Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, November 27, 2021

Mountain Views-News Saturday, November 27, 2021 

City OfferingReward after 
Teen's Murder

 The City of Pasadena 
Announced Tuesday they areoffering a $10,000 reward forinformation that leads to the 
arrest and conviction of the 
suspect(s) responsible for theshooting death of 13-year oldIran Moreno.

 “As your Mayor, I want youto know that the safety ofour city is my top priority”,
Pasadena Mayor Victor Godosaid. “I am working with myCity Council colleagues, ourCity Manager, Police Chief,
Fire Chief, City staff andcommunity leaders to addressthis violence as well as assist 
with the immediate needs 
of our community memberswho are deeply impacted. I askall of you to keep our victimsin your prayers as we work tostop this violence.”

 According to police, on 
Sunday at approximately

6:12 p.m., officers from thePasadena Police Departmentresponded to a residence 
in the 900 block of N. 
Raymond Avenue regarding 
a person who had been 
struck by gunfire. Officerslocated Moreno, a residentof Pasadena, suffering from agunshot wound. The victimwas unresponsive and officersimmediately began providingemergency, lifesaving medicalcare. Moreno died at a nearbyhospital. 
Investigators said they do 
not think Moreno was the 
intended target. Reports saidhe was playing video games atthe time gunfire come thoughthe widow. 
“The suspect(s) and motiveare unknown at this time and 
investigators are attempting todetermine the identity of theintended target.” 
Anyone with information 
about the case is asked to call 
Pasadena Police at (626)- 7444241 
or to report informationanonymously call “Crime 
Stoppers” by dialing (800)
222-TIPS (8477). 

70-year-oldVictim's Name 
Released

 Officials released the name of 
a man in his 70s who was shot 
to death by a suspect Tuesdayafternoon before being shothimself during a gun battlewith Pasadena police

 According to police onTuesday, at approximately 

2:30 pm., the Pasadena 
Police Department receivedseveral calls of shots fired 
in the area of Orange GroveBlvd. and Sunnyslope Ave.
Officers arrived on scene and 
located Gevork Minissian,
who had been struck several 
times by gunfire. Witnessestold officers there was a male 
suspect running from the 
scene armed with a firearm. 
In his attempt at escape, thesuspect carjacked a vehiclefrom a female, but ultimatelyfled on foot once officers 
arrived. Officers gave chase,
made contact with the suspect,
and an Officer Involved 
Shooting (OIS) occurred. Atone point during the incident,
the suspect took a secondfemale hostage at gunpoint.
The hostage was ultimatelyrescued, unharmed. 
Minissian was transported 
to a local hospital where he 
succumbed to his injuries andthe suspect is deceased withinthe crime scene. The unnamed 
suspect was a male in his 20’s.

 Anyone with information 
about the case is asked to call 
Pasadena Police at (626)- 7444241 
or to report informationanonymously call “Crime 
Stoppers” by dialing (800)
222-TIPS (8477). 

Erewhon Market Coming to South Lake

 Pasadena city officials child care center that offers 


announced Wednesday thatthe upscale organic grocerErewhon has plans to opena new location at the former 

I. Magnin department store,
Borders Books, after the 
building has set empty forover nine years. 
A local investment groupaligned with Erewhon, theLos Angeles-based upscaleorganic grocery store chain,
has closed escrow on the 
historic retail building at 475South Lake Avenue officials 
said.

 Erewhon Market’s 
food offering include a 
combination of organic,
gluten-free, biodynamic, free-
range, and vegan, tailored tothe local community.

 According to a statement,
Yuval Chiprut, Chief 
Development Officer for 
Erewhon, lead the efforts over 
many months to overcome 
many obstacles resulting 
from nearly a decade of 
vacancy. He was immediatelystruck by the classic lines of 

the original I. Magnin andBullock’s buildings created 
over 70 years ago. Yuval 
and Tony Antoci, Erewhon’sCEO, envisioned the groundfloor refurbished and built 
out for Erewhon, including 
a makeover of the outdoor 
common area, landscaping, 
rooftop and patiossurrounding the building forshoppers to eat and hangout.

 “We are very excited to havea new use at a long-vacatedsite. Erewhon will bring newvibrancy to our South Lakearea while creating new jobsfor area residents,” Pasadena 
City Manager Steve Mermellsaid.

 The 41,760 square foothistoric and iconic buildingis spread over a basementlevel and magnificent firstand second floors. It was 
successfully marketed byCBRE beginning in the springof 2020, following nine yearsof vacancy,

 The majority of second floorwill be occupied by Brella, anew model of app-enabled 

Holiday Safety Tips for Pets 

 
As the winter holidaysapproach, your home may befilled with festive food, decor,
and more. Keep these tips inmind to make sure your pets 
stay safe during your holiday 
celebrations: 

1. Avoid giving your pets “peoplefood” 
Food is a huge part of theholidays, but so much of it isn’tgood for our furry friends.
Onions and garlic are toxic topets, so make sure you keepingredients out of reach whencooking Thanksgiving dinner. 
Alcohol is also hazardous to 
cats and dogs, so don’t leaveyour glass or wine or eggnogunattended. Cooked turkeybones can be a serious danger,
as they can easily splinter inan animal’s digestive tract. If 
you want your pet to indulgewith you for the holidays, onlypurchase treats and chews madespecifically for them.
2. Pet-proof your Christmas 
trees 
Pine needles are mildly toxicto pets and can potentiallypuncture the intestines, so ifyou catch your cat or dog tryingto eat them, move the tree to aroom you can close off or stickto an artificial tree. If you havea live tree, the tree water cancontain preservatives that canupset your pet’s stomach, socover your tree stand to preventpets from having access to thewater. If your cat is climbingyour tree, make sure it’s securelyanchored so it won’t tip over.
3. Be vigilant with decorationsKeep breakable ornaments uphigh on the tree where curiouspets can’t reach. The same istrue for Christmas lights, whichcan pose an electrocution risk if 
bitten. Always unplug Christmaslights when you’re not activelysupervising your pet. Tinselcan be tempting for cats to playwith but can cause intestinal 
blockages if swallowed. Opt forartificial holly and mistletoe,
since the real thing can causevomiting. And if you have amenorah, don’t leave a lit flameunattended, or opt for flamelesscandles to be extra safe. 

4. Keep an eye on gift wrappingsuppliesWrapping paper, string, andribbon are tempting for pets to 
play with, but can be dangerousif swallowed. Use caution when 
keeping wrapped presents underthe tree, or better yet, keep them 
out of reach until it’s time to 
open them.
5. Create a sanctuary spaceNew Years’ Eve fireworks,
Christmas poppers, and evenholiday carolers can make noisethat may frighten your pet. Andif you’re entertaining guests,
your pet may feel stressed bynew people in the home. Alwaysmake sure they have a a safe,
soothing space to go to – like a 
closed off room – if they need toget away from scary sounds or 
strangers.
For more information visit: 
pasadenahumane.org. 
full-time, flexible, and on-
demand infant care and 
preschool, along with parenteducation classes and family 
events.

 The new ownership isengaged in negotiations with aspecialty medical and wellnesstenant, for the final potion ofsecond floor of the buildingand is also contemplating abuilt-out wine storage facilityfor residents in the basement 
space of the buildingaccording to the statement. 

Tournament's 
Statement on 
Waukesha 
Tragedy 

 
Pasadena Tournament of 
Roses Issued condolences 
and support Monday for 
Waukesha Wisconsin, 
following the tragedy that 
left six people dead andinjured another 60 after a redFord Escape plowed throughparade goers at an annualChristmas celebration 
November 21.

 “Our hearts go out to thepeople of Waukesha andall who have been affected 
by the horrific tragedy thattook place during yesterday’s[Sunday] Christmas parade.
Parades, both large and 
small, are meant to bringpeople together in joy andcelebration. We join the 
Waukesha community in 
mourning the loss of life;
and extend our supportand wishes for peace andcomfort in the days ahead.

 As we prepare for our 
parade, the Pasadena 
Tournament of Roses 
remains grateful to have thepartnership and supportof the City of Pasadena,
the Pasadena Police 
Department, the PasadenaFire Department, CaliforniaHighway Patrol, L.A. CountySheriff ’s Department and 
other public safety and lawenforcement agencies –allof whom work tirelessly toensure that the Rose Parade 
and all activities associated 
with America’s New Year 
Celebration are safe for all 
who enjoy them.” 

City Looks to Voters forCentral Library Repairs 


By Dean Lee

 With an estimated cost of 
over $100 million, for seismic 
retrofit and restoration of the 
Pasadena Central Library,
the city council is set Mondaynight to discuss asking votersto possibly extend the currentparcel tax past its February2023 deadline.

 The discussion is for 
information only. The councilis not expected to take any 
action Monday night.

 “In order to finance a 
project of such magnitude,
some form of voter approvedfinancing will be necessary,” 
Pasadena City Manager 
Steve Mermell stated in 
the council’s staff report.
“Staff had originally hopedthat it might be possible 
to go to the voters as earlyas November 2022 with a 
proposed financing method,
either in the form of a 
General Obligation Bond, 
or a renewal of the existingparcel tax adjusted upwardto cover debt service on the 
retrofit project.”

 Mermell added that the citywould seek voter approvalfor the full cost of the seismic 
retrofit, most likely, duringthe June 2024 primaryelection or the November 
2024 general election.

 He said, in the meantime, 
staff would continue to 
pursue grant opportunitiesthrough the office of the statelibrary and other sources,
to assist with financing theretrofit.

 Mermell also said that 
the engineering firm KPFFhad completed a seismic 
evaluation outliningthe retrofit needs of the 
building’s structural system,
along with a rough costestimate of approximately$111 million for the retrofit 
and the restoration of the 
building’s systems includingmechanical, electrical, 
plumbing and roofing. Itwas also revealed that most 
of the building is comprised 
of unreinforced masonry,
widely recognized as a hazard,
with the potential to collapseduring an earthquake. 

 City staff recently issued 
a Request for Proposals 
to select a design team for 
both the seismic retrofit and 
historic preservation.

 Mermell, in the report,
believes the council should 
assemble a project oversightcommittee. He suggested 
representatives from 
Pasadena Heritage, Caltech,
the Library Commission, thelocal chapter of AmericanInstitute of Architects (AIA)
and others to review the 
analysis and make a finalrecommendation.

 He also said that the Central 
Library has almost 300,000items in its collection makingit impossible to house thematerials at other librarybranches.

 “Current thinking also 
includes the use of the 
city-owned Rose Palace 
on Raymond Avenue to 
store a large amount of thecollection, where it wouldbe accessible to Library staffto retrieve and deliver to 
the branches as needed, andthe lease of vacant Jefferson 
School from the Pasadena 
Unified School District,” 
Mermell said.

 In 2025 the Central Librarywill turn 100; the year 1925 iscarved in Roman numerals 
over the front entrance of the 
building.

Today the Central Libraryserves as a destination for 
those who need access to 
computers, Wi-Fi, or high-
speed internet, as well as 
a variety of productivitysoftware for job searching,
research, or personal use.
Central Library has housedthe iLab for the last two years 
-an innovative space thatprovides the community withaccess to maker equipmentlike 3-D printers, Carveymachines, sewing machines,
and more, Mermell stated.

 Once a design team isselected, the project is 
expected to be completed in 
two years.

 The city council meets at

4:30 p.m. A livestream withcaptioning is available at: 
Pasadenamedia.org. 
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