Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, July 28, 2018

3


Mountain View News Saturday, July 28, 2018 

Michael Feinstein and The 
Pasadena POPS Pay Tribute 
to Leonard Bernstein

Letter to the Editor

Obituary

Altadena Board of Trustees,

 As a patron of the Altadena Library District (ALD) for almost 
three years, and having attended numerous board meetings, I am 
writing to this Board to express my concern at its awful behavior. 

 The powerful non-verbal communications of this ALD Board 
are very telling. I see a stoic, non-responsive, taciturn and non-
communicative body. You rarely, if ever, respond to questions 
or comments from the community. You never explain your 
reasoning. 

 Example: You cannot find a way to make a neutral statement 
that you do not support violations of the Brown Act (which you 
have repeatedly broken and are being sued over), despite being 
asked to do so numerous times. Example: You contemptuously 
will not answer a question as simple as whether or not specific 
Board members are running for office at the next election! 
Example: At a meeting, library staff had to speak during public 
comment to express their dismay at this Board’s lack of outreach 
to staff, despite staff morale being an important issue under 
discussion. 

 This Board lives in a vacuum, believing that somehow, 
magically, it knows and/or can make informed decisions, 
even though it doesn’t seek input from relevant sources. This 
demonstrates a closed-minded and uninformed approach to 
important library business, which is its standard operating 
procedure. These are not the actions of a healthy Board. Our 
library deserves better. 

 Comparing this ALD Board’s behavior with the behavior of 
our embattled Library Director, Ms. Kittay, we see a dramatic 
difference. Ms. Kittay engages the community, works with 
people, talks to and includes people. She started the very 
popular Community Conversations that have helped transform 
Altadena. Some comments from Community Leaders include: 

 “The Altadena Library District has become a gem of the 
community under Mindy’s leadership.” 

 “It is with Mindy’s strategic planning and vision that the 
Altadena Library has been so successful and a major community 
player.”

 “In my decades of experience, I can attest that Mrs. Kittay is 
among the few who understand what it takes to transform an 
organization for the better, affect positive change, and make a 
public library deliver on its promise. . . . To see how far ALD has 
come, on all fronts, is both remarkable and rare.”

 Ms Kittay did not receive these letters by accident. They 
are due to her behaviors that show a visionary leader and her 
tangible results. This ALD Board does none of that, your 
past President resigning at the first accusation of Brown Act 
violations. More resignations are needed: Trustees Bershatsky 
and Zambrano need to go. Now. 

 Ms Kittay has had to sue this ALD Board over its Brown Act 
violations and other bad behavior and has been placed on 
administrative leave since May 2018 and not allowed to work as 
Library Director, with no reason whatsoever given by this ever 
non-communicative Board. It is time to end this farce and bring 
this leader back. 

Paul Antico

Concerned Library Patron

Note: This letter to the ALD Board has been edited down from a 
longer letter that is available here: https://drive.google.com/open
?id=1zLhzFK8E5UCMxbDMtF4rq7AT5JH-tMkp

William Benjamin Webster 
(1932-2018)

 

 Principal Pops Conductor 
Michael Feinstein and the 
Pasadena POPS continue the 
2018 Sierra Summer Concert 
Series with a momentous 
tribute to Leonard Bernstein on 
Saturday, August 18 at 7:30pm. 
The POPS presents Bernstein’s 
New York as part of the Leonard 
Bernstein at 100 centennial 
being celebrated around 
the globe, but Feinstein has 
something more in store for this 
special performance. Having 
been lucky enough to know 
and spend time with Bernstein, 
Michael will recount first-hand 
stories from Candide to On the 
Town and West Side Story and 
will give an intimate look inside 
the legend’s friendships with 
Copland, Sinatra and more. 
Feinstein will present Bernstein 
as only he can, examining how 
the melting pot of the Big Apple 
influenced his life and music to 
reveal what made Bernstein 
“Bernstein”.

 The POPS will commemorate 
Bernstein’s 100th with an 
evening full of wide-ranging 
music. The setlist will cover 
songs from his enduring 
Broadway classics, with 
“Somewhere” and On the 
Town’s “New York, New York,” 
along with the best from his 
contemporaries, including his 
close friend Aaron Copland’s 
“Hoe Down” and Sinatra’s “New 
York, New York.” Feinstein 
says of the evening’s program, 
“It was his full embrace of 
the world of music that made 
him unique in what he did. It 
seemed necessary to all of us 
to create something that would 
reflect that nature. The concert 
is not exclusively Bernstein; it 
also is music that influenced 
him, music written by his 
contemporaries, and music he 
influenced.”

 A slew of talent will join the 
POPS orchestra for the special 
tribute. The three guest soloists 
include Julian Ovenden, who 
will reprise many of the songs 
he’s performed from Bernstein’s 
cannon throughout the years. 
Ovenden has an exceptional 
voice and is particularly 
adept at the music of Leonard 
Bernstein, though most know 
him for his many screen 
credits, notably Downton 
Abbey, Person of Interest, and 
Smash. Australian soprano and 
cabaret star Ali McGregor will 
nicely complement Ovenden. 
With her multi-octave range, 
she sings music of every stripe 
with ease and is perfectly suited 
to the eclectic nature of what 
it means to celebrate Leonard 
Bernstein. La Cañada native 
Finn Sagal rounds out the pack 
as a young and charismatic 
singer and winner of the 2017 
Songbook Academy® Award, 
who now serves as the Great 
American Songbook Youth 
Ambassador. 

 All concerts are held at the Los 
Angeles County Arboretum 
and Botanic Garden. Grounds 
open for picnicking and dining 
at 5:30pm and performances 
begin at 7:30pm. Don’t miss 
the best outdoor dinner party 
in town with spacious circular 
table seating with fine linens, 
or lawn seating for those 
who want to bring a blanket 
– each option carries on the 
tradition of picnic-dining 
with your family and friends 
with Michael Feinstein and 
Pasadena’s premier orchestra! 
Among many venue amenities, 
concert goers can enjoy pre-
ordered gourmet dining 
packages for on-site pickup 
just steps from their table from 
Julienne, Marston’s and Claud 
& Co. The venue also hosts 
mouth-watering food trucks 
and the convenience of two 
full beverage centers serving 
fine wines, beer, coffee and soft 
drinks.

 Audiences get the ultimate 
outdoor concert experience 
with large LED video screens 
to see the artists and orchestra 
up close, superior sound and 
the high-quality production 
value that is a signature of the 
Pasadena POPS. For those 
who want to make a night of 
it, exclusive hotel packages are 
available for POPS patrons at 
Pasadena’s landmark Hotel 
Constance.

 The Arboretum is located 
at 301 North Baldwin Ave., 
Arcadia, CA. Subscribers 
may pre-purchase parking 
on-site at the Arboretum, 
and all concertgoers enjoy 
free parking at the adjacent 
Westfield Santa Anita shopping 
center with complimentary 
non-stop shuttle service to the 
Arboretum’s main entrance.

 Single tickets start at $25 and 
are available by calling the box 
office at (626)-793-7172, online 
at PasadenaSymphony-Pops.
org or at the Arboretum on the 
day of the concert.

 The LA County Arboretum is 
located 301 N Baldwin Ave., 
Arcadia, CA 91007

 Tickets start at $25.00

Dining: Gates open at 5:30pm 
for picnicking. Guests are 
welcome to bring their own 
food and drink or visit one of 
the many onsite food vendors.

 Parking: Subscribers have the 
opportunity to purchase onsite 
Arboretum parking. Single 
ticket holders may park for free 
at the Westfield Santa Anita 
shopping center with free non-
stop shuttles to the main gate.

 
William (Bill) Benjamin 
Webster passed away 
peacefully on July 14, 2018 
in Bradbury, California, 
surrounded by members of 
his family. Born in Pasadena 
on December 12, 1932, he 
lived in Altadena nearly 
all his life. He attended 
Luther Burbank Elementary 
School, Charles Eliot Junior 
High School, and John Muir 
High School, including 
two years of junior college 
at John Muir. He married 
Louise Josephine Glass 
in December 1952, was 
drafted into the U.S. Army 
in January 1953, and was 
sent to serve in Germany 
from September 1953 until 
his honorable discharge in 
December 1954.

 As a young boy, Bill worked 
in the Webster family drug 
store founded in 1926 by 
his father, Harold Franklin 
“Frank” Webster. When 
Bill’s military service ended, 
he went back to work in the 
family business. In 1963, 
he took over the business 
and grew it into Webster’s 
of Altadena, a multi-store 
complex at the North Lake 
Avenue/Mariposa Street 
business district. He worked 
there for 70 years of his life. 
At its peak, under Bill’s 
leadership, the businesses 
on North Lake Avenue 
included a post office, a UPS 
shipping center, a pharmacy, 
a stationery store, a copy 
and packaging center, video 
rentals, a liquor store, toy 
and gift departments, and 
a Hallmark Gold Crown 
card shop. In addition, 
he opened two Hallmark 
stores in Pasadena. All of 
Bill’s four children worked 
at Webster’s, three of 
them for decades. Today, 
the namesake drugstore, 
Webster’s, still exists 
under new ownership at 
its original location on 
North Lake Avenue. Many 
generations of Altadenans 
and Pasadenans traded in 
the stores, and over the years 
hundreds of employees 
worked there, including 
many young people who got 
their first job “working at 
Webster’s.” 

 Bill was laid to rest after a 
family memorial service on 
Monday July 16, 2018 at the 
Chapel of the Gardens at the 
Mountain View Mausoleum, 
Altadena. 

 


 Duke (A380317) is not 
a puppy, but he rocks the 
"puppy dog" look. This 
5-year-old Catahoula is very 
friendly. He has gone out 
with our Wiggle Waggle 
Wagon crew a few times 
and has gotten along with 
people of all ages. He loves 
going for walks, and bonds 
quickly with new handlers 
and friends. He is a mellow 
dog looking for a laid-back 
owner. Visit him today at the 
Pasadena Humane Society & 
SPCA.

 The adoption fee for dogs 
is $130. All dogs are spayed 
or neutered, microchipped, 
and vaccinated before going 
to their new home. 

 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.

 View photos of adoptable 
pets at pasadenahumane.
org. 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.

Pet of the 
Week

Free Monthly Events at 
Pasadena Senior Center

 

 There is something for 
everyone in August at the 
Pasadena Senior Center, 85 E. 
Holly St.

You do not have to be a member 
to attend. Some events require 
advance reservations as noted.

 Legal Consultations – 
Thursday, Aug. 2, at 10 a.m. 
Legal advice will be provided 
about conservatorship, wills 
and trusts, estate planning and/
or durable power of attorney. 
Appointments are required; 
call (626) 795-4331.

 Nutrition and Brain Health – 
Thursday Aug 2, at 10 a.m. It 
has long been suspected that the 
relative abundance of specific 
nutrients can affect cognitive 
processes and emotions. Learn 
about vital mechanisms that 
are responsible for the action of 
diet on brain health and mental 
function. Presented by Regal 
Medical.

 Food Bank – Friday, Aug. 
3, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Low-
income individuals 60 and 
older will receive two boxes 
of food. Proof of income and 
a California ID are required. 
Bags are heavy, so bring a 
personal shopping cart.

 Friday Movie Matinees – 
Fridays, Aug. 3, 10, 17 and 
24, at 1 p.m. Everyone enjoys 
watching movies and the 
pleasures they bring. Aug. 
3: I, Tonya (2017, R) starring 
Margot Robbie and Allison 
Janney. Olympic figure skater 
Tonya Harding finds herself 
in the middle of one of the 
most sensational scandals in 
sports history. Aug. 10: I Can 
Only Imagine (2018, PG-13) 
starring J. Michael Finley and 
Madeline Carroll. The film 
tells the inspiring true story 
behind MercyMe’s beloved, 
chart-topping song that has 
brought hope and the power 
of forgiveness to so many. Aug. 
17: The Pursuit of Happyness 
(2006, PG-13) starring Will 
Smith and Thandie Newton. 
A talented, often unemployed 
single father struggles to make 
ends meet while raising his 
young son after they are evicted 
from their San Francisco 
apartment with nowhere to 
go. Aug. 24: Downsizing (2017, 
R) starring Matt Damon and 
Kristin Wiig. When scientists 
discover how to shrink humans 
down to five inches tall as a 
solution to overpopulation, a 
man and his wife decide to get 
small and move to a downsized 
community, a choice that 
triggers life-changing 
adventures.

 Screening Mimis Film Club 
– Tuesdays, Aug. 7 and 21, at 
3 p.m. What used to require 
a monthly fee is now free! 
Classics, film noir, cult films, 
documentaries, shorts, foreign 
films, animated films and more 
are selected democratically by 
club members. Each screening 
is researched and its hidden 
history presented prior to each 
viewing. Lively discussions and 
Q&A follow each screening. 
Popcorn is provided. The film 
club is scheduled the first and 
third Tuesdays of every month. 
Email mmeovary@aol.com for 
more information.

 Free Summer Concerts for 
All Ages – Mondays at 6 p.m. 
through Sept. 3. Summer 
concerts sponsored by the 
Pasadena Senior Center have 
moved from Memorial Park 
to the air-conditioned comfort 
of the center’s Scott Pavilion. 
Aug. 6: Janet Klein and Her 
Parlor Boys will perform jazz, 
ragtime, blues and novelty 
songs popular from 1900 to 
1930. Aug. 13: Pam Kay and 
the Tap Chicks will entertain 
with energetic dance routines, 
Vaudeville-style comedy and 
clever costumes. Aug. 20: 
Lisa Haley and the Zydekats 
will play lively Cajun Zydeco 
music with plenty of Louisiana 
spice. Aug. 27: Leah Zeger will 
perform spirited Gypsy jazz 
and beloved standards. Sept. 
3: The Great American Swing 
Band will feature the sounds 
of Big Band, rhythm and blues, 
jazz and Dixieland.

Health Insurance Counseling – 
Wednesdays, Aug. 8 and 15, at 
10 a.m. Trained counselors will 
provide unbiased information 
about Medicare, Med-gap, 
Medicare Advantage, Medicare 
Part D and Cal Medi-Connect. 
Appointments are required; 
call (626) 795-4331.

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

 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.

NASA Image Shows Lava 
Flow from Hawaii Volcano

ALTADENA CRIME BLOTTER


Sunday, July 15th

8:00 AM – A commercial 
burglary occurred in the 
600 block of W. Woodbury 
Road. Suspect(s) entered 
the location by removing 
the window screen. Stolen: 
black Canon camera, black 
camera bag, 250mm camera 
lens, black Dell laptop, and 
black wireless headset.

9:37 AM - Five commercial 
vehicles containing 
landscaping equipment 
were reported stolen from 
the 2500 block of Fair Oaks 
Avenue. The vehicles were 
later recovered in the area 
of Altadena and Pasadena. 
Various landscaping tools 
are still outstanding. 

Monday, July 16th

3:45 AM – A domestic 
violence incident occurred 
in the 1000 block of E. 
Mariposa Street. Suspect 
was subsequently arrested.

6:15 PM – A residential 
burglary occurred in the 
2000 block of Roosevelt 
Avenue. Suspect(s) entered 
the location by removing 
the window screen and 
shattering the window. 
Stolen: silver iPad, jewelry, 
and (2) white pillow cases.

Tuesday, July 17th

No significant incidents.

Wednesday, July 18th

12:10 PM – Two locker 
burglaries occurred in 
the 2100 block of Lincoln 
Avenue. Suspect(s) broke 
the padlock to the lockers 
and removed the contents. 
Stolen: currency.

Thursday, July 19th

12:15 PM – A vehicle 
was reported stolen from 
the 1900 block of Garfias 
Street. Vehicle described 
as a blue 1988 Toyota Pick 
Up containing landscaping 
equipment. Vehicle 
was recovered by LAPD 
Northeast.

4:00 PM – A domestic 
violence incident occurred 
in the area of Archwood 
Place and Windsor Avenue. 
Suspect has been identified.

7:45 PM – Michael Martinez, 
30 years old of Altadena was 
arrested in the 70 block of 
W. Mountain View Street for 
being under the influence of 
a controlled substance.

11:27 PM – A battery 
occurred in the 1000 block of 
E. Altadena Drive. Suspects 
has not been identified.

11:54 PM – Robert Ramirez, 
53 years old of Altadena was 
arrested in the area of Allen 
Avenue and Washington 
Boulevard for being under 
the influence of a controlled 
substance.

Friday, July 20th 

No significant incidents.

Saturday, July 21st

2:29 AM – A residential 
burglary occurred in the 
1800 block of E. Mendocino 
Street. Suspect entered the 
location via the unlocked 
garage door. Stolen: gray 
suitcase and alcohol.

 New NASA satellite imagery 
captured a hot lava flow from 
fissure 8 of Hawaii’s Kilauea 
volcano. The flow from fissure 
8 extends from the Leilani 
Estates to the Pacific Ocean -- 
with main ocean entry points 
near Ahalanui.

 The imagery, from the 
Advanced Spaceborne Thermal 
Emission and Reflection 
(ASTER) radiometer 
instrument on NASA’s 
Terra satellite, was taken on 
Wednesday, July 25. Vegetation 
is shown dark gray , and clouds 
are white. The hot lava flows 
detected by ASTER’s thermal 
infrared channels are overlaid 
in yellow (blocky white). The 
image covers an area of 9.5 
by 11.5 miles (15.3 by 18.6 
kilometers).

 Fissure 8 is one of the most 
active fissures of many that 
have broken ground since 
Kilauea began erupting in early 
May. Flying debris from the 
explosive interaction between 
lava and water is a serious 
hazard near ocean entry points. 
The interaction also creates 
laze -- plumes laden with 
hydrochloric acid and volcanic 
particles -- that can irritate the 
eyes, lungs and skin.

 Kilauea is one of the world’s 
most active volcanoes. It is the 
youngest and southeastern-
most volcano on the Island of 
Hawaii.

 The broad spectral coverage 
and high spectral resolution 
of ASTER provides scientists 
in numerous disciplines with 
critical information for surface 
mapping and monitoring 
of dynamic conditions and 
temporal change. Example 
applications are monitoring 
glacial advances and retreats; 
monitoring potentially active 
volcanoes; identifying crop 
stress; determining cloud 
morphology and physical 
properties; wetlands evaluation; 
thermal pollution monitoring; 
coral reef degradation; surface 
temperature mapping of soils 
and geology; and measuring 
surface heat balance.

 The U.S. science team is located 
at NASA’s Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. 
The Terra mission is part 
of NASA’s Science Mission 
Directorate, Washington.

 More information about 
ASTER is available at: asterweb.
jpl.nasa.gov/.

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