt said. “We’re happy to 
have them along for the ride.” 
The chips were inscribed 
at JPL’s Microdevices 
Laboratory, which has 
added names and images 
to a number of spacecraft, 
including the Mars Spirit, 
Opportunity and Curiosity 
rovers. Each character on the 
InSight microchips is just 400 
nanometers wide. Compare 
that to a human hair, 100,000 
nanometers wide, or a red 
blood cell, 8,000 nanometers 
wide.

 For more information on 
InSight, visit: mars.nasa.gov/
insight. 

and Use Tax would be utilized 

to support on-going city 

services, including but not 

limited to police, fire, public 

works, recreation, and after 

school programs. In addition, 

it is envisioned that a portion of 

the funds would support capital 

investments in city facilities 

and infrastructure such as fire 

stations, community centers, 

and libraries as well as repair 

damaged and broken city 

sidewalks. 

 The council meets Monday 
at 6:30 p.m. in the Council 
Chamber, Pasadena City Hall 
100 North Garfield Ave. 

Over 50 Cats 
Rescued 
from Home 


The Pasadena Humane 
Society rescued 54 cats from 
a home after a concerned 
neighbor called into the 
organization’s tip line. 
Officers had made repeated 
attempts to gain access to 
the house and were finally 
granted access on Tuesday. 
The owner surrendered the 
cats to the Pasadena Humane 
Society on her own volition.

 The cats have been taken 
back to the Pasadena 
Humane Society where 
they will undergo thorough 
medical and behavioral 
evaluations before being 
made available for adoption.

 “I can’t imagine the horrors 
these 54 cats have seen,” 
said Julie Bank, President 
& CEO of the Pasadena 
Humane Society & SPCA. 
“Thankfully the cats are now 
back at the shelter, where 
they are being cared for by 
staff. We anticipate many 
of them will need further 
medical treatment based on 
their living conditions.” 

The Pasadena Humane 
Society has set up an online 
donation page for community 
members looking to help. In-
kind donations such as cat 
food, towels, and cat litter 
are also needed. Donations 
towards their care can be 
made at pasadenahumane.
org/miracle.

 Officials also said the cats 
could be up for adoption in 
the near future. 
For more information visit: 
pasadenahumane.org or call 
626.792.7151. 

A man, wanted in 
connection with a string of 
fires in the Pasadena area, 
was arrested Sunday after 
an ongoing investigation by 
members of the Verdugo 
Fire Investigation Task 
Force serving the San 
Gabriel Valley region. 

 After a “wanted” flyer was 
distributed to local law 
enforcement agencies, Nigel 
Letren was arrested in the 
City of San Marino at 3 a.m. 
by the San Marino Police 
Department.

 According to officials, on 
the evening of January 13, 
the cities of Pasadena and 
Arcadia experienced a spree 
of outdoor fires along the 
Foothill Boulevard Corridor, 
between Sierra Madre Villa 
Avenue and the Los Angeles 
Arboretum. Firefighters 
from both cities responded 
and quickly extinguished 
the fires. Investigation 
into the causes of the fires 
determined that they were 
intentionally set. 

 Letren was arraigned in 
the Pasadena Branch of Los 
Angeles County Superior 
Court Wednesday on five 
counts of arson related to 
the January 13 fires, and one 
count of arson related to the 
December 9, wildland fire in 
the city of Monrovia. Letren 
is being held on $425,000 

South Pasadena police 
arrested a known felon for 
child endangerment after 
finding a cache of illegal 
weapons, including loaded 
semi-automatic assault rifle 
within feet of where the 
children slept. 

 Paul Cruz (pictured) was 
arrested at the scene. 

According to police, on 
Tuesday, officers investigated 
an allegation of child abuse 
at a residence in the 1100 
block of Huntington Drive. 
While meeting with Cruz, 
the father and three small 
children, officers discovered 
a fully loaded semiautomatic 
assault type rifle 
in a child’s bedroom. 

 Cruz was found to be a 
convicted felon, which 
made him a prohibited 
possessor of and firearms. 
The weapons were also not 
registered to Cruz.

 A social worker with the Los 
Angeles County Department 
of Child and Family Services 
was on-scene with officers 
and took immediate custody 
of three toddlers and, later, 
an 11 year old boy who was 
not home at the time of the 
incident.

Letren


bail and is scheduled to 
return to court on February 

15. 
The Verdugo Fire 
Investigation Task Force 
is a regional group of 
investigators from the cities 
of Burbank, Glendale, 
Pasadena, South Pasadena, 
Sierra Madre, Arcadia, 
Monrovia, San Marino, 
San Gabriel, Alhambra, 
Monterey Park and 
Montebello.

 “This arrest is a great example 
of exceptional cooperation 
between multiple agencies 
with proven results from 
our regional Verdugo Fire 
Investigation Task Force,” 
Pasadena Fire Chief Bertral 
Washington said. “The 
Regional Fire Chiefs and 
I are thankful for their 
relentless work on behalf of 
the communities we protect 
and serve.” 

NASA’s next mission to Mars 
passed a key test Tuesday, 
extending the solar arrays 
that will power the InSight 
spacecraft once it lands 
on the Red Planet this 
November.

 The test took place 
at Lockheed Martin 
Space just outside 
of 


Man Arrested with Large
Cache of Illegal Weapons 


 
After a search warrant was 
obtained, officers discovered 
an additional eight firearms, 
some of which were illegal 
in the state of California, 
multiple high capacity 
magazines and large 
quantities of ammunition. 
All of the items seized 
were unsecured and easily 
accessible to the children 
living in the home police 
said. 

Cruz was charged with 
felony child endangerment 
and a felon in possession 
of a weapon and criminal 
storage of a firearm. The 
child abuse allegation is 
now being investigated by 
the County Department of 
Child and Family Services, 
authorities said. Anyone 
with information can call 
police at 626-403-7297. 


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