SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2018 
VOLUME 12 NO. 05 
PASADENA EDITION 
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2018 
VOLUME 12 NO. 05 
PASADENA EDITION 
Man Arrested 
for Pasadena 
Church Fire 

 Members of the Inter-Agency 
House of Worship Task Force, 
last week, arrested a man 
alleged to have vandalized 
and set fire to a 129-yearold 
Episcopalian church in 
Pasadena earlier this month. 

According to police, 
Christian Michael Garcia, 
25, was arrested January 25, 
for suspicion of arson and 
vandalism, by personnel 
from LAPD Major Crimes 
Division and Criminal 
Conspiracy Section 
along with LAFD Arson/
Counter- Terrorism Section 
Investigators and Pasadena 
Fire and Police Department 
Arson Investigators. 

 The fire, first reported at 

2:20 a.m. at 1100 N. Avenue 
64 took 14 minutes to 
knock down. Pasadena Fire 
PIO Lisa Derderian said 
investigators were not calling 
it a hate crime, but an arson, 
vandalism and burglary. 
“The Collaboration of our 
Federal and local partners 
and the tireless work of 
investigators from the various 
agencies in the task force, 
made this arrest possible and is 
a testament to the productive 
working relationship, first 
responders have here in 
Southern California when 
a community is threatened 
by criminal activity,” said 
Pasadena Fire Chief Bertral 
Washington and Pasadena 
Police chief Philip Sanchez.

 Garcia was wanted in 
connection to incidents 
involved an incendiary fire 
and vandalism at Resurrection 
Church in Boyle Heights, as 
well as Pasadena and multiple 
other acts of arson and at 
houses of worship in the city 
and County of Los Angeles.

 The House of Worship Task 
Force consists of personnel 
from the Los Angeles Fire 
Department, Los Angeles 
Police Department, Pasadena 
Fire Department, Pasadena 
Police Department and the 
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, 
Firearms and Explosives. 

Council to Discuss ‘One Arroyo’ Project


The city council is set Monday 
night to hear the findings of 
a, year-long, outreach on the 
Arroyo Seco, that included 15 
presentations to community 
groups and council districts, 
four Arroyo walks with Mayor 
Terry Tornek, and other 
awareness including the first 
(pictured above) “One Arroyo 
Day” in late November bringing 
together 20 Arroyo-based 
organizations. 

 They will also vote to allocate 
$100,000 to the “One Arroyo 
Project,” to continue the 
effort through the end of this 
year. The budget includes 
$50, 000 for Fundraising 
Assessment & Development-
Related Activities; $30,000 for 
Development of Fund raising 
Materials & Renderings and 
$30,000 for Trail Development/
Public Funding Strategist. 
City officials said the project 

maintains a balance of $25,000 
that can be used. 

 City officials, last year, set up 
the Arroyo Advisory Group 
(AAG).

 According to a staff report, “As 
part of the July report, the AAG 
recommended the creation of 
an end-to-end trail system as 
a pilot project to advance the 
One Arroyo vision. At that 
time, council approved a trail 
concept study as part of the 
next phase in the process to 
further explore the possibility 
of creating an end-to-end trail 
system throughout the Arroyo 
that would restore broken 
connections and enhance the 
trail user experience.”

 The council will also hear the 
finding of a survey by the AAG. 
“The top priorities of the 2,652 
survey respondents included: 
maintenance, environment/ 
ecology, trails amenities, 

Student-Run Credit Union 
Opens At John Muir High


 Don Friesen, the star of the 
hilarious Showtime one-hour 
comedy special, “Ask Your 
Mom,” will be making a live 
appearance in the Community 
Room on Thursday, February 8 
at 7:00 p.m. The free program 
will showcase the talents of 
the engaging, clever, and just 
flat-out funny South Pasadena 
resident. Appropriate for all 
ages and presenting “One of the 
best up and coming comedians 
in the country,” the program 
is sponsored by the South 
Pasadena Public Library and the 
Friends of the South Pasadena 
Public Library. Friesen’s routines 
capture the ironies of parenting, 
marriage and everyday 
absurdities through characters, 
voices, parodies and some of the 
best material around. The Seattle 
Post-Intelligencer says “Friesen 
will leave a lasting comic 
impression,” and describes 
him as “offbeat, satirical, self-
deprecating and slightly out of 
control.” 
As the only two-time winner 
in the 36-year history of the 
prestigious San Francisco 
International Comedy 
Competition, Don Friesen 
ignites stages with a playful, 
high-energy spoof of his life as a 
modern suburban dad trying to 
get through the day with a bit of 
money in the bank and a scrap 
of dignity intact. He’s a wannabe 
geek who constantly upgrades 
to the latest tech tool, but can 
never get it to work, leading 
to signature bits about Idiot 
Guides, texting and passwords. 
Friesen’s impressive credits 
include “Live at Gotham”, “The 
Lewis Black Christmas Special”,
and “Comics Unleashed”. Don 
was also featured in TBS’ “The 
Comedy Festival” in Las Vegas 
and is wildly popular on KLOS’ 
5:00 Funnies and XM Sirius 
satellite radio. 
The Community Room is 
located at 1115 El Centro Street. 
No tickets or reservations are 
necessary and refreshments will 
be served. 
'South 
Pasadena’s 
Own' Don 
Friesen 
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 
Muir Credit Union A 
new student-run credit 
union on the campus of 
John Muir High School 
gives students real-world 
work experience while 
providing banking and 
financial services for the 
surrounding community.

 The new Pasadena 

students in John Muir’s 

Service Federal 
Credit Union branch 
employs and trains 

Business Business 
& Entrepreneurship 
Academy. In the fully-
functional branch, 
students work as tellers, 
make deposits, and work 
directly with customers. 
They acquire skills in 
finance and customer 
service and get valuable 
work experience to 
prepare them for careers 
in the finance industry. 
Later this year, they will 
present workshops on 
financial literacy for 
fellow Muir students. 
Students are trained by 
Pasadena Service Federal 
Credit Union personnel, 
who are on-site when the 
branch is open.

 Opening of the new 
branch is a product 
of a long-term 
partnership between 
the Pasadena Service 
Federal Credit Union, 
the Pasadena Unified 
School District, and 

the Pasadena Chamber 
of Commerce that has 
created opportunities for 
Pasadena youth through 
internship programs and 
mentoring.

 Over the last two years, 
PSFCU staff participated 
in John Muir High School 
career fairs, conducted 
mock interviews, and 
reviewed student resumes 
to prepare them for 
the next phase of their 
professional lives. Muir 
students have completed 
summer internships at 
PSFCU corporate offices.

A partnership between 
the Pasadena Chamber 
of Commerce and the 
Pasadena Unified School 
District has created an 
immersive summer 
internship program that 
provides students with 
internships and work-
based learning as they 
prepare to enter college 
and professional careers.

 Each year some 100 
students are selected 
to work alongside 
professionals in various 
industries in the greater 
Pasadena area, including 
corporate offices, 
nonprofits, and more.

 For more information 
visit the Pasadena Unified 
School District: pusd.us, 
or at the Pasadena Service 
Federal Credit Union: 
mypsfcu.org. 

More Shakeup atthe Altadena Library


By Dean Lee

 No official reason had 
been given after Altadena 
Library Trustee Adalila 
Zelada-Garcia unexpectedly 
resigned from the board 
and after Altadena Library 
Director Mindy Kittay has 
gone on medical leave, both 
last month, according to 
library staff.

At a special meeting Jan. 
25, Board President John 
McDonald and other 
members voted in favor 
of appointing Ryan Roy 
as acting library director. 
McDonald said, a vote, 
and the special meeting 
was needed anticipating 
Kittay’s prolonged leave. 
The board mentioned the 
Family and Medical Leave 
Act, a federal law that 
guarantees employees up 
to 12 workweeks of unpaid 
leave, without the threat of 
job loss. 

 Kittay made the 
announcement to library 
staff Jan. 23. She was also 
absent from the regular 
board meeting the night 
before when the resignation 
of Zelada-Garcia was 
announced. Staff said the 
two were likely unrelated. 

 At the Jan. 22 meeting, 
the board members and 
Kittay were set to discuss, 
in closed session, her job 
performance. Members of 
the community expressed 
concern that Kittay may 
quit. 

 Board members also briefly 
discussed how to fill Zelada


Garcia’s now vacant seat. The 
public asked that they wait, 
possibly to the next election 
Nov. 6, before filling the seat. 
Although, board member 
Ira Bershatsky asked that 
they appoint someone 
immediately, within weeks. 

The trustees sent out a 
statement saying they are 
accepting letters of interest 
from anyone who would like 
to serve on the board "for 
the unexpired 2020 term." 

 Those applying must be 
at least 18, a resident of 
and registered to vote in 
Altadena. The board meets 
at 5 p.m. on the fourth 
Monday of each month. 
The board will interview 
potential candidates at the 
next board meeting at 5 

p.m. on February 26th. The 
applicant selected must 
agree to be willing to run in 
the Nov. 6, 2018 election for 
the 4-year term, if necessary. 
Interested parties should 
submit a letter of interest, 
resume, and completed 
supplemental questionnaire 
(on library’s website) to the 
Library’s Acting Director 
Ryan Roy by 5 p.m. on 
February 16. The Altadena 
Library is located at 600 E. 
Mariposa St. 
McDonald said all applicants 
will be interviewed and the 
final appointment will be 
made by the board. 

 Ryan Roy said that in 
Kittay’s absent, all of the 
planned community actives, 
at both the main library 
and Bob Lucas branch will 
continue. 

and activities. The top new 
amenities confirmed by the 
survey included: restrooms, 
trails/paths, habitat restoration, 
bike trails, and places to 
relax. Overall, 57 percent of 
respondents expressed interest 
in wanting to see improvements, 
70 percent were interested in 
more open space amenities, 
and 60 percent were interested 
in more open space programs. 
The survey also confirmed that 
the majority of respondents 
felt that the AAG’s One Arroyo 
vision was appropriate and 
reflective of the community’s 
desire to honor it as a natural 
place with opportunities for the 
community to come together in 
recreation and reflection.”

 The city council meets at 6:30 

p.m. in the Council Chamber, 
Pasadena City Hall 100 North 
Garfield Avenue, room S249. 
Photo by D. Lee /MVNews 
Bob Lucas Branch’s Newest 
Initiative – The Mosaic Project

 Library staff is asking to hear 
your stories. “Our community 
is made up of people from 
all walks of life, each with a 
unique story to tell.” According 
to announcement, In an effort 
to capture and preserve the 
community’s collective story, 
a temporary booth has been 
constructed at the Bob Lucas 
Branch equipped with a video 
camera and audio recorder. They 
invite community members to 
stop by to record themselves 
reading either excerpts of their 
own original stories, poems, or 
essays or pieces by renowned 
authors that speak to their life 
experiences. At the end of each 
month, the video and audio 
clips will be pieced together 
into a brief video posted on 

the Library’s YouTube page for 
public enjoyment.

 February is Black History 
Month, an annual celebration 
of achievements by African 
Americans and a time for 
recognizing the central role 
of the black community in 

U.S. History. During this 
special month, we encourage 
community members to bring 
stories, poems, and reflections 
either about the history and 
experiences of the black 
community in Altadena or 
excerpts from works of black 
authors and poets that are 
significant to them. 
For more information 
call (626) 798-8338 or visit 
altadenalibrary.org. The Bob 
Lucas Branch is located 2659 
Lincoln Ave. 


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