2016 02 04 bmi pasadena

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Honoring Black History Month BUSINESS PROFILE: Pasadena’s Flour Revolution Page 11

ENTERTAINMENT: Original Tuskegee Airmen at Playhouse Page 8

Page 20 SPORTS: TC Soccer Team Puts Stop to San Marino Page 27

COMPLIMENTARY COPY VOLUME 20, NO. 5

pasadenaindependent.com

Thursday, February 4, 2016 - February 10, 2016

NLRB Finds ‘Merit in Nurses’ Allegations’

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced on Friday, Jan. 29, that they found merit to all the allegations that registered nurses, Allysha Almada and Vicki Lin, were illegally fired from Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena. “I want to thank my Huntington co-workers for their support over the past SEE PAGE 14

Ninth Annual Norooz Celebrations Slated March 10 BY TERRY MILLER

Norooz in Pasadena, a project of Norooz, Inc., a non-secular celebration of the Persian New Year and beginning of spring, has become an annual tradition in the San Gabriel Valley. And now, for the ninth year in a row, after a one year sabbatical, under the caring hands of founder Dr. Nazee Rofagha, D.C., who SEE PAGE 14

Your Voice, Your Community

Since 1996

Council Votes to Potentially Raise Minimum Wage to $15

Teacher Files Second Claim Against PUSD

BY GUS HERRERA Early Tuesday morning, Feb. 2, the Pasadena City Council unanimously voted to move forward with a proposal to potentially increase the minimum wage to $15 by the year 2020. Early in the meeting, it became evident the council was doing their best to move through all the other items on the agenda as quickly as possible, knowing that there were 58 individuals waiting to speak their piece on the main event of the evening. In fact, the council’s chambers were not large enough to hold everyone present, forcing many to be seated downstairs, watching the live feed of the meeting on television. There was a tangible sense of tension in the air as everyone, including Mayor Tornek, seemingly could not wait to get to the matter at hand. Just when everyone thought it was finally time, the tension in the room was extended when the council was forced to take a short recess in order to wait for the Spanish translator and equipment to arrive (there was a predominantly Hispanic crowd and several comments were delivered in Spanish). The public comments did not conclude until 10:38 p.m., after which the city council began its lengthy deliberation. Finally, past midnight on Tuesday, Feb. 2, the council decided to move forward with the wage increase framework proposed, after making a few changes to the original plan.

25th Annual!

FREE Admission! • 100+ exhibitors! Games! • Live Entertainment! Food! • More!

SEE PAGE 15

Madison Elementary first grade school teacher Patricia Guzman has filed a second claim against the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) and Superintendent Dr. Brian McDonald, accusing McDonald of retaliating against her for filing a defamation claim against Madison Principal Juan Ruelas last week. SEE PAGE 15

$20,000 Reward Issued for Murder Suspect

Scores of proponents braved the cold temperatures to call on the city council to authorize a $15 minimum wage. After the rally and a few speeches on the steps of city hall, the protesters took their case to council chambers. – Photo by Terry Miller

in ap Le

to Summ er !

Saturday, February 6 10 AM-3 PM Westridge School 324 Madeline Drive Pasadena, CA 91105

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) detectives are searching for 37-year-old Steven Lawrence Wright, who was erroneously released from the Inmate Reception Center (IRC) on Saturday, Jan. 30, at approximately 12:55 p.m. The Sheriff’s Department became aware of the release at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 31, and immediately started to coordinate resources with PasaSEE PAGE 14

Learn about 100+ local, national & international summer camps & programs for kids ages 3-18

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