Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, April 14, 2018

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Mountain View News Saturday, April 14, 2018 

Police Stop 
School 
Burglary 
Spree

Spend an Intimate Evening 
with Author Danzy Senna

 


 The Open Book Series presents 
a very special literary salon 
featuring Danzy Senna in 
conversation with Chris Terry, 
on Thursday, May 17, from 
7:00 – 9:00 pm at Jones Coffee 
Roasters in Pasadena. Mingle at 
a hosted happy hour, then enjoy 
a spirited exchange about race, 
gender and identity between 
Senna, breakout author of 
Caucasia and New People, and 
moderator Terry. Afterwards, 
join Senna for a book signing 
and dessert reception. At Open 
Book, it’s never just an event, it’s 
an experience.

 Terry describes Senna’s book, 
Caucasia, as “a formative read” 
for him as a young man. His 
debut novel, Zero Fade, was 
on the American Library 
Association’s Best of 2013 list. 
His second novel, Magical 
Negroes (to be published in 
2019), is a supernatural satire 
about a mixed-race punk rock 
musician who is trying to win 
his Black Card — his credibility 
as a black person. Terry is 
currently a PEN Center USA 
Artist in Residence.

 To purchase tickets, go to 
pasadenaliteraryalliance.org/
open-book. The ticket price 
of $65/$35 Student/Educator 
includes pre-program reception 
with beer/wine and appetizers; 
post-program dessert, coffee, 
and conversation; and ongoing 
support of Pasadena Literary 
Alliance grantees.

 Jones Coffee is located at 
693 S Raymond Ave, for 
more information about the 
coffeehouse call (626) 564-9291.

 Men suspected of 
at least four school 
burglaries

 Pasadena Police arrested 
two men, Tuesday, 
suspected of at least 
four school burglaries 
committed within the past 
two weeks in Pasadena. 

 According to police, 
officers, Lieutenant Pete 
Hettema and Sergeant 
Rudy Lemos, stoped Jesus 
Martinez Galarza, 20 and 
Freddy Solorio, 19, both 
from Pasadena after a 
disturbance in the 300 block 
of South Lake Avenue. 
Witnesses positively 
identified the two men from 
video surveillance from a 
commercial burglary 1000 
block of East Green Street. 
Both were arrested and 
booked for commercial 
burglary.

 Pasadena Commercial 
Burglary Detective Thomas 
Blanchard questioned the 
two men and obtained 
statements under 
Miranda implicating their 
involvement in the school 
burglaries. On April 10, 
Detectives served search 
warrants at Galarza and 
Solorio’s residences in 
Pasadena. During the 
investigation, Officers 
recovered loss from the 
school burglaries and 
commercial burglary 
including laptop computers 
and cell phones.

 On Thursday, the Los 
Angeles County District 
Attorney’s Office filed 
12-felony counts on both 
Galarza and Solorio 
including charges of 
Commercial Burglary and 
Felony Vandalism. Galarza 
and Solorio’s bail was set at 
$120,000. The investigation 
is ongoing.

 Anyone with information 
about this case is 
encouraged to call Pasadena 
Police at (626)- 744-4241 
or anonymously by calling 
“Crime Stoppers” (800) 
222-TIPS (8477).

Playhouse to Celebrate Centennial

Altadena Library Announces 
Trustee Board Vacancy

 

 The Pasadena Playhouse 
announced this week plans 
celebrating the State Theatre 
of California’s centennial in 
partnership with the Playhouse 
District Association. Plans 
include an all day Playhouse 
Block Party June 9 from 12-
noon to 10 p.m. on El Molino 
Avenue at Colorado Blvd. Free 
to the public. 

 The Playhouse Block Party will 
include exhibits, food, libations, 
guided tours, a kids’ zone, . Two 
outdoor stages– a Main Stage 
and a Kids’ Stage - will feature 
entertainment from community 
arts partners throughout the 
day.

 Event organizers said 
beginning at noon, families can 
enjoy activities in the Kids’ Zone 
centered around a stage erected 
in the Playhouse Courtyard. In 
late afternoon and early evening, 
the focus will shift to a “street 
party” feel with live music and 
bands, food, drink, and more 
fun. 

 Performances on the two 
stages already scheduled include 
Culture Clash (presenting 
Bordertown Now at the 
Playhouse May 30 – June 24), The 
Legendary Ice House Comedy 
Club, Bob Baker Marionettes, 
Nine O’Clock Players, Pasadena 
Civic Ballet, Ballet Folklorico, 
Makoto Taiko (drumming), 
PCDA (Professional Child 
Development Associates) Youth 
Choir, and School of Rock 
Pasadena.

 Pasadena Playhouse Producing 
Artistic Director Danny 
Feldman said, “We wouldn’t be 
here today without the support 
of our community. Since our 
founding in 1917 we have been 
fortunate to be supported by the 
people of Southern California, 
a community that truly values 
the power of theater. For our 
Centennial celebration we 
wanted to throw a free party 
for thousands of people to say 
thank you.”

 Playhouse District Association 
Executive Director Brian 
Wallace said, “Our partnership 
with Pasadena Playhouse 
reflects what is great about 
our community – the drive to 
promote the Playhouse District 
as Pasadena’s home for arts 
and culture. We are excited to 
welcome everyone to enjoy 
what’s great about this area 
and hope the event encourages 
many repeat visits to all of our 
great destinations here.”

 Pasadena Playhouse, one of 
the most prolific theaters in 
American history with a legacy 
of profound theatrical impact 
and courageous new work, is 
celebrating its Centennial with 
this Block Party in partnership 
with the Playhouse District 
Association.

 Pasadena Playhouse is one 
of the most prolific drama-
producing organizations in the 
history of American theater, 
having commissioned over 550 
new works, produced upwards 
of 1,200 shows, spearheaded 
over 500 world premieres, 
developed several shows that 
went on to Broadway, and 
welcomed more than one 
million audience members. 

 As a community center, it has 
been the recipient of well over 
a million hours of service by 
more than 12,000 volunteers. 
The well known Friends of the 
Pasadena Playhouse has been 
instrumental in the running of 
the theatre both backstage, front 
of house, and administratively. 
For more than thirty years, 
Pasadena Playhouse ran a famed 
and fully accredited college 
-- more than 30,000 students 
received arts education and 
access programs. 

 For more information visit: 
pasadenaplayhouse.org.

 With the resignation last 
month of Trustee John 
McDonald, the Altadena 
Library Board of Trustees 
announced Friday they are 
accepting letters of interest 
from anyone who would like 
to serve on the board for his 
unexpired 2020 term.

 Those applying must be at 
least 18, a registered voter 
and resident within the 
boundaries of the Altadena 
Library District. The Board 
will interview potential 
candidates on a date in May 
as designated by the Board 
in the April 23 Board of 
Trustees meeting.

 As reported in this 
newspaper, McDonald 
suddenly resigned March 30, 
a day after numerous legal 
allegation were made against 
three sitting Altadena 
Library board members, 
during a special meeting, 
including violations of open 
meeting law and the intent 
to destroy government 
documents related to the 
violations. 

 Library staff said the 
applicant selected must 
agree to be willing to run 
in the Nov. 6, election for 
remainder of the unexpired 
2020 term.

 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, at wroy@
altadenalibrary.org, by 5 
p.m. on Friday, May 4.

 The Main Branch of the 
Altadena Library is located 
at 600 E. Mariposa Street.

 For more information, 
please visit the library’s 
website at altadenalibrary.
org.

Mayor’s 
Interfaith 
Prayer 
Breakfast

Free Monthly Events at 
Pasadena Senior Center

Join community members, 
Pasadena residents, civic, 
business, student and 
educational leaders, and the 
interfaith community for 
the 45th annual Pasadena 
Mayor’s Interfaith Prayer 
Breakfast, “Mending the 
Hearts and Minds of Our 
Youth.”

Hosted by Friends In Deed, 
the breakfast will be held 
Thursday, May 3

from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the 
Pasadena Convention 
Center, 300 E. Green 
Street. Niki Elliott, Ph.D., 
Co-Director, Center for 
Neurodiversity, Learning 
and Wellness, University 
of La Verne will be 
the keynote speaker. 
Tickets are available at 
FriendsIndeedPas.org. 

 There is something for 
everyone 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.

 A Toast to the Joys of 
Music – Tuesdays to April 
24, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. 
Tom Campbell returns to 
play his guitar and sing 
covers of traditional country, 
country rock, blues, folk, 
gospel and classic rock 
music made famous by The 
Grateful Dead, Vince Gill, 
Merle Haggard, B.B. King, 
Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, 
The Rolling Stones and 
others.

Scenic Walkers Club – 
Wednesdays, to April 25, 
at 10 a.m. Join members of 
the Pasadena Senior Center’s 
Scenic Walkers Club for 
walks to scenic local places 
to enjoy the great outdoors 
and get some exercise. For 
more information, including 
where to meet up each week, 
contact Scenic Walkers Club 
coordinator Alan Colville at 
alancolville@charter.net.

 Domino Club – 
Thursdays to April 26, at 1 
p.m. If you’ve never played 
Chicken Foot dominoes 
before, or even if you have, 
come join the fun as Vicki 
Leigh leads participants in 
a rollicking version of the 
game that is easy enough for 
beginners yet challenging 
enough for seasoned players. 
The accompanying laughter 
is contagious! For more 
information call Vicki Leigh 
at 928-478-4654.

Friday Movie Matinees – 
Fridays at 1 p.m. Everyone 
enjoys the experience of 
watching movies and the 
pleasures they bring. April 
20: “Ladybird” (2017, R) 
starring Saoirse Ronan and 
Laurie Metcalf. A young 
woman comes of age in 
Sacramento while her 
strong-willed mother works 
to keep her family afloat after 
Lady Bird’s father loses his 
job.

 LA Opera Talk: 
“Rigoletto”— Monday, 
April 16, at 1 p.m. An LA 
Opera community educator 
will lead participants through 
Giuseppe Verdi’s tragic 
masterpiece “Rigoletto,” the 
story of a lustful and immoral 
duke who ravishes the court 
jester’s daughter, only to 
have the jester’s revenge goes 
heartbreakingly awry.

 My Gift to You: The 
Importance of Planning 
Ahead – Thursday, April 19, 
at 10 a.m. What to do when 
a loved one passes away is a 
difficult topic to discuss, and 
most families spend less than 
five minutes talking about 
it. This can cause them to 
be completely unprepared 
and overwhelmed by all 
the details that must be 
handled. By planning ahead, 
you and your loved ones 
can maneuver through this 
emotional and financial 
burden. Presented by Forest 
Lawn.

 Signs and Symptoms 
of Depression – Thursday, 
April 26, at 10 a.m. Not 
everyone who is depressed 
suffers from the same 
symptoms, and not all 
symptoms are obvious. Learn 
more about the symptoms 
of depression during this 
special class presented by 
Pacific Clinics.

 Founded in 1960, 
the Pasadena Senior 
Center is an independent 
nonprofit agency 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

April is Distracted Driving 
Laws Awareness Month

Pet of the 
Week

 

 Pasadena Police Department 
are joining law enforcement, 
this month, throughout the 
state to step up enforcement 
along with awareness efforts by 
the California Office of Traffic 
Safety (OTS) to discourage 
distracted driving. Officers 
will have a special emphasis 
this month on enforcing all 
cell phone and distracted 
driving laws. The goal is to 
increase voluntary compliance 
by drivers, but sometimes 
citations are necessary for 
motorists to better understand 
the importance of driving 
distraction, the department 
said. 

 Pasadena Police will be 
deploying extra traffic officers 
with grant-funded resources 
on Friday, April 20 and Friday, 
April 27 on city locations 
with higher numbers of traffic 
collisions. Violators will be 
stopped and cited with fines set 
at $162 for first time offenders. 

 “Smart phones are part of 
everyone’s lives now. Texting, 
phone calls and posting on social 
media are nearly addicting,” 
said Interim Pasadena Police 
Chief John Perez. “But doing 
these things can have deadly 
consequences while driving 
on our city’s street. Changing 
these dangerous habits will help 
make our roadways safer for 
everyone.”

 Traffic officers have issued 
hundreds of thousands of 
citations over the past three 
years to those texting or calling 
on a hand-held cell phone. 
Recent legislation now makes it 
illegal to use your smartphone’s 
apps will driving. Still, everyone 
has seen other drivers on a 
device driving in a dangerous 
manner next to them during a 
commute or a trip around town.

 Since 2011, OTS has 
conducted an observational 
study of handheld cell phone 
use every year. “This year’s 
study on the use of handheld 
cell phones and texting shows 
a decrease over past years; 
however, more work needs to be 
done to target those who were 
observed to still be breaking the 
law,” said OTS Director Rhonda 
Craft. “The best way to put an 
end to distracted driving is to 
educate all Californians about 
the danger it poses. We will do 
this through enforcement and 
education efforts like our new 
advertising campaign “Just 
Drive”, reminding drivers to put 
down their phones and focus on 
the road.”

 Preliminary 2017 data also 
shows nearly 22,000 drivers 
were involved in distracted 
driving collisions in California, 
a decline from the more than 
33,000 drivers involved in 
distracted driving collisions in 
2007, the last full year before 
the hands-free law went into 
effect.

 Pasadena police are giving the 
following Safety Tips:

If you receive a text message or 
need to send one, pull over and 
park your car in a safe location, 
but ‘never’ on a freeway. Once 
you are safely off the road, it is 
safe to text.

 Designate your passenger as 
your “designated texter.” Allow 
them access to your phone to 
respond to calls or messages.

Do not engage in social media 
scrolling or messaging while 
driving.

 Cell phone use can be habit-
forming. Struggling to not text 
and drive? Put the cell phone in 
the trunk or back seat of your 
vehicle until you arrive at your 
final destination.

 This campaign is funded by a 
grant from the California Office 
of Traffic Safety, through the 
National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration. 

 
Inez (A452468) is a sweet 
8-year-old rat terrier mix. She 
is the definition of a lap dog. 
She loves your warmth and 
affection, and enjoys being 
petted. She greets every visitor 
with a wagging tail and enjoys 
the treats the volunteers give 
her. Inez came to us a few 
weeks ago from the Downey 
Shelter and is looking for a 
new loving home. 

 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.

 The Pasadena Humane 
Society is launching “Kitten 
Week,” a week-long awareness 
and action campaign held 
April 23-29, to encourage 
community members to spay/
neuter, adopt, and get involved. 
You can find more information 
at pasadenahumane.org/
kittenweek.

Holocaust 
Survival Story 
to Share Story

 Join Neighborhood 
Unitarian Universalist 
Churchfor Today a very 
special event. Holocaust 
Survivor Leon Prochnik will 
share his story entitled Milka 
and Me: How a chocolate 
tub helped me survive 
the Holocaust. Leon’s is 
an important message for 
all ages to hear during 
this time of xenophobia 
and marginalization of 
minorities in the United 
States. We must learn from 
the lessons of the past so 
that histories’ mistakes are 
not repeated. Admission 
is $10 for adults and $5 
for children. Food and 
drinks will be provided. 
Contact DRE Matt Vasko 
with questions at mvasko@
neighborhooduu.org. 

 The event will take 
place 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 
Neighborhood Church 
Sanctuary is located 301 N 
Orange Grove Blvd. 

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