Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, January 22, 2022

Mountain Views-News Saturday, January 22, 2022 

Local Area 
News Brief 

Police Release 911 
Call in Arrest of 
Murder Suspect

 Pasadena police arrested 
a man Wednesday for 
the high profile random 
stabbing of a furniture store 
worker in Hancock Park late 
last week. The arrest came 
after numerous calls to 911 
reported seeing the suspect 
in Old Pasadena. 

 Police released audio 
Thursday of one of the calls, 
“I’m in Pasadena, currently, 
he just walked past the 
corner of Green [Street] 
and Terrace [Drive], in 
Pasadena,” the caller said. 
“He has a black hoodie on, 
he has sweet pants and he 
has a black backpack very 
similar to the one in the 
images.” 

 At the time of the sighting, 
a reward for information 
on the whereabouts of the 
murder suspect, identified 
as Shawn Smith, had grown 
to $250,000. Police had 
released photos of Smith to 
the public Tuesday. 

 Police arrested Smith 
on a street bench without 
incident around 11:50 a.m. 
near Fair Oaks Ave. and 
Colorado Blvd. 

 According to police, 
smith allegedly entered the 
furniture store Croft House 
in Hancock Park Jan. 13 and 
stabbed Brianna Kupfer to 
death. Kupfer was found 
around 2 p.m. unresponsive 
by a customer. 

 Kupfer was a 24-year-old 
UCLA graduate student. 
Police said they still do not 
have a motive for the attack. 

 Smith was being held 
by the Los Angeles Police 
Department on $2 million 
bail. 

Police Arrest 
Suspect in 
Shooting of 
15-year-old 

Pasadena police confirmed 
Wednesday that they 
had arrested a suspect in 
connection to a shooting 
in North West Pasadena 
Tuesday that left a 15-yearold 
in critical condition.

 No other information 

about the suspect or victim 

was given.

According to police, the 
teenager was shoot riding 
as a passenger in a vehicle 
around 3 p.m. near Los 
Robles Avenue and Penn 
Street. The driver found 
firefighters up the street 
on Los Robles Ave. on an 
unrelated call and was able 
to get help. 

 The teenager was taken to 
a nearby hospital in critical 
condition. 

STAY 

SAFE! 

GET 
VACCINATED! 

WEAR A 
MASK! 

TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCES 

PRESIDENT, 2023 THEME 

The 2023 Rose 
Parade poster willbe created through 
a design contest.

 The Pasadena Tournament 

of Roses Board of Directors 

announced Thursday that 

Amy Wainscott has been 

confirmed as President and 

Chairman of the Board for the 

2023 Pasadena Tournament 

of Roses Association. She will 

lead the 134th Rose Parade 

and 109th Rose Bowl Game 

on Monday, January 2, 2023. 

According to officials, 
Wainscott has served as 
chair on various volunteer 
committees, including the 
first woman to chair Parade 
Operations; she leads the 
organization as the fourth 
female President of the 
Association.

 As tradition, Wainscott’s 

announced the 2023 Rose 

Parade theme, “Turning The 

Corner.” 

Traditionally, the President 
unveils a poster when the 
theme is announced. This 
year, Wainscott did not 
reveal a poster but instead 
revealed that the 2023 Rose 
Parade poster will be created 
through a design contest. All 
are encouraged to apply, the 
contest began Friday, and is 
open to everyone – young 
artists, students, past parade 
participants, international 
fans – all submissions will be 
accepted. 

 “The 2023 theme celebrates 

turning a corner. Whether 

that corner is actual or 

figurative like the unlimited 

potential that each new 

year brings—we all enjoy 

the opportunity of a fresh 

start,” explained Wainscott. 

“Turning a corner means 

rising above – alone, or 

with family, friends and 

community. This year, as we 
turn the corner together, we 
share in the hope, beauty and 
joy of what 2023 will bring.” 
Artwork winners will be 
used on the official 2023 
Rose Parade Poster, as well 
as in various other forms of 
event promotion.

 To submit a design 
for consideration, 
email it to marketing@
tournamentofroses.com. 
Your email should include: 
Subject Line: 2023 Poster 
contest 
Your full name 
A contact phone numberYour city of residenceIf a student, please include 
your schoolSubmission attachment in 

South Pasadena Hires 
New Deputy City Manager 


The City of South Pasadenaannounced the hiringlast week of Deputy CityManager, Domenica 
Megerdichian (pictured).
Megerdichian is experiencedand skilled in city leadershipand management, land 
management, grant writing,
contracts negotiations and 
management, strategicplanning, community andeconomic development, 
community outreach 
and engagement, specialprojects and citywide events.
Megerdichian brings a 
dynamic, proactive, team-
oriented and solutions based 
approach to her work and tothe agency.
Megerdichian has worked 
for four Los Angeles-areamunicipalities. She most 
recently served as the 
Economic Development 
Manager at the City of 
San Gabriel, where she 
focused on business service, 
attraction and retention to 
stabilize and grow the localeconomy during COVID-19.
At the City of Torrance, she 
served as the ManagementAssociate and oversaw land 
management, focused on 
economic developmentefforts and served as liaison 
to the City’s Social Services 
Commission, 


Homeless Task Force, and 
lead the interdepartmentalEconomic Development 
team. Domenica has 
previously worked for the 
Cities of Glendale and West 
Hollywood in City ClerksElections and City Councilsupport roles while pursuingher graduate degrees.
She holds a Bachelor of 
Arts degree from the 
University of California, 
Berkeley in Media Studiesand Social Anthropology,
a Master’s degree in PublicAdministration with a focus 
on Public Sector Leadershipand Management from 
California State University,
Northridge, and a Master’sdegree in Urban and 
Regional Planning with afocus on Community andEconomic Developmentfrom California PolytechnicUniversity, Pomona. 

Amy Wainscott
the form of a PDF 
For official contest rules, 
visit tournamentofroses. 
com/2023postercontest.

Entries due by Monday, 
February 21. 

 
Five Acres, a Southern 
California children’s foster

 This year’s gala will beheld, Saturday, May 14 


care agency, announced 
Wednesday that long-timesupporters, Nicole Rasic andTrish Gonzales (pictured),
will co-chair Five Acres 2022 
fundraising gala. Inspired 
by the hopes and dreams of 
many of the agency’s childrenwho are in foster care, this 
year’s theme will be “StarryStarry Night: Five Acres 
Annual Gala.”

 As one of its two largestfundraising events of theyear, this is Five Acres’ firstmajor gala since before 
the pandemic. This year’sgala, which will be heldon Saturday, May 14, willtake place outdoors on thesprawling property of a 
historic Pasadena estate. To 
go along with the “StarryStarry Night” theme, tall 
hedges will be draped withtwinkling lights, glowinglanterns will float in the pool,
and children’s wishes on stars 
will greet guests as they enterthe property to the evening’sfestivities. The catering willbe provided by Three Sisters 
Catering of South Pasadenaand all guests will enjoy anevening with gourmet food,
cocktails, live entertainment 
and auction.

 “The theme ‘Starry StarryNight’ is our community’sbiggest opportunity to helpmake the children and 
families of Five Acres wishes 
come true. We all need to 
show up to ensure thesechildren know they can still 
believe and hope in theirdreams and wish upon thestars,” said Gonzales. “We 
really want this year’s Gala tobe the best.”

 “It is definitely a fun andglamorous event. It’s oneof the highlights of myyear,” said Rasic. “Havingto cancel the past two galas,
we are especially lookingforward to gathering againand supporting all that Five 

Acres does for the kids and 
our community. Over thepast two years, Five Acreshas faced countless hurdles, 
navigating through the 
pandemic and maneuvering 
to meet new federal 
mandates, that the need is 
more urgent than ever.” 

Rasic and Gonzales met 
years ago through a mutualfriend. Nicole invited Trish 
to be her guest at Five Acres’gala and the rest is history.

 Owner of Ramsgate FloralDesign in Culver City, Rasicbegan volunteering with 
Five Acres in high school inthe 1990s. Six years ago, shebecame involved again as acommittee member, Gala 
sponsor, and now as a co-
chair.

 Gonzales, who is a Sr. 
Account Manager for NewfiLending, also comes froma large family and becameinvolved with Five Acres 
with the hopes of helping 
these children find the same 
love and support she receivedfrom her family.
“ As longtime friends, Trishand I are excited to chair this 
amazing gala ‘Starry StarryNight,’ and you can be surethat we will bring the funwith our great committee!”
said Gonzales. “It’s an honor 
to be involved with this 
charitable organization withpeople who really care. Theyare there to support the kids 
in any capacity, and I am in 
awe of what they are able to 
accomplish. I hope we canraise lots of funds this yearand grant these children 
their well-deserved wishes.”

 Sponsorship opportunitiesare available at: 5acres.org/ orindividuals can call Brandon 
Ito, associate director of 
development, at 626-3908453 
or email bito@5acres. 
org. Tickets for “StarryStarry Night” will go on salein March. For more event 
information and updates,
visit https://5acres.org/. FiveAcres will follow all publichealth guidelines associatedwith operating an outdoorfundraising gala event. 

Caltech 
Astronomy

on Tap 

“Don’t Look Up” and“Astronomy withoutAstronomers” 
Online live Monday 7:30pm 
to 9:30pm

 Join Amy Mainzer, Professor,
Lunar and Planetary Lab,
University of Arizona AndDmitry Duev, Software 
Engineer, Weights and Biases

 Topic: How do scientistsdiscover space objects 
that might impact Earth,
and can they be identifiedusing machine learningtechniques?Join us Monday,
January 24th at 7:30PM PST 
for an evening of astronomy 
as we discuss potentiallyhazardous asteroids and the 
future of doing astronomywith machine learningtechniques. We’ll host two~15 minute talks, Q&A,
and then follow it up withinteractive, astronomical pubtrivia. Bring a drink!
Join the YouTube Livestream 
at: youtu.be/Gj-Z5UtpfmE

7:30 p.m. - Don’t Look Up:
The Science of Near-Earth 
Objects
8:00 p.m. -Astronomywithout Astronomers 
8:30 p.m. - Astro-themed PubTrivia 
Astronomy on Tap is a nationwide 
phenomenon where 
professional astronomers giveinformal science talks in local 
bars with accompanying pubtrivia and interactions with the 
public. Scientists at Caltechorganize the Los AngelesChapter of Astronomy on Tapone Monday a month. 
Each event consists of two 
~15-minute informal science 
talks given by researchers inastronomy, physics, and spacescience followed by Q&A.
The second half of the nightis devoted to astronomy-
themed pub trivia with lots ofinteraction with the audience.

 For more information, pleasecontact Cameron Hummels 
by email at chummels@ 
caltech.edu. 

Five Acres Names Co-

Chairs for 2022 Gala 


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