Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, November 24, 2018

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Mountain View News Saturday, November 24, 2018 


Local Area 
News Briefs

Mayor’s 
Holiday Tree 
Lighting at 
City Hall

 

 Deck City Hall with Holiday 
Good Cheer by joining 
Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek 
for a City Holiday Tradition: the 
Mayor’s Annual Tree Lighting 
Celebration, 5-7 p.m., Friday, 
Dec. 7, at City Hall, 100 N. 
Garfield Ave.

 Pasadena’s free holiday 
celebration featuring local 
singers and dancers, crafts for 
kids provided by the Armory 
Center for the Arts, free light 
refreshments and a special 
appearance by Ol’ Santa Claus. 
The Mayor lights the City’s 
Official Tree at 6 p.m., so come 
early for parking and a stroll 
over to historic City Hall.

 Santa Claus is set to make a 
special appearance and will be 
available for a photo op with 
your children and the young at 
heart. Festive photo stops will 
also be available during the 
event to capture the spirit of the 
season. Bring your own cameras 
to snap a special holiday picture.

 Organizers are asking “This 
year more than ever, please find 
it in your hearts to help fill one of 
the Pasadena Fire Department’s 
paramedic ambulances—and 
make our firefighters smile—by 
bringing a new, unwrapped toy 
or sports equipment for gifts to 
less fortunate boys or girls as 
part of the annual Spark of Love 
Toy Drive. We need your help 
and your donations, please.”

 Entertainment throughout 
the night will include, by 
popular demand, a triumphant 
return performance from the 
thundering Wilson Middle 
School Drum Corps! Plus, 
those adorable kids from the 
City’s Tiny Tots Troupe; the Boys 
and Girls Club of Pasadena, and 
from Pasadena’s Afterschool 
Adventures Program will be 
there too. Pasadena High School 
LEARNs Orchesis Dance Troop 
and Elements Dance Space will 
perform exciting dance routines. 
And, of course, the evening just 
wouldn’t be complete without 
our favorite emcees, our own 
Dynamic Duo of retired police 
Lt. Rodney “Rodney D” Wallace 
and Sgt. Glen Thompson of the 
Pasadena Police Department.

City Gets Pedestrian 
Safety Grant for Bicyclists

 
Big Rig Crash Snarls 
Traffic Shuts Down 
Gold Line

 
The Metro Gold Line 
shutdown Thursday 
morning after a big rig 
swerved on the 210 
Freeway then crashed 
through the center divider 
and landed partly blocking 
the Gold Line tracks near 
Sierra Madre Villa Avenue. 
The Gold Line was out of 
operation for nine hours. 

 According to officials, the 
crash happened at 1:55 a.m. 
The truck was traveling 
westbound when the driver 
lost control. Three lanes of 
the freeway were also closed 
including the carpool lane. 

 Officials said the semi did 
not damage the tracks or 
overhead cables, although 
some equipment was 
damaged. Gold Line service 
and all lanes of the freeway 
were reopened by 11a.m. 

 Metro was running on 
a holiday schedule at the 
time.

 

 The City of Pasadena’s efforts 
to enhance safety for bicyclists 
citywide just got a financial 
boost thanks to a $175,000 grant 
from the California Office of 
Traffic Safety (OTS) to the City’s 
Department of Transportation 
for its Pedestrian and Bicycle 
Safety Program. The City will 
use the funding for a year-
long motorist safety outreach 
program aimed at reducing 
severe injuries and fatalities 
to pedestrians and bicyclists 
resulting from crashes. 
Specifically, this program will 
bring awareness to motorists 
of the importance to yield to 
pedestrians when making left 
or right turns at signalized 
intersections and upgrade the 
City’s collision database for 
more effective interpretation.

 Collision data collected in 
Pasadena for 2017 showed 
that over 65% of collisions 
involving pedestrians occurred 
at signalized intersections. 
In 2015, the most recent year 
comprehensive state data was 
available, the City of Pasadena 
ranked 4th highest in the 
number of pedestrians killed 
or injured in traffic collisions 
among 57 comparably 
populated cities throughout 
California.

 Educational efforts funded 
by the OTS grant will promote 
safe behaviors by motorists, 
including avoiding distractions 
like cell phones, awareness 
of recent changes in state law 
that allows for pedestrians to 
enter crosswalks during the 
flashing-don’t-walk phase of a 
pedestrian crossing, and a need 
to yield to pedestrians crossing 
a crosswalk. Educational 
components on pedestrian 
safety will be especially 
geared toward motorists and 
pedestrians in commercial 
districts.

 This grant funding provides 
an opportunity for the City 
to potentially reduce the 
percentage of collisions 
involving pedestrians and 
bicyclists and reduce the 
number of fatalities and 
severe injuries by providing 
educational resources and 
improvements to the City 
collision database.

 “Bicycle and pedestrian safety 
responsibilities go both ways,” 
OTS Director Rhonda Craft 
said. “Understanding the rules 
of the road behind the wheel, 
on foot or on two wheels helps 
all roadway users get where 
they need to go safely.”

 Funding for this pedestrian 
safety program was provided 
by a grant from the California 
Office of Traffic Safety, through 
the National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration.

Mayor Terry Tornek 2017 Tree Lighting. Photo D. Lee/MVNews

 The 30th 
Annual Kwanzaa 
Celebration

La Pintoresca 
Holiday 

Tree Lighting

NASA InSight on Course 
for Mars Touchdown

 Join The Pasadena 
Library for Kwanzaa: A 
Celebration of Family, 
Community & Culture. 
Enjoy music, stories and 
tasty dishes prepared 
by members of the 
Pasadena Alumnae 
Chapter of Delta Sigma 
Theta Sorority. Thursday, 
Dec. 27 • 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 
• La Pintoresca Branch 
located 1355 N Raymond 
Ave, Pasadena.

 NASA’s Mars Interior 
Exploration using Seismic 
Investigations, Geodesy and 
Heat Transport (InSight) 
spacecraft is on track for a soft 
touchdown on the surface of the 
Red Planet Monday. But it’s not 
going to be a relaxing weekend 
of turkey leftovers, football and 
shopping for the InSight mission 
team. Engineers will be keeping 
a close eye on the stream of 
data indicating InSight’s health 
and trajectory, and monitoring 
Martian weather reports to 
figure out if the team needs to 
make any final adjustments.

 “Landing on Mars is hard. 
It takes skill, focus and 
years of preparation,” said 
Thomas Zurbuchen, associate 
administrator for the Science 
Mission Directorate at NASA 
Headquarters in Washington. 
“Keeping in mind our 
ambitious goal to eventually 
send humans to the surface 
of the Moon and then Mars, 
I know that our incredible 
science and engineering team 
— the only in the world to have 
successfully landed spacecraft 
on the Martian surface — will 
do everything they can to 
successfully land InSight on the 
Red Planet.”

 InSight, blasted off from 
Vandenberg Air Force Base in 
Central California on May 5. 
It has been an uneventful flight 
to Mars, and engineers like it 
that way. They will get plenty 
of excitement when InSight 
hits the top of the Martian 
atmosphere at 12,300 mph 
(19,800 kph) and slows down to 
5 mph (8 kph) — about human 
jogging speed — before its three 
legs touch down on Martian 
soil. That extreme deceleration 
has to happen in just under 
seven minutes.

 “There’s a reason engineers 
call landing on Mars ‘seven 
minutes of terror,’” said Rob 
Grover, InSight’s entry, descent 
and landing (EDL) lead, based 
at NASA’s Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory. “We can’t joystick 
the landing, so we have to rely 
on the commands we pre-
program into the spacecraft. 
We’ve spent years testing our 
plans, learning from other 
Mars landings and studying all 
the conditions Mars can throw 
at us. And we’re going to stay 
vigilant till InSight settles into 
its home in the Elysium Planitia 
region.”

 One way engineers may be 
able to confirm quickly what 
activities InSight has completed 
during those seven minutes 
of terror is if the experimental 
CubeSat mission known as 
Mars Cube One (MarCO) 
relays InSight data back to 
Earth in near-real time during 
their flyby on Nov. 26. The two 
MarCO spacecraft (A and B) are 
making good progress toward 
their rendezvous point, and 
their radios have already passed 
their first deep-space tests.

 Once engineers know that 
the spacecraft has touched 
down safely in one of the several 
ways they have to confirm this 
milestone and that InSight’s 
solar arrays have deployed 
properly, the team can settle 
into the careful, three-month-
long process of deploying 
science instruments.

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

 Join in the holiday fun Friday 
from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. as the 
La Pintoresca neighborhood 
comes together to sing carols, 
listen to holiday stories, 
make crafts and share in the 
delight of the lighting of our 
community Christmas tree. 
Presented in partnership with 
the Pasadena Human Services 
& Recreation and Public 
Works Departments and the 
Armory Center for the Arts. 
For more information, call 
(626) 345-0708.

 The La Pintoresca Branch 
Library & Park is located 1355 
N. Raymond Ave.

It’s a Wonderful Life at the 
Playhouse: A Live Radio Play

 The Pasadena Playhouse presents the largest holiday 
celebration in its history – the mainstage holiday production 
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play for 15 performances 
only (December 12 to 23), performances of Bob Baker’s 
Nutcracker in the Carrie Hamilton Theatre (November 24 to 
December 31); and an additional free holiday concert will be 
held in the Playhouse Courtyard on December 14 at 6 p.m. 
in association with the Playhouse District Association.

 One of the all-time classic Christmas stories comes to life 
onstage in a 1940s-style radio broadcast – following last 
season’s production of the original radio play of Miracle on 
34th Street.

 This year -- join George Bailey, a down-on-his-luck man, 
as his guardian angel shows him what his town would have 
been like had he never been born. This timeless masterpiece 
guarantees to warm your heart this holiday season. 

 As was often the case with mid-century entertainments, 
once a film found an audience, it became a radio drama. It’s 
a Wonderful Life was originally released in 1946. Directed 
by Frank Capra, it was based on a short story by Philip Van 
Doren Stern. Stern started working on the story in 1939, 
finished it in 1943 when he sent it out as a Christmas card to 
his friends and relatives.

 Bob Baker’s adaptation of the ballet classic is one of Bob 
Baker Marionette Theater’s most beloved shows since it 
began in 1969. The Sugar Plum Fairy and her promenading 
cakes, waltzing flowers, and all of the wonders beyond the 
mysterious door are now to be found at the Carrie Hamilton 
Theatre --- entirely outfitted for the holidays -- at Pasadena 
Playhouse.

 Tickets are available at pasadenaplayhouse.org, by phone 
at 626-356-7529, and at the box office at 39 South El Molino 
Avenue. 

Pet of the 
Week


Woman’s 
Civic League 
Holiday 
Boutique

 The Woman’s Civic League 
of Pasadena’s Annual Holiday 
Boutique and luncheon will 
be on Monday, December 3rd 
at the Women’s City Club, 
160 N. Oakland, Pasadena. 
Free parking behind the 
Clubhouse on Madison. Shop 
for holiday and year round 
gifts. Doors open at 10am and 
shopping till 2:30pm. Silent 
Auction and Opportunity 
Drawing, Jewelry, Clothing, 
Gift Items, Accesssories, 
Baked Goods and Candies. 
Proceeds support women and 
children in the Community. 
Luncheon at 12pm and cost is 
$35 at the door. Call 626-888-
9404 for lunch reservations 
which must be made by 8pm 
Weds. November 28th. Visit 
their website at: wclpasadena.
org for more information in 
the announcement section. 
To learn about joining The 
Woman’s Civic League contact 
Membership Chairwoman 
Lela Bissner at lbissner@gmail.
com

“Well, hello!” Cici 
(A466447) says. Cici is 
a beautiful 2-year-old 
girl who loves attention 
and is not stingy with 
her affection either. 
When she has a visitor 
she immediately rubs 
her face on their hand, 
leans in for pets and 
then rolls on her side for 
even more massage. 
She is looking for a new 
cuddle buddy. Could it 
be you? 

 The adoption fee for 
cats is $75. All cats are 
spayed or neutered, 
microchipped, and 
vaccinated before 
being adopted. 

 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.

Free Monthly Events at 
Pasadena Senior Center

There is something for 
everyone in September 
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. 

Health Insurance 
Counseling and Advocacy 
– Wednesdays, Nov. 28, at 
10 a.m. Receive counseling 
and advocacy on issues 
related to Medicare, 
Medigap, Medicare Part 
D and Cal MediConnect. 
Appointments are required 
by calling 626-795-4331. 
Presented by HICAP. 

 Live Longer and Stronger – 
Thursday, Nov. 29, at 10 a.m. 
Explore the challenges to 
living fully as you age. Dr. 
Bonnie Olsen, a clinical 
psychologist at Keck 
Medicine of USC, will help 
participants identify the 
key ingredients that lead 
to productive, engaging 
and well-balanced lives. 
She will share examples 
that will inspire participants 
to develop goals for 
achieving more satisfying 
balance in physical health, 
cognitive stimulation and 
social engagement.

 SINGING/STORIES – Friday, 
Nov. 30, at 3:30 p.m. Guest 
performing artists from 
MUSE/IQUE will explore 
how music, when paired 
with words, can evoke 
deep wells of memory and 
unite a crowd of people in 
a single, shared emotion. 
Participants who register in 
advance at the Welcome 
Desk and attend this 
event will be eligible for a 
limited number of tickets 
for the Dec. 2 aMUSE/IQUE 
concert.

 Founded in 1960, the 
Pasadena Senior Center 
is an independent, donor-
supported anonprofit 
organization that offers 
recreational, educational, 
wellness and social services 
to people ages 50 and 
older.

ALTADENA CRIME BLOTTER

Sunday, November 4th

6:59 PM – A petty theft from an 
unlocked vehicle occurred in 
the 400 block of E. Sacramento 
Street. Stolen: black Bolle 
sunglasses.

Monday, November 5th

2:50 AM – Meeghan Chavez, 
34 years old of Pasadena was 
arrested in the 1400 block of 
Atchison Street for possession 
of a controlled substance.

Wednesday, November 7th

2:00 PM – A vehicle burglary 
occurred in the 300 block of 
W. Altadena Drive. Suspect(s) 
entered the vehicle by shattering 
the front passenger window. 
Stolen: pink purse, textbook, 
red notepad, and a white and 
green stationary pouch.

5:00 PM – A residential burglary 
occurred in the 1600 block of 
N. Altadena Drive. Suspect(s) 
entered the location by cutting 
the chain attached to a fence. 
Stolen: multiple construction 
tools and residential hardware.

5:10 PM – A petty theft incident 
occurred in the 3000 block of 
Lincoln Avenue. Stolen: soda, 
chips, and donuts.

Thursday, November 8th

1:00 AM – A petty theft from 
an unlocked vehicle occurred 
in the 3000 block of Ewing 
Avenue. Stolen: currency.

1:25 PM – A battery occurred 
in the 300 block of W. Loma 
Alta Drive. Suspect has been 
identified.

Friday, November 9th

12:00 AM – A petty theft from 
an unlocked vehicle occurred 
in the 1700 block of Bellford 
Avenue. Stolen: pink Marc 
Jacobs purse, US passport, and 
wine bottle.

9:30 PM – Jorge Espinoza, 
22 years old of Pasadena was 
arrested in the area of Mountain 
View Street and Fair Oaks 
Avenue for under the influence 
of a controlled substance.

10:30 PM – A domestic violence 
incident occurred in the 100 
block of W. Manor Street. 
Suspect has been identified.

Pet CPR & First 
Aid Workshop

 The Pasadena Humane 
Society invite you to take our 
5-hour Pet CPR & First-Aid 
certification course, co-led by 
certified Pet CPR, First Aid 
& Care Instructor, Learn how 
to identify and treat a variety 
of possible emergencies and 
illnesses, including rescue 
breathing, CPR, how to 
manage choking, bleeding, 
and shock incidents, and 
how to prepare a first aid kit. 
Participants will be given a 2 
year certificate, Pet Tech web 
emblem, and placed on the Pet 
Tech International database. 
Cost: $85 - Proceeds of ticket 
sales will be donated to PHS. 
For more call 626-792-7151.

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