PASADENA NEWS:
ENTERTAINMENT:
Community Backpack Drive supports Thanksgiving tradition Pg. 19
SPORTS:
The Nutcracker comes to the Inland Empire
Monrovia Beats Grand Terrace
Pg. 13
Pg. 35
pasadenaindependent.com
Thursday, November 19, 2015 - November 25, 2015
Your Voice, Your Community Since 1996
COMPLIMENTARY COPY VOLUME 19, NO. 47
Thousands Hold Vigil for El Monte Resident Killed in Paris Attacks BY TERRY MILLER
Nohemi Gonzales’ mother and stepfather at the vigil for their daughter at CSULB.
– Photo by Joseph Phillipson, CSULB
SEE PG. 18
calphil.com | 626.304.0333
get your tickets today!
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Cal State Long Beach faculty, and Gonzalez’s friends and family attended Sunday’s vigil, held in the University Student Union building. While no credible threats have been identified in the SEE PG. 20
BY J. SHADÉ QUINTANILLA
BY TERRY MILLER
ing PPD’s ability to obtain a pure statement of the officers’ observations.” The city sent out a press release saying, “Additional court proceedings regarding the OIR report are scheduled and the City expects to be able to release a copy of the report with fewer redactions. The next court hearing is scheduled for Dec. 1, 2015, at which time the City anticipates the Court will issue further direction in the case.” Anya Slaughter, Ken
Victim Nohemi Gonzales. - Courtesy of Facebook
Pasadena Takes Steps to Prevent Embezzlement
Heavily-Redacted OIR Report on McDade Shooting Reveals 26 Recommendations
The long-awaited OIR Report to the City of Pasadena concerning the officerinvolved shooting of Kendrec McDade has finally been released, albeit heavily redacted. The investigation led by Michael Gennaco and Robert Miller is now available on the city website as well as www. pasadenaindependent.com. One of the first observations in the report is as follows: “Officers Griffin and Newlen were provided access to video and audio prior to being interviewed deny-
Hundreds gathered Sunday afternoon at California State University Long Beach (CSULB) for a vigil honoring the memory of a student who died in the brutal ISIS attacks in Paris, France Friday night. Nohemi Gonzalez, 23, was in a Paris restaurant with friends when she was gunned down. Gonzales was one of 129 people who died Friday after the city was under siege with seven separate attacks that seemed coordinated and well-planned. It was Gonzalez’s dream to visit the City of Light, and she was attending a semester abroad studying design in France. There were a total of 17 CSULB students studying abroad this semester in France. All other students have been reported safe. Hundreds of mourners,
Kendrec McDade’s parents at a press conference after the shooting. - File Photo by Terry Miller
When Pasadena officials discovered that a city employee managed to embezzle millions of government funds, they recognized the many flaws in their operational and operational oversight. In March 2014, the city uncovered that Danny Ray Wooten, a management analyst of the Utility and Underground Program (UUP), funneled $6.4 million of funds intended for placing utilities underground to a church that he was affiliated with. Officials found that Wooten managed to steal millions over the
SLEIGH RIDE!
course of 11 years by making fake invoices and forging signatures to a contractor - a friend - and two church organizations he ran. Four employees in the public works department have been placed on leave and two department heads were fired without cause earlier this year. A civil and criminal case has been filed against Wooten. While the case is pending, the city has also made an effort to identify ways it can move forward and prevent SEE PG. 19
Christmas Spectacular Saturday, Dec 12 at 7:30pm Pasadena Civic Auditorium
With Cyrus “Glitch” Spencer from So You Think You Can Dance* plus Mary Bridget Davies, Cedric Berry & Cal Phil Chorale *in assocation with Lythgoe Family Productions
Order now! 800.745.3000 | ticketmaster.com 11/16/15 7:44 PM