Pasadena Weekly 11.17.22

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Christina Fuoco-Karasinski christina@timespublications.com

DEPUTY EDITOR Luke Netzley lnetzley@timespublications.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Kamala Kirk, Morgan Owen, Bridgette M. Redman, Ron Sanzone, Ellen Snortland

ART ART DIRECTOR Stephanie Torres storres@timespublications.com

ZAC REYNOLDS Zac@TimesPublications.com (626) 360-2811

Music Mavens

By Ellen Snortland Pasadena Weekly Columnist

Squirming, I agreed to review the new book “Music Mavens: 15 Women of Note in the Industry,” by Ashley Walker and Maureen Charles. I have known one of the co-authors for years, and her late husband, Jon Charles, for even longer. I prayed to Euterpe, music’s muse: “Please, please, please let me like it!” I’m extremely relieved to say, “Like it? I love it!”

I have some music industry bona fides (more like music industry-adjacent), which helps when reading a book about the industry. My first ex-was-band, Larold Rebhun, is a sound engi neer and worked at Cherokee Studios in Hollywood, which was a big deal! There, I got to meet Ringo and Harry Nilsson. I was invited to a party with Larold at Steve Cropper’s backyard, where I tackled John Mellencamp to everyone’s amazement — except for my husband’s. I am a singer myself and know my way around a piece of music. Larold once called me at 1:00 a.m. and said, “Can you get down to Cherokee in half an hour and sing backup? One of Nils Lofgren’s backup singers had to bail on the session.” A half-hour later, I was in the studio singing my heart out. Larold and I are good friends to this day, and his 3rd wife is one of my favorite people on the planet.

My current husband, Ken Gruberman, has been a music supervisor, contractor, arranger, and music preparation pro for decades. It would take too much of this column to describe what he does, although he and his teams have won Grammy awards. One of my first dates with Ken was going to the Barbra Streisand scoring stage at Sony/MGM to record the score for HBO’s glori ous mini-series “John Adams,” played by a 63-piece orchestra.

The main commonality with both Larold and Ken is the appar ent continuing white cis-male domination of the music business. Except for the equity and inclusiveness of the players in studio orchestras, the women are, shall we say, lacking?

This brings me back to “Music Mavens” and why it’s such an essential read for young people. A supposed-Y.A. 10-volume series from Chicago Review Press called “Women of Power,” “Mavens” is the ninth in the series. I say “supposed-Y.A.” because it’s utterly delightful for people of all ages.

Clichéd as it is, I could not put it down, and I highly recom mend that young men also read it. To normalize female and non-binary folks in any industry, the white male-identified folks need to envision them there. When they’re missing from the landscape of that industry, more than the M.I.A. folks will notice their absence, and that is how allies are created.

What a difference “Music Mavens” would have made in my life had I read it in my formative years. “If you can see it, you can be it” is not just a platitude. Luckily for us, humanity has people whose imaginations are vivid enough to override the need to see someone exactly like them and say, “I want that. If he can do it, I can do it!” When I first saw BeatBoxing, I thought, “Wow, had I seen that when I was 4, I’d be doing it for sure!” I always loved making unconventional sounds with my voice and throat.

“Music Mavens” is full of women who are trailblazers, wom en who were encouraged by the dominant demographic to go for it even in the face of some nasty disparagers. The most under-the-radar hostility was hurled at beatboxing champ Kaila Mullady. She won in a field that was not, and still is not, female friendly. When she triumphed, the young man she “beat” came over to her and said, “You only won because you’re a girl.” On the flip side of the coin, Kaila was encouraged and mentored by Kid Lucky, a master beatboxer who was secure enough in his talent that he could be generous to Kaila.

The tome has something for everyone, nationally and globally.

If relating to human beings simply because they are human is your jam, this book is full of every career you can think of in the music industry, and then some: engineering, composing, music photography, performers, and more. And, if you’re inspired by someone with a similar cultural background like Vietnamese, non-binary, or Latinx, you are in for a massive treat.

“Music Mavens: 15 Women of Note in the Industry” is being released this week. Go to musicmavensbook.com to sign up for notices of book signings, online events, and maven updates. In the LA area, you can buy it at Vroman’s, our renowned local bookstore, and support a brick-and-mortar business.

Meanwhile, I asked Larold how many female recording engi neers he’d met or heard of over the years. He texted that he only knew of three. “Music Mavens” is a tribute to creating possi bilities for people. If something seems impossible, we humans just won’t pursue it. Giving “Music Mavens” to your musically inclined young friends as a gift has the potential to change their lives… and yours.

Ellen Snortland has written this column for decades and also teaches creative writing. She can be reached at ellen@ beautybitesbeast.com. Her award-winning film “Beauty Bites Beast” is available for download or streaming at vimeo.com/ ondemand/beautybitesbeast.

Being in print is a lot more meaningful than grouching on Facebook. Send compliments, complaints and insights about local issues to christina@timespublications.com.

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Pasadena and South Pasadena election results trickle in

By Luke Netzley Pasadena Weekly Deputy Editor

During a turbulent morning and afternoon, both in the sky and at the polls, voters flocked to voting centers throughout the region on Nov. 8 to determine the future for Pasadena and its surrounding communities. This year’s election addressed myriad issues, from housing to education and the inner workings of city hall.

Though polls closed across the state at 8 p.m. Nov. 8, many official results have yet to be released reportedly due in large part to the number of mail-in ballots, which require extra steps to verify the eligibility of each vote. All results counted below have been updated as of Nov. 13.

Pasadena Measure H

In a market that’s seen a reported surge in rent prices over the course of the last year, sparking the reopening of the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles’ Section 8 Waiting List Lottery for the first time in five years, Pasadena’s Measure H, the Pasadena Fair and Equitable Housing charter amendment, was formed to regulate annual rent increases by capping them at 75% of the local consumer price index and to implement new eviction protections. Both are currently regulated by state law AB 1482, which under current inflation levels allows Pasadena tenants to receive rent hikes of 10% annually.

The opposition campaign argued that Measure H would place a burden on land lords while reducing the quantity of available housing. According to Pasadena Foothills Realtors, the measure would create a housing board “stronger than city council” that would cost owners of multi-family units in Pasadena “an estimated $5.8 million.”

The campaign in support of the measure expressed that “it is impossible to have effective eviction protections without rent control” because a landlord who wishes to evict a tenant for any reason, fair or unfair, can simply raise the rent to a level that the tenant cannot pay and evict them for nonpayment.

With the majority of votes cast, 15,373 voters (51.19%) have voted in support of Pasadena’s Measure H while 14,655 (48.81%) have voted against it.

Pasadena Measure L

The Pasadena Public Library Services Continuation Measure was placed on the ballot by city council for voters to decide whether or not the city of Pasadena can issue $2.8 million dollars in bonds with bond revenue going to fund library facilities, con tinuing the voter-approved annual parcel tax of $41 for single-family residences and condominium units.

The money generated by the measure would go toward maintaining city libraries, creating youth reading and homework programs, retaining librarians and providing access to computers, books and other materials for the public.

In the election, Pasadena’s Measure L went ahead with 25,259 votes (82.83%) for “yes” against 5,235 (17.17%) for “no.”

Pasadena Measure PCC

Since opening in 1924, Pasadena City College has provided a breadth of educational opportunities for students throughout the San Gabriel Valley and beyond from degrees to transfer programs to certificates.

Pasadena’s Measure PCC was formed to improve student access to affordable, high-quality education by upgrading aging labs, instructional technology and other facilities.

The bond measure would authorize the college to issue $565 million dollars in bonds that, according to the “Yes on PCC” campaign, would be used to “replace leaky roofs, rusty plumbing and faulty electrical systems … keep computer systems and instructional technology up to date … remove asbestos, lead pipes and hazardous materials … improve access for students with disabilities … improve student safety and campus security by upgrading lighting, intruder protection and emergency commu nication systems, smoke detectors and fire alarms … provide modern science labs and career training facilities to prepare students for in demand careers.”

Requiring a 55% vote for approval, Measure PCC passed with 56,174 “yes” votes (68.39%) and 25,958 “no” votes (31.61%).

PASADENA | ALHAMBRA | ALTADENA | ARCADIA | EAGLE ROCK | GLENDALE | LA CAÑADA | MONTROSE | SAN MARINO | SIERRA MADRE | SOUTH PASADENA

The South Pasadena Public Library has served the “City of Trees” for over a century with the mission of being a “welcoming gathering place in our community to build connections, support creativity, and encourage learning.” Along with providing free high-speed internet and computer workstations, the library holds a collection of around 120,000 titles in a variety of formats.

South Pasadena’s Measure LL, the Parcel Tax Renewal for Library Measure, would maintain funding for the South Pasadena Public Library’s operation and maintenance, including technology upgrades, resources for students and programs like family story time and summer reading. The measure would extend the library’s “Special Tax,” which was due to expire on June 30, 2024.

With the two-thirds of the votes cast, 5,579 voters (84.49%) have voted in support of Measure LL while 1,024 (15.51%) have voted against it.

South Pasadena city general municipal election

In South Pasadena’s general municipal election, the city saw a race between Zhen Tao and Alan M. Ehrlich for the role of city treasurer. Tao, a senior partner at Third Square Capital Management, leads the election with 3,691 votes (64.69%) while Ehrlich earned 2,015 votes (35.31%). Alongside her role at Third Square, Tao is a chartered financial analyst (CFA) charterholder and serves on both the Board of Trustees for the Children’s Center at Caltech (CCC) and the South Pasadena Ad Hoc City Leased Recre ational Facilities Committee.

Tao is also a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, earn ing a concentration in Finance and Information Systems. She will now replace former City Treasurer Gary E. Pia, who was elected in November 2011 to fulfill an unexpired term before being re-elected to a full term in November 2013 and again in 2018.

In the election for members of the South Pasadena City Council, Michael A. Cacci otti and Janet Braun won for Districts 4 and 5, respectively, after running unopposed.

Pasadena Unified School District

Though the pandemic has brought immense hardship to the communities of the San Gabriel Valley, it has fostered a greater appreciation for the importance of public schools and the roles they play in the lives of students, parents and teachers. With many school districts throughout the country using the post-pandemic period as a time to analyze and restructure the education system, the role of Pasadena Unified School Dis trict leadership remains as important as ever.

During this year’s election, voters decided who would fill these leadership roles on the PUSD Board of Education in Districts 1, 3, 5 and 7.

In District 1, Altadena resident Kimberly Kenne leads for re-election to the board with 3,400 votes (56.06%), besting Billy Malone, who had 1,844 votes (30.40%), and Rita Miller, who had 821 (13.54%).

Along with her recent six-year term on the California Practitioners Advisory Group (CPAG), which advises the state Board of Education on Title 1 and state and federal accountability systems, Kenne has served as president of Parent Teacher Associations (PTA), chair of the District Advisory Council (DAC) and founding member of the Parent Education Network (PEN). She is also a member of the League of Women Voters and has chaired the Altadena Education Focus Group.

In District 3, Michelle Richardson Bailey, who has served on the Board of Educa tion since 2017, leads with 2,437 votes (61.98%) against Pat Amsbry, who had 1,495 (38.02%).

Since joining the board, Bailey has chaired the Facilities and Safety board sub-com mittees and was appointed as board liaison to both the Community Oversight Com mittee and Community Advisory Committee. She is currently a board member of the Darden Law Leadership Academy and the California Association of Black School Educators (CABSE) and founded the Superintendent’s Advisory Council, now known as the Classified Advisory Council.

In District 5, educator and community advocate Patrice Marshall McKenzie leads a tight race with Xilian C. Stammer by 2,903 votes (54.43%) to 2,430 (45.57%).

Raised in Pasadena, McKenzine is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley with a degree in African American Studies and a minor in critical pedagogy. She continues to serve the community through volunteer and civic organizations such as the Junior League of Pasadena, LA Trust for Children’s Health, LA County Demo cratic Central Committee, Mervyn Dymally African American Political & Econom ic Institute and the Los Angeles African American Women’s Public Policy Institute (LAAAWPPI).

In District 7, Yarma Velázquez leads with 4,753 votes (64.48%) against Juan Pablo Albán, who has 2,618 (35.52%).

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Yarma is a third-generation teacher who received her Ph.D. from Florida State University in communication studies. She is also a published author, scout leader and room parent.

Despite setbacks due to intense weather conditions that resulted in numerous traffic blockages and voluntary evacuation warnings, voters flooded voting centers throughout LA to participate in the democratic process and make their voices heard. Official results will continue to arrive in the coming days that will provide clarity for voters and close the curtain on yet another election year for LA County.

South Pasadena holds Social Justice Forum

By Morgan Owen Pasadena Weekly Staff Writer

The city of South Pasadena recently hosted its first annual Social Services and Social Jus tice Forum, serving as a networking event for different social service organizations and departments while laying the groundwork for the city to create further social justice programming for the community.

“We wanted to focus (our efforts on) a resource fair, but our goal is to have many more opportunities like this,” said Tamara Binns, assistant to the city manager. “We want to make sure we have a strong reach with our city commissioners, our Library Board of Trustees, and with all aspects of our community.

“This is just a first-time program, but this is something … that’s going to be a normal part of the city of South Pasadena and the community.”

Present at the event were 16 community organizations: LA County Dept. of Military and Veteran Affairs, Veteran Peer Access Network (VPAN), Department of Mental Health, Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse (L.A. CADA) – Mobile Crisis Team, Los Angeles County Department of Aging and Disabilities, Community Development – Hous ing Element, Housing Rights Center, South Pasadena Tenants Union, Peace of Violence, Anti-Racism Committee South Pasadena, CareFirst South Pasadena, Prestige Home Care Angels Inc., Foothill Workforce Development Board, Institute of the Redesign of Learning, Thematic Learning Organization and My Next Chapter, and Pasadena City College

All the organizations present were selected based on feedback the city gathered from the community, who emphasized the need for more veterans and housing services specifically. Following the event, Binns said the city intends to reach out via survey to see what addition al partners the community would like to see the city pair with.

As part of the forum, each organization gave a short presentation about its mission and how they bring aid to the community of South Pasadena. After the presentations, all the organizations had the opportunity to network with each other and provide information at booths they set up for the event.

“It’s amazing. Knowing what services are available in the community I think can really benefit not only partnerships (between) the organizations so they can prosper, but the citi zens in the community as well,” said a representative from Peace Over Violence, an organi zation that advocates for survivors of sexual and domestic violence.

Inspiration for the Social Services and Social Justice Forum came from South Pasade na’s Sundown Town Resolution 7750 passed on Feb. 2. The resolution condemns South Pasadena’s history as a “sundown town,” a term that describes all-white municipalities that kept themselves racially segregated through discriminatory laws, violence and institutional racism.

“As part of the Sundown Town Resolution, our city staff and our residents felt that it was imperative to have a provision not just to recognize the past, but moving forward, what we were going to do as a society,” Binns said. “It specifically said that we would host an annual Social Services and Social Justice Forum.”

Binns emphasized that the Social Justice Forum is just the beginning of what the city of South Pasadena has planned to address social justice. Following the forum, the city will re lease a resource guide outlining the services provided by the 16 organizations in attendance that evening. More social services fairs are also planned outside of the annual forum.

Photo by Eric Pargac. Trisha Miller.

Social service organizations from South Pasadena gathered for the first Annual Social Services and Social Justice Forum.

Morgan Owen/Staff

Caltrans sale of occupied properties

Not all the properties for sale by Caltrans are unoccupied, which means that per SB 381, South Pasadena will not have an opportunity to purchase all the properties for sale until Caltrans moves through the list of priority buyers.

One of the concerns brought forward throughout this process is that Caltrans would ultimately offer the properties to housing-related entities that would gentrify the area by building multimillion-dollar homes rather than affordable housing.

SB 381 addressed those concerns by amending current regulations and raising the income threshold for current occupants to obtain priority sales. The new order of priority also dictates that if the current occupants do not move forward with the sale, Caltrans must approach tenants who have lived in the building for five or more years.

Once all earlier parties have declined to purchase the lots, the city may decide to buy them. If South Pasadena elects to purchase the building, the current tenants will have the first right of occupancy and can continue to rent their homes through the city.

Only after all other options have been exhausted may Caltrans offer the sale to housing-related entities, followed by a second opportunity for current tenants to pur chase regardless of occupancy term. If all else fails, the lot will be sold at auction.

Caltrans began the sales of occupied properties earlier this year after SB 381’s emer gency regulations were adopted and will continue with sales through 2023.

South Pasadena community meets on SB 381

By Morgan Owen Pasadena Weekly Staff Writer

Half a century of controversy over the 710 freeway expansion will conclude as the city of South Pasadena and Caltrans work together to sell surplus unoccupied properties along Caltrans’s abandoned expansion route.

SB 381, a bill signed into law in 2019 by Gov. Gavin Newsom, will dictate the pro cess for selling the 68 surplus lots owned by Caltrans. The bill directly addresses the situation in South Pasadena and establishes an official procedure for state agencies to follow when disposing of surplus properties.

On Nov. 3, the city manager’s office held a community meeting to update the public regarding South Pasadena’s involvement in the sale before the holiday break. The meeting was the eighth of 11 public meetings scheduled to keep the community up to date throughout this process.

Per SB 381, the city of South Pasadena receives priority sales of all unoccupied properties. In July, the city indicated it was interested in purchasing all surplus prop erties listed as unoccupied historic and nonhistoric housing along the 710 expansion area in South Pasadena.

The next public meeting is expected to occur this December or January 2023 and should provide updates on property inspections, purchase and sales agreements, and financial analyses.

The end of the SR 710 expansion project

The Northern Stub of the 710 freeway is just south of the 210 and 138 interchanges in Pasadena. In 1964, Caltrans originally intended that interchange to continue south, connecting the 210 and the 710 freeways. To do this, they acquired properties along the expansion route in South Pasadena.

Although the northern interchange was completed by 1974, plans to continue the 710 freeway south through South Pasadena never materialized. Widespread public dis approval and the work of different grassroots campaigns halted the project for decades.

The freeway expansion project displaced at least 4,000 residents in Pasadena alone and destroyed 1,500 homes. More would have been displaced if the project had con tinued into South Pasadena and beyond. The 68 surplus properties owned by Caltrans lay along the northern expansion route and were marked for demolition should the project have proceeded.

According to the city, SB 381 “definitively (ended) six decades of attempts to construct an extension of the SR 710 freeway.” The bill was a victory for those who opposed the expansion, signaling that other cities would move to terminate their por tions of the expansion project.

In June, the city of Pasadena Caltrans relinquished the Northern Stub to the city of Pasadena, officially transferring the land on Aug. 15. This transfer had been in the planning stages since 2019, when it became increasingly clear that the final project would never come to fruition.

On May 26, the LA Metro Board of Directors voted to end their efforts to widen the 710 freeway through Los Angeles and decided to instead use the $750 million for community improvements along the existing stretch of SR 710 in Southeast LA.

Union Station has urgent need for frozen turkeys

By Pasadena Weekly Staff

Many of Pasadena’s most vulnerable and unsheltered people may find out what Thanksgiving is like without a turkey.

Due to the nationwide shortage and rising price of turkeys, Union Station Homeless Services has a desperate need for frozen turkeys. As part of the annual Dinner in the Park tradition, meals are offered to adults and families experiencing homelessness and poverty; senior citizens; and those who are alone at the holidays or unable to afford a holiday meal.

“I have never seen the need so dire,” said David Sensente Sr., manager of in-kind dona tions and a 20-year employee of Union Station Homeless Services.

“Many longtime donors are not committing to supplying turkeys this year. We need the community to be generous and help us offer a holiday meal to those who need it the most.”

The needed 450 turkeys will be part of over 4,000 meals during the week of Thanksgiving either as part of handing out “All the Fixings” meal supply boxes, prepared Thanksgiving meals for reheating, and private sit-down dinners on Thanksgiving Day at Union Station Homeless Services facilities.

Frozen turkeys can be dropped off at the Union Station Homeless Services Adult Center (412 S. Raymond Avenue, Pasadena) any day from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The complete list of needs for Dinner in the Park is at unionstationhs.org/dinner-in-the-park.

Community member Bill Kelly asks for clarification on the time frame for SB 381. Chris Mortenson/Staff photographer

Billion-dollar Powerball ticket sold in Altadena

By Morgan Owen Pasadena Weekly Staff Writer

The winning ticket for the $2.4 billion Powerball lottery was sold at a locally owned gas station in Altadena. The winner has not come forward, but Joseph Chahayed, the own er of Joe’s Service Station, was awarded a $1 million bonus check on Nov. 8 for selling the only winning ticket.

Chahayed, 75, said lottery officials came to congratulate him for selling the winning tick et before he opened the store on W. Woodbury Road. He said he plans to share the money with his family, particularly his 11 grandchildren.

Suspense over the jackpot came to a head after officials delayed the drawing on Monday, Nov. 7, due to security issues. California Lottery officials released that the delay was because one of the participating lotteries needed extra time to complete the required security proto cols.

On Tuesday morning, the winning numbers were drawn: 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56, Power ball 10.

The cash payout for the jackpot comes out to just under $1 billion, at $997.6 million. However, if the winner elects to take the sum dispersed in a 29-year payout, they will receive $2.4 billion. The jackpot breaks the record of $1.59 million set in 2016.

Chahayed’s family and friends said they could not think of anyone who deserved a million-dollar check more than he. In a press conference, Chahayed and his two sons stood together to accept the check.

“I’d like to thank the community (that has) supported me. … I encourage you to buy a ticket from this station. We’ve got a (feeling) that one day you’re going to be a winner, too,” Chahayed said.

Joe’s Service Station, which recently became an Exxon Mobin franchise, has been in business for 20 years. Chahayed said the majority of people he sells lottery tickets to come from the area and that he hopes the winner is someone from Altadena who can give back to the community.

Chahayed also said that he is grateful that the lottery raised so much money for Califor nia schools; $153 million will go to the California public school system, which is the record amount ever raised in the history of the Powerball lottery.

Three other winning tickets were sold in Gardena, Beaumont and San Francisco to tickets that matched the first five winning numbers. The winners can claim a prize of $1.15 million. The chances of winning are 1 in 292 million.

“Somebody is holding onto a very important piece of paper this morning worth $2.04 billion,” California Lottery spokeswoman Carolyn Becker said. Once the winner comes forward, they will be California’s first lottery-made billionaire.

Joe’s Service Station at 15 W. Woodbury Road in Altadena is where the only winning ticket of the Powerball Lottery was sold.

Chris Mortenson/Staff photographer

Alex Johnson’s game day perspective

By Ron Sanzone Pasadena Weekly Contributing writing

When UCLA safety Alex Johnson suits up on game day, he knows that he will see the game from a different perspective than many of his teammates, both literally and figuratively.

Johnson, a redshirt junior now in his fourth season as a Bruin, has played sparingly throughout his collegiate career. He plays defense in sub packages for only five to 10 snaps a game. While his role on the defense might be minimal, his impact on the team is not.

Standing on the sideline throughout most of the game gives Johnson a view and an insight into what is occurring that the starters themselves cannot see while tied up with their specific assignments and matchups. As an example, it enables him to pick up on minutiae such as what a quarterback is doing with his hands pre-snap.

“From the sideline you can see a lot more of the game,” Johnson said. “I can look at the whole picture and maybe can give a little tip to somebody coming off the field. I can tell my coach to relay to the other guys something small that could play a big part.”

Johnson does not just use his time on the sideline helping his teammates. He analyzes the action and flow of the game to prepare himself for the moment when his name is called. He believes that keenly observing the game while awaiting his turn makes him a better player when he is on the field.

“I may not get that many opportunities to get on the field on defense,” Johnson said. “I need to be locked into that because that’s my opportunity to show that I can be on the field and those little reps that I’ve earned, I’ve earned the right to be on the field.”

Being on the field was something Johnson never had to think twice about before arriving in Westwood. But once he set foot on campus, he had to adapt to a new reality.

“Even before high school, I was always the guy (in all sports),” Johnson said. “And then I came here, and it was a humbling process for me. I think it allowed me to grow as a person because I wasn’t in that role the whole time I was here. I had to really earn and work to show people that I did have the skills to be on the field and perform.”

One way Johnson has been able to get onto the field is through the special teams unit. His speed is an asset on both coverage and returns on kickoffs and punts. Playing special teams is an experience uniquely different than that of playing offense or defense, and it appeals to him.

“It allows you to be locked into the game on a different side than offense and defense,” Johnson said. “It gives you and edge to go a little bit harder. It’s a blend of the whole team, so I think the guys that make up that unit are special in their own way and they bring their own kind of edge to the game.”

Johnson’s contributions have not gone unnoticed by teammates and coaches. Before the season began, the team announced that he would have his number changed to 36.

Every year, the Bruins honor a walk-on by changing his number to 36, which was once worn by Nick Pasquale. Pasquale was a walk-on receiver at UCLA who was popular with teammates when his life was tragically cut short in 2013. The number is given to a player who embodies the traits Pasquale was known for: determination, passion for the game, and being a great teammate.

The honor of receiving number 36 was followed up soon afterward by another signif icant moment for Johnson. He and several other walk-ons learned just before the season began that they were being awarded scholarships.

“Earning a scholarship was really special to me,” Johnson said. “I kind of blacked out in that moment. It was surreal (coming on the heels of receiving No. 36).”

Johnson’s scholarship will be put to good use. He was named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll six times on his way to graduating recently with a degree in political science and a minor in history.

Academics are “more than half of the reason that I came to this university,” Johnson said. “One of the things coming here my mom told me that football is great, but you came here to get your degree and the degree is something that lasts with you after foot ball is over. That’s something nobody can ever take away from you.”

Johnson is now working on a master’s degree in coaching and transformative leader ship. He chose a new field of study for his graduate work because it dovetails nicely with his future plans.

“I have aspirations to coach later down the line,” Johnson said. “Just learn the process of being a good leader, what it takes, the different aspects of the little intricate roles, and what it means to be a good leader on and off the field here at UCLA and then beyond college sports and athletics.”

Johnson believes that the path to achieving his goal of coaching at the collegiate level could first take him full circle and back to the roots of his aspirations.

“My dream for coaching actually spawned from wanting to go back to my high school (Loyola High in Downtown LA) and coach those kids and maybe do a little teaching on the side,” Johnson said. “I’m big on giving back to the community, and I feel like coaching is a great way of giving back and also furthering the youth from an educational standpoint.”

UCLA vs. USC

WHEN: Time TBA Saturday, Nov. 19

WHERE: Rose Bowl Stadium, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena

COST: Tickets start at $197

INFO: ticketmaster.com

Alex Johnson plays as a defensive back for the UCLA Bruins.

UCLA offensive lineman Sam Marrazzo overcomes adversity

By Ron Sanzone Pasadena Weekly Contributing Writer

Offensive linemen — particularly interior linemen — usually toil in relative obscurity. But the contributions, flexibility and determination of the Bruins’ redshirt senior Sam Marrazzo are anything but unrecognized by his teammates and coaches.

Marrazzo has played center and guard throughout his Bruins career. He feels comfortable at both positions, but feels most at home at center. Centers, who typically make line calls, take on a lot of responsibility in coach Chip Kelly’s system. The position appeals to Marrazzo because it combines the physical and mental aspects of football.

“The tackles are the most athletic players on the line,” Marrazzo said. “I think the interior is a lot about physicality. Especially at the center position, there’s a lot of the mental side that I think people don’t really understand when it comes to playing offensive line.”

Despite his considerable experience playing multiple spots on the offensive line, Marrazzo has further demonstrated his versality in 2022 by branching off into another position altogether. After a bye week in mid-October, Kelly and offensive line coach Tim Drevno approached him about playing tight end. He jumped at the opportunity and has seen his number of snaps at the position steadily increase ever since.

“I’ve enjoyed it because it has given me more opportunities to be out there,” Marrazzo said. “Play ing on the outside is definitely different than playing on the inside. Guys are a little bit smaller, but

they’re also a little bit more athletic. It has been a good challenge for me.”

One thing that has not changed at the new position is that Marraz zo has been used exclusively as a blocking tight end. While he has not yet been targeted in the passing game, he is doing everything in his power to change that.

“I’ve been pestering the coaches about that ever since they told me about the role,” Marrazzo said. “I’ll get on the JUGS machine (used to develop and practice receiving skills). I annoy (quarterback) Dorian (Thompson-Robinson) with it all the time, saying I don’t care what the plan is, just throw me the ball. I’ll get open.”

The fact that Marrazzo is even on the field at all to learn a new position is a testament to the ferocity of his determination and work ethic. He tore an ACL late in the 2020 season and after eight months of rehab returned in 2021 only to tear his other ACL in just the fourth game of the year. He needed another nine months of rehab in order to get back on the field this season.

“In the past two years, it’s been about 18 months of rehab with just a four-week break in between, so it’s definitely tested my resolve and my persistence when it comes to playing football,” Marrazzo said. “And my patience. You can always talk about the physical aspects of coming back from injury, but mentally, especially with such a long rehab, you have to have patience in yourself. I think it has definitely made me tougher and stronger as a person mentally and physically.”

Even if Marrazzo had not been able to surmount his injuries and return to the field, his future would not have been any less bright. Far more than just a football player, he has been a fixture on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. He landed on it eight times as an undergraduate while earning his bachelor’s in political science. He was also named to the 2020-21 Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll.

Marrazzo, who is now enrolled in the graduate program in trans formative coaching and leadership, said that the significance of success in the classroom was instilled in him from an early age. In fact, he even chose to come to UCLA as a walk-on rather than accept a schol arship offer at another school because of the university’s academic reputation.

“My parents aways impressed upon me that athletics are going to end, football is going to end, but knowledge and your degree are things you hold onto and take with you throughout whatever you do in life,” Marrazzo said.

Marrazzo is interested in attending business school in the future and eventually working in a competitive field. A front office position in the athletic world is one possibility that intrigues him. Whatever line of work he chooses, he is confident that his experiences on the gridiron will have played a fundamental role in preparing him for life after the final whistle on the field.

“Something that definitely will count for a lot down the road is me being in high-stress, high-pressure situations a lot and having to learn how to cope with them, having to learn how to manage those situations,” Marrazzo said. “That’s something that not a lot of people get, especially at this young age. And I think that’s something I can definitely take with me.”

Marrazzo also believes that the unique camaraderie and balanc ing acts that come with being a member of a football team provide invaluable lessons and experiences that many university students do not encounter.

“On our team there are 115 or 120 different guys, all with different personalities, ambitions, egos and backgrounds, and you have to get everybody to work toward a common goal,” Marrazzo said. “That is something that can be challenging, but it’s also really rewarding and it’s also very powerful when you can get that done. That’s something that in the future in any leadership roles that I’m in I’ll look back on my time here and pull from that.”

If Marrazzo can successfully apply what he has learned from foot ball to the world of business, then he will be just as well-known and respected by future co-workers as he is by current teammates.

UCLA vs. USC

WHEN: Time TBA Saturday, Nov. 19

WHERE: Rose Bowl Stadium, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena

COST: Tickets start at $197

INFO: ticketmaster.com

UCLA offensive lineman Sam Marrazzo has overcome injuries to expand his role on the offense.

DINING

Charming

Deluxe 1717 combines diverse culinary influences

By Kamala Kirk Pasadena Weekly Staff Writer

Serving high-quality food is second nature for longtime chef and caterer Onil Chibás of Pasadena. Formerly running Elements Kitchen in the renowned Pasadena Playhouse, Chibás now offers Deluxe 1717, a warm and welcoming eatery with indoor and outdoor seating.

It’s next to an Armenian butcher and specialty store, ice cream shop and pizza joint on Washington Boulevard.

“We are very happy to open a new restaurant here in Northeast Pasadena,” said Chibás, who attended Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena. “It’s very exciting to see the changes that are happening in this neighborhood, and it’s a joy to be a part of it.”

Deluxe 1717 began offering regular dinners in January 2021. He had been catering out of the space as Onil Chibás Events. When the pandemic eased, he experimented with limited dinner service on Friday evenings for “Casual Fridays.”

“It was so well received by the local community that we decided to expand to Thursday, Friday and Sat urday evenings, as well as Saturday and Sunday brunch, which all came together in summer 2022,” Chibás said.

The restaurant’s name is inspired by the original moniker of Deluxe Lounge & Café and its street address.

“I decided to look it up and see if numerologically 1717 had any significance and, sure enough, it did,” Chibás said. “The angel number 1717 is all about independence, fresh starts and manifest destiny. Seeing this angel number is a sign that a new phase of life is on the horizon, which the angels backing you and your new way of living. I thought this was perfect as a deeper meaning and significance for the restaurant’s new name, and felt it was the right choice to call it Deluxe 1717.”

The cozy and intimate interior features Chibás’ personal art collection on the walls by local artists such as JT Burke, whose eye-catching framed works were created by layering detailed photographs of costume jewelry.

“I love JT’s work because there’s a whimsical quality to it. There’s serious art that’s behind the composi tion and the technique,” Chibás said. “I feel like that is similar to the way we approach our food. Everything we create is beautifully presented, there’s a seriousness and care we approach it with, but we’re also here to have a good time.”

Other pieces are a nod to Chibás’ native Cuba, his historic Pasadena home and his love for cats.

“My artwork is a reflection of me and the restaurant’s sensibility,” Chibás said. “We wanted it to be a comfortable neighborhood restaurant, but at the same time we wanted it to be a beautiful space.”

Chibás describes the menu as “New American” because it weaves foods and ingredients from around the world with classical French training.

“My background is Cuban, and Alberto Morales, the chef de cuisine, is a Bolivian native,” Chibás said. “Our pastry chef, Cherry Aguilar, is Filipina. Those cultural influences certainly come through, enhancing our desire to explore many diverse cuisines. This is what drives our menu, so it is this mix of cultural aes thetics, flavors and ingredients that literally makes our menu New American.”

Among the menu’s highlights are the Cuban sandwich, which is made with slow-roasted pork shoulder, house-smoked pork belly, jambon, gruyere, mojo, pickles and plantain chips. Other standout dishes include the Asian fish and chips made with miso-marinated snapped, nam pla sauce and sambal tartar sauce served with a side of taro chips; the Deluxe burger with tomato-bacon jam, arugula, gruyere and crispy shallots; and house-smoked St. Louis ribs made with in-house barbecue sauce that is available on Fridays and Satur days. The restaurant also serves seasonal favorites like the house-cured duck pastrami with braised cabbage and violet mustard.

Another popular offering is the new Deluxe brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, which includes menu items like German chocolate pancakes, huevos rancheros with house-smoked brisket, and vegetarian sopes with Beyond Beef picadillo filling, along with sparkling wine, rosé or craft beer specials.

Deluxe 1717 also hosts special tasting menu dinners and wine pairings for guests. Recently, it partnered with L’Objet vintner and ex-music business veteran Danny Glover for an exclusive wine dinner. Its fivecourse tasting menu featured a range of dishes from a burrata crostini with Indian-inspired pickled cauli flower and golden raisins with red pepper ham to a sweet plantain mousse Napoleon on cinnamon sugar puff pastry with fresh currants and gooseberries.

“It was a great evening that allowed us to feature new menu items that were thoughtfully paired with wines old and new from our wine list,” Chibás said.

“We had a great time creating this menu and wine pairings, and our guests made up of a full house of regulars and newcomers to Deluxe 1717 clearly enjoyed what we served. We plan to do many more wine dinners. We love food and wine, and the idea of creating food that pairs well with a certain wine or choosing wines with our wine steward, Jeff Champion, that complement our dishes is very exciting and satisfying, especially when the perfect food and wine pairing is greater than the sum of its parts.”

Champion said he curated Deluxe 1717’s wine list, so it’s versatile.

Deluxe 1717 is a new restaurant in Pasadena from long time local chef and caterer Onil Chibás, who previously owned Elements Kitchen at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Onil Chibás describes the menu as “New American” because it weaves food from around the globe with classical French training. Highlights include the Cuban sandwich, Asian fish and chips, the Deluxe burger, and house-smoked St. Louis ribs.

Chris Mortenson/Staff photographer

“There needs to be acidity and structure in the wines to balance the fruit,” Champion said. “We also don’t tend to pick wines that only go with one thing. Many of the dishes that Onil and Alberto create tend to do well with lighter reds. There’s a lot of pork, chicken, duck and fish — all work well with wines like Pinot Noir, Chianti (Sangiovese), Gamay (Beaujolais) and rosé. You’ll always see a selection of these wines on the list. Our whites will be bright and energetic in the warmer months and round and pleasing in the cooler months.”

Champion added that the wine list will always focus on local regions with family-owned, small-production wines, though they will incorporate some international wines as the menu changes.

“With such an international group of chefs in the kitchen, the dishes are always expressive globally, and I think we’d be missing the mark if the wine list didn’t also represent that,” Champi on said.

“The wine list started out small, as we wanted to get our feet wet and see what works. Our goal is to continue to grow the list, you can expect to see some higher-end wines start to dot the list soon. From the onset, the list was always going to mirror the theme of the menu. A few anchors surrounded by wines that change with the season, availability, or whatever sparked excitement in the three of us. My role for this list is to look ahead at what the chefs are planning and redirect the list accordingly. Both Onil and Casey are instrumental in choosing the wines. It’s not enough for one of us to like the wine, we all need to agree that it goes well with the menu and the sense of the restaurant. It’s a great feeling when we’re all excited about a wine — those tend to be the wines that make the list.”

Chibás said his customers love that Deluxe 1717 is an inviting chef-driven neighborhood restaurant that serves reasonably priced, thoughtfully prepared food served by a warm staff.

“Pasadena has been my home for the past 22 years, and so it was and continues to be the obvious choice for both my ventures,” Chibás said.

“My love for Pasadena stems from its beauty, civic cohesiveness and inherent pride of city. I can’t think of a better place to open a restaurant like Deluxe 1717. Our restaurant and the city it is in have that small-town sense of comfort and community together with this incredibly broad cultural mix that livens every corner.”

Deluxe 1717 1717 E Washington Boulevard, Pasadena 626-797-1717 chibasevents.com

Dinner: 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday to Saturday Brunch: 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

GENRE: Magical Realism Fictional Memoir

Supernatural tale thrills, scares while exploring immigration

By Bridgette M. Redman Pasadena Weekly Contributing Writer

Aplay by Prince Gomolvilas is getting a homecoming of sorts at East West Players from Thursday, Nov. 17, to Sunday, Dec. 11.

An LA native, Gomolvilas’ play, “The Brothers Paranormal,” is get ting its City of Angels debut under the direction of Jeff Liu, who led the world-premiere production at the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre in New York in 2019.

“This is a homecoming in a way,” Liu said. “I remember the second I read it, I felt it was so special.”

The story centers around two Thai brothers — one born in Thailand and the other in the American Midwest — who decide to launch a ghost-hunting business after a nationwide increase in the sightings of “Asian-looking ghosts.”

They are called to the home of a

Black family that has been displaced by Hurricane Katrina. That starts a super natural thriller exploring the trauma of leaving home.

“We couldn’t be more excited to conclude our 56th season with a play by (East West Players) alum Prince Gomolvilas,” said Snehal Desai, the East West Players’ producing artistic director.

“The Brothers Paranormal” was first presented by EWP as a Writers Gallery reading in association with the Japanese American National Museum in 2012.

Desai said it’s been incredible to watch the show develop since that reading and to present it now in the context of the season’s focus of center ing the intersection between Black and Asian communities.

Excerpts from this novel--The Pollinator In His Own Words--read by the author, exemplify the intimate relationship between two art forms: painting and writing. The protagonist of this tale, through the mystic art of surfing, slowly develops the ability to fly.

GENRE: Magical Realism Fictional Memoir

GENRE: Magical Realism Fictional Memoir

Excerpts from this novel--The Pollinator In His Own Words--read by the author, exemplify the intimate relationship between two art forms: painting and writing. The protagonist of this tale, through the mystic art of surfing, slowly develops the ability to fly. As the story evolves, he discovers that he can, during flight, by way of olfactory engendered clairvoyance, accumulate and store internally essential love; eventually he is able to bestow this love. The following excerpts, inspired by the paintings of Edward Hopper, occur in the story when the protagonist is beginning to collect such essences of primal bliss.

Excerpts from this novel--The Pollinator In His Own Wordsread by the author, exemplify the intimate relationship between two art forms: painting and writing. The protagonist of this tale, through the mystic art of surfing, slowly develops the ability to fly. As the story evolves, he discovers that he can, during flight, by way of olfactory engendered clairvoyance, accumulate and store inter nally essential love; eventually he is able to bestow this love. The following excerpts, inspired by the paintings of Edward Hopper, occur in the story when the protagonist is beginning to collect such essences of primal bliss.

Excerpts from this novel--The Pollinator In His Own Words--read by the author, exemplify the intimate relationship between two art forms: painting and writing. The protagonist of this tale, through the mystic art of surfing, slowly develops the ability to fly. As the story evolves, he discovers that he can, during flight, by way of olfactory engendered clairvoyance, accumulate and store internally essential love; eventually he is able to bestow this love. The following excerpts, inspired by the paintings of Edward Hopper, occur in the story when the protagonist is beginning to collect such essences of primal bliss.

FIND EXCERPTS on YouTube

• ARTS & CULTURE

As the story evolves, he discovers that he can, during flight, by way of olfactory engendered clairvoyance, accumulate and store internally essential love; eventually he is able to bestow this love. The following excerpts, inspired by the paintings of Edward Hopper, occur in the story when the protagonist is beginning to collect such essences of primal bliss.

From its premiere in NYC with Pan Asian Rep, “The Brothers Paranormal” has had productions across the country, and “we are so proud to be able to bring it home and present its LA premiere,” Desai said.

Liu said he was immediately taken by the play’s stage directions and the challenge of producing a supernatural thriller live onstage.

However, the play was not simply about special effects.

“It’s really about a human connection between an African American woman and an Asian American man through this stress and grief and trauma that they face in life,” Liu said. “There’s an understanding that grows between them.”

He also finds the intersectionality of the piece to be very compelling and something that is not often found in Asian American stories. Typically, he said, there are either all Asian Amer ican characters or a combination of Asian American and white characters. In “Brothers Paranormal,” Liu said that African American and Asian American

on YouTube

people get to share space and story.

on YouTube

“There is extra relevance in terms of exploring what American peoples of color have gone through together, whether in conflict, whether in solidar ity, whether in allyship, whether we’ve been pitted against each other in some ways in a divide and conquer manner,” Liu said.

Liu cautioned, though, that just because the leading characters are an Asian American man and an African American woman, the play doesn’t center racism or race.

“This play isn’t explicitly about race,” Liu said. “It’s really more of a ghost story. It deals with differences in culture and how grief and loss get seen through a different lens depending on what culture brings — and how, when you share some of those experiences, you really begin to understand each other in a whole other way.”

David Huynh, who plays the part of Max, the Thai brother born in the Mid west, participated in some of the early staged readings in 2012, in part because he had performed in an earlier show

written by Gomolvilas. The family relationships resonate with Huynh, particularly the ones between his character, his brother and his mother.

“There’s something about family dramas that really drive me into the story,” Huynh said. “I’m always fascinated with family dynamics, and this story is all about the dynamics of his journey, the family, and the relationships between his mother and his brother.”

He’s enjoying his character’s intelligence, his wit and willingness to be very sar castic while at the same time deeply emotional. It’s a play that has been described as expertly mixing suspense and horror with comedy and drama.

When Huynh read the script 10 years ago, he was fascinated by the plot and the surprises embedded in the script. However, returning to it after a decade has passed, he’s come to appreciate the script on a more intense level.

“There’s so much depth and there’s so much subtleness to it that really pops out,” Huynh said. “I didn’t see the emotionality of the character until just recently. I just saw the humor, but I didn’t realize how deep and how intelligent this guy was and how affected he is by the psychology of what’s happening around him.”

Liu has done a lot of work with East West Players, including serving as its literary manager for several years under the previous artistic director.

He’s continued to direct under Desai’s leadership at the organization. He points out that it is the longest-running theater of color in the United States and has been committed to providing opportunities for Asian American actors and representa tion for Asian American writers of whatever specific ethnicity in that spectrum.

Liu said East West Players’ work is important, particularly as it comes to the sort of intersectionality found in both “The Brothers Paranormal” and the previous show they produced — “The Great Jheri Curl Debate.”

“That kind of inclusivity and dialogue must have been on Snehal’s mind, as it has been on many, many of our minds,” Liu said. “One of my personal missions is to find more stories that are specifically intersectional between people of color in America — that could be Asian, Black, Latin, Native, all of the above. The way these two pieces resonate with each other will be really interesting and gives this season a kind of special character.”

While “The Brothers Paranormal” is getting its LA premiere, many of the per formers in it are already experienced with it. In addition to Liu directing the world premiere in New York and Huynh being involved in the first reading, others have also been in the show before.

Roy Vongtama, who plays the brother Visarut, was in the Pan Asian Repertory production. Emily Kuroda, who plays Tasanee, was also in the world premiere. Jas per Louis, who plays Felix, was in a production with Theatre Diaspora.

Other cast members include Tamika Simpkins as Delia; Pearrie Hammie as Jai; Daniel Kim, who understudies Max and Visarut; and Ratana, who understudies Jai and Tasanee.

Since the play premiered in 2019, America has undergone drastic changes, yet Liu said the events of the past couple years make the story even more relevant be

cause it is dealing with ways people cope with trauma from disasters and displace ment.

“We have this global event of our gen eration with the pandemic and the kind of stress that it causes and the anger and division,” Liu said.

“People are having this reckoning with their lives and what do they want out of it? Then we’ve had this racial reckoning in America where, during the pandemic. We had events like Mr. Floyd in Minneapolis and Black Lives Matter and the specific kind of boiling up of racial tensions and denial. Then we have disasters natural and human. You can say our whole society has a kind of mild or serious PTSD depending on where you live and where you are, and that’s what this play was always about.”

He said the Black couple relocated to the unnamed city after Hurricane Katrina, a natural disaster that dispro portionately affected certain kinds of people. The Thai immigrant family is also running from things.

“The kinds of stresses that they have to deal with is part of what the play suggests triggers these supernatural reactions,” Liu said. “It’s really an attempt to deepen our feelings about how the play and we are in conversation with what’s going on in the country and even the world right now.”

Huynh added mental health to the list of themes in “The Brothers Paranormal” that have grown more relevant since its premiere. He said that it is a tough topic be cause it has often been avoided in the Asian American community and performing this show at East West Players gives them a chance to reach a certain demographic and community.

“It’s been taboo, and it’s something that shouldn’t be taboo,” Huynh said. “The more we are able to begin the conversation of mental health, the more that becomes easier to deal with and apparent that it is something that exists and is real. A lot of Asian American communities culturally don’t acknowledge that mental health is an issue.”

Liu also said this production of “The Brothers Paranormal” is a celebration of doing live theater again, something that perhaps people took for granted before the pandemic.

Being in Los Angeles brings new focus to the show. Liu said there is a very specific Thai American acting community and that the playwright, who is also Thai American, is responsive to those who want to tell more Thai stories. Gomolvilas has been mentoring Thai artists within the community and bringing them into this production.

Huynh appreciates being a part of a show that is unique in its portrayal of the Thai community. He said it is the only Thai American play he had heard of.

“For the Thai American community, it can be quite a joy for them to see their story — or a story from their cultural point of view — being told,” Huynh said. “Not only that, but the meeting place of two cultures happen. You have this Thai Ameri can family and an African American family. That’s quite rare.”

Being in Los Angeles has also allowed Liu to work with a design team that has capabilities and skills that would be hard to find elsewhere. They’ve brought in Ian O’Connor, who’s in Hollywood special effects, to do illusions. The design team, Liu said, creates visualizations and horror special effects in exciting ways. It’s something he hopes audiences will appreciate.

“Do you want to come see a fun ghost story live?” Liu asked. “Horror films never go out of style, and ghost stories never go out of style either. This show will be a lot of fun but also has really, really engaging and emotional characters.”

East West Players’ “The Brothers Paranormal”

WHEN: Various times Nov. 17 to Dec. 11; Thursdays to Mondays

WHERE: David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center of the Arts, 120 Judge John Aiso Street, Los Angeles

COST: Tickets start at $39; a pay-what-you-can Nov. 28; a Black Affinity Night on Dec. 2

INFO: 213-625-7000, eastwestplayers.org

Prince Gomolvilas’ “The Brothers Paranormal” will run at East West Players from Thursday, Nov. 17, to Sunday, Dec. 11.

Trustee’s Sales

cialists,Inc,.ACaliforniaCorporationACALimitedLiabilityCompany217CivicCenterDrive#2Vista,California 92084SaleLine:760-7587622DanaA.Fazio,Trustee OfficerNPP0417534To: PASADENA WEEKLY 11/03/2022, 11/10/2022, 11/17/2022

T.S. No. 098661-CA APN: 5757-016-021 NOTICE O F TRUSTEE’S SALE IMPORT ANT NOTICE TO PROP ERTY OWNER: YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED OF TRUST, DATE D 12/6/2006. UNLESS YO U TAKE ACTION TO PRO TECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT MAY BE SOLD AT A PUB LIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN EXPLANATION OF TH E NATURE OF THE PRO CEEDING AGAINST YOU YOU SHOULD CONTACT A LAWYER On 1/4/2023 a t 10:30 AM, CLEAR RECON CORP, as duly appointe d trustee under and pursuant to Deed of Trust recorde d 3/7/2007 as Instrument No 20070501069 of Official Re cords in the office of th e County Recorder of Lo s Angeles County, State o f CALIFORNIA executed by : DELIA CENTENO, AN UN MARRIED WOMAN WIL L SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH, CASHIER’S CHECK DRAWN ON A STATE O R NATIONAL BANK, A CHECK DRAWN BY A STATE O R FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, OR A CHECK DRAWN BY A STATE OR FEDERAL SAV INGS AND LOAN ASSOCI ATION, SAVINGS ASSOCI ATION, OR SAVINGS BANK SPECIFIED IN SECTIO N 5102 OF THE FINANCIA L CODE AND AUTHORIZE D TO DO BUSINESS IN THIS STATE; BEHIND TH E FOUNTAIN LOCATED I N CIVIC CENTER PLAZA, 400 CIVIC CENTER PLAZA , POMONA, CA 91766 al l right, title and interest con veyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust in the property situated in said County and State described as: LOT 40 OF TRACT NUM BER 14449 AS PER MA P RECORDED IN BOOK 32 3 PAGES 44-46 OF MAPS, IN THE OFFICE OF TH E COUNTY RECORDER O F SAID COUNTY. The stree t address and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 356 0 FAIRMEADE RD, PAS ADENA, CA 91107 The un dersigned Trustee disclaims any liability for any incorrect ness of the street addres s and other common designa tion, if any, shown herein Said sale will be held, bu t without covenant or warranty, express or implied, regard ing title, possession, condi tion, or encumbrances, in cluding fees, charges and ex penses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by sai d Deed of Trust, to pay the re maining principal sums of the note(s) secured by said Deed of Trust. The total amount of the unpaid balance of the ob ligation secured by the prop erty to be sold and reason able estimated costs, ex penses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is : $263,529.93 If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bid der's sole and exclusive rem edy shall be the return o f monies paid to the Trustee, and the successful bidde r shall have no further re course. The beneficiary un der said Deed of Trust here tofore executed and de livered to the undersigned a written Declaration of Default and Demand for Sale, and a written Notice of Default and Election to Sell. The under signed or its predecessor caused said Notice of DefaultandElectiontoSellto berecordedinthecounty wheretherealpropertyis located.NOTICETOPOTENTIALBIDDERS:Ifyou areconsideringbiddingon

writtenDeclarationofDefault andDemandforSale,anda writtenNoticeofDefaultand ElectiontoSell.Theundersigned or its predecessor caused said Notice of Default and Election to Sell t o b e recorded in the count y w here the real property i s l ocated. NOTICE TO PO T ENTIAL BIDDERS: If yo u a re considering bidding on this property lien, you should u nderstand that there ar e risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will b e bidding on a lien, not on the p roperty itself. Placing th e highest bid at a trustee auc t ion does not automaticall y entitle you to free and clear o wnership of the property Y ou should also be awar e that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the prop erty. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, pri ority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on thi s p roperty by contacting th e county recorder's office or a t itle insurance company , either of which may charg e you a fee for this information

If you consult either of these r esources, you should b e aware that the same lender m ay hold more than on e mortgage or deed of trust on t he property. NOTICE T O

P ROPERTY OWNER: Th e sale date shown on this no t ice of sale may be post poned one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the Cali fornia Civil Code. The law re quires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale

If you wish to learn whether y our sale date has bee n postponed, and, if applicable, t he rescheduled time an d date for the sale of this prop erty, you may call (844) 477 7 869 or visit this Interne t Web site WWW.STOXPOST ING.COM, using the file num b er assigned to this cas e 0 98661-CA. Informatio n a bout postponements tha t are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not im mediately be reflected in the telephone information or on t he Internet Web site. Th e best way to verify postpone ment information is to attend the scheduled sale. NOTICE TO TENANT: Effective Janu ary 1, 2021, you may have a right to purchase this prop erty after the trustee auction pursuant to Section 2924m of the California Civil Code. If y ou are an “eligible tenan t buyer,” you can purchase the property if you match the last and highest bid placed at the trustee auction. If you are an eligible bidder,” you may be a ble to purchase the prop e rty if you exceed the las t and highest bid placed at the t rustee auction. There ar e three steps to exercising this r ight of purchase. First, 48 h ours after the date of th e t rustee sale, you can cal l (855)313-3319, or visit this internet website www.clearre c oncorp.com, using the fil e number assigned to this case 098661-CA to find the dat e o n which the trustee’s sale was held, the amount of the last and highest bid, and the a ddress of the trustee S econd, you must send a w ritten notice of intent t o place a bid so that the trust ee receives it no more than 1 5 days after the trustee’ s sale. Third, you must submit a bid so that the trustee re c eives it no more than 4 5 days after the trustee’s sale If you think you may qualify as an “eligible tenant buyer” or “eligible bidder,” you shouldconsidercontacting anattorneyorappropriate realestateprofessionalimmediatelyforadviceregardingthispotentialrighttopurchase.FORSALESIN-

FORMATION:(844)477-

abidsothatthetrusteereceivesitnomorethan45 daysafterthetrustee’ssale. Ifyouthinkyoumayqualify as an “eligible tenant buyer” or “eligible bidder,” you s hould consider contacting a n attorney or appropriate real estate professional immediately for advice regardng this potential right to purc hase. FOR SALES INF ORMATION: (844) 4777869 CLEAR RECON CORP 4 375 Jutland Drive San D iego, California 92117 Published: Pasadena Weekly 11/10/22, 11/17/22, 11/24/22

T.S. No. 104274-CA APN: 5 728-022-040 NOTICE O F TRUSTEE’S SALE IMPORTA NT NOTICE TO PROPERTY OWNER: YOU ARE IN DEFAULT UNDER A DEED O F TRUST, DATED 9 /14/2016. UNLESS YOU T AKE ACTION TO PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY, IT M AY BE SOLD AT A PUBLIC SALE. IF YOU NEED AN E XPLANATION OF TH E N ATURE OF THE PROC EEDING AGAINST YOU , YOU SHOULD CONTACT A L AWYER On 1/4/2023 a t 1 0:30 AM, CLEAR RECON C ORP, as duly appointed trustee under and pursuant to D eed of Trust recorded 9/20/2016 as Instrument No 20161140157 of Official Rec ords in the office of the C ounty Recorder of Los A ngeles County, State o f C ALIFORNIA executed by : DIANNE LYNN MYLES, AN UNMARRIED WOMAN WILL SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION TO HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH, CASHIER’S CHECK D RAWN ON A STATE OR NATIONAL BANK, A CHECK D RAWN BY A STATE OR FEDERAL CREDIT UNION, OR A CHECK DRAWN BY A STATE OR FEDERAL SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATION, SAVINGS ASSOCIATION, OR SAVINGS BANK S PECIFIED IN SECTION 5 102 OF THE FINANCIAL C ODE AND AUTHORIZED TO DO BUSINESS IN THIS S TATE; BEHIND TH E F OUNTAIN LOCATED IN CIVIC CENTER PLAZA, 400 C IVIC CENTER PLAZA , P OMONA, CA 91766 all right, title and interest conveyed to and now held by it under said Deed of Trust in the property situated in said County and State described a s: MORE ACCURATEL Y DESCRIBED IN SAID DEED O F TRUST. The street add ress and other common designation, if any, of the real property described above is purported to be: 60 PEPPER S TREET, PASADENA, C A 9 1103 The undersigned Trustee disclaims any liabilty for any incorrectness o f the street address and other common designation, if any, shown herein. Said sale will be held, but without covenant or warranty, express or mplied, regarding title, possession, condition, or encumb rances, including fees , charges and expenses of the Trustee and of the trusts created by said Deed of Trust, to pay the remaining principal sums of the note(s) secured by said Deed of Trust. The t otal amount of the unpaid balance of the obligation secured by the property to be sold and reasonable estimated costs, expenses and advances at the time of the initial publication of the Notice of Sale is: $403,141.65 If the Trustee is unable to convey title for any reason, the successful bidder's sole and exclusive remedy shall be the return of monies paid to the Trustee, and the successful bidder shall have no further recourse. The beneficiary under said Deed of Trust heret ofore executed and deivered to the undersigned a written Declaration of Default and Demand for Sale, and a written Notice of Default and ElectiontoSell.Theundersignedoritspredecessor causedsaidNoticeofDefaultandElectiontoSellto berecordedinthecounty wheretherealpropertyis

dersaidDeedofTrustheretoforeexecutedanddeliveredtotheundersigneda writtenDeclarationofDefault and Demand for Sale, and a written Notice of Default and Election to Sell. The under s igned or its predecesso r c aused said Notice of De fault and Election to Sell t o b e recorded in the count y w here the real property i s l ocated. NOTICE TO PO T ENTIAL BIDDERS: If yo u a re considering bidding on this property lien, you should u nderstand that there ar e risks involved in bidding at a trustee auction. You will b e bidding on a lien, not on the p roperty itself. Placing th e highest bid at a trustee auc t ion does not automaticall y entitle you to free and clear o wnership of the property Y ou should also be awar e that the lien being auctioned off may be a junior lien. If you are the highest bidder at the auction, you are or may be responsible for paying off all liens senior to the lien being auctioned off, before you can receive clear title to the prop erty. You are encouraged to investigate the existence, pri ority, and size of outstanding liens that may exist on thi s p roperty by contacting th e county recorder's office or a t itle insurance company either of which may charg e you a fee for this information

If you consult either of these r esources, you should b e aware that the same lender m ay hold more than on e mortgage or deed of trust on t he property.

NOTICE T O P ROPERTY OWNER: Th e sale date shown on this no t ice of sale may be post poned one or more times by the mortgagee, beneficiary, trustee, or a court, pursuant to Section 2924g of the Cali fornia Civil Code. The law re quires that information about trustee sale postponements be made available to you and to the public, as a courtesy to those not present at the sale If you wish to learn whether y our sale date has bee n postponed, and, if applicable t he rescheduled time an d date for the sale of this prop erty, you may call (844) 477 7 869 or visit this Interne t Web site WWW.STOXPOST ING.COM, using the file num b er assigned to this cas e 1 04274-CA. Informatio n a bout postponements tha t are very short in duration or that occur close in time to the scheduled sale may not im mediately be reflected in the telephone information or on t he Internet Web site. Th e best way to verify postpone ment information is to attend the scheduled sale. NOTICE TO TENANT: Effective Janu ary 1, 2021, you may have a right to purchase this prop erty after the trustee auction pursuant to Section 2924m of the California Civil Code. If y ou are an “eligible tenan t buyer,” you can purchase the property if you match the last and highest bid placed at the trustee auction. If you are an “eligible bidder,” you may be a ble to purchase the prop e rty if you exceed the las t and highest bid placed at the t rustee auction. There ar e three steps to exercising this r ight of purchase. First, 48 h ours after the date of th e t rustee sale, you can cal l (855)313-3319, or visit this internet website www.clearre c oncorp.com, using the fil e number assigned to this case 104274-CA to find the dat e o n which the trustee’s sale was held, the amount of the last and highest bid, and the a ddress of the trustee S econd, you must send a w ritten notice of intent t o place a bid so that the trust ee receives it no more than 1 5 days after the trustee’ s sale. Third, you must submit a bid so that the trustee re ceives it no more than 45 days after the trustee’s sale. Ifyouthinkyoumayqualify asan“eligibletenantbuyer” or“eligiblebidder,”you shouldconsidercontacting anattorneyorappropriate realestateprofessionalimmediatelyforadviceregard-

eereceivesitnomorethan 15daysafterthetrustee’s sale.Third,youmustsubmit abidsothatthetrusteereceives it no more than 45 days after the trustee’s sale.

If you think you may qualify as an “eligible tenant buyer” or “eligible bidder,” you should consider contacting an attorney or appropriate real estate professional immediately for advice regarding this potential right to purchase. FOR SALES INFORMATION: (844) 4777869 CLEAR RECON CORP 4375 Jutland Drive San Diego, California 92117 Published: Pasadena Weekly 11/17/22, 11/24/22, 12/01/22

T.S.No.:2016-02853-CA A .P.N.:5731-009-068 PropertyAddress:780North ElMolinoAvenue,Pasadena, CA91104

N OTICEOFTRUSTEE' S SALEPURSUANTTOCIVIL C ODE§2923.3(a)and(d) , T HESUMMARYOFIN F ORMATIONREFERRE D T OBELOWISNOTAT TACHEDTOTHERECOR DEDCOPYOFTHISDOCU M ENTBUTONLYTOTHE C OPIESPROVIDEDT O T HETRUSTOR.

N OTE:THEREISASUM M ARYOFTHEINFORMA TIONINTHISDOCUMENT ATTACHED

IZEDTODOBUSINESSIN THISSTATE:

Allright,title,andinterest conveyedtoandnowheldby thetrusteeinthehereinafter describedpropertyunderand pursuanttoaDeedofTrust describedas: Morefullydescribedinsaid DeedofTrust.

StreetAddressorothercom mondesignationofrealprop erty:780NorthElMolinoAv enue,Pasadena,CA91104 A.P.N.:5731-009-068

TheundersignedTrusteedis claimsanyliabilityforanyin correctnessofthestreetad dressorothercommondes ignation,ifany,show n above.

Thesalewillbemade,bu t withoutcovenantorwarranty expressedorimplied,regard ingtitle,possession,oren cumbrances,topaythere mainingprincipalsumofthe note(s)securedbytheDeed ofTrustwithinterestthereon asprovidedinsaidnote(s), advances,underthetermsof saidDeedofTrust,fees , chargesandexpensesofthe Trusteeandofthetrustscre atedbysaidDeedofTrust Thetotalamountoftheun paidbalanceoftheobliga tionsecuredbytheproperty tobesoldandreasonabl e estimatedcosts,expense s andadvancesatthetimeof theinitialpublicationofthe NoticeofSaleis: $922,411.20.

Note:BecausetheBenefi ciaryreservestherighttobid lessthanthetotaldebtowed itispossiblethatatthetime ofthesaletheopeningbid maybelessthanthetota l debt.

oftrustonthisproperty.

NOTICETOPROPERTY OWNER:Thesaledate shownonthisnoticeofsale maybepostponedoneor moretimesbythemortgagee,beneficiary,trustee oracourt,pursuanttoSection2924goftheCalifornia CivilCode.Thelawrequires thatinformationabouttrusteesalepostponementsbe madeavailabletoyouandto thepublic,asacourtesyto thosenotpresentatthesale Ifyouwishtolearnwhether yoursaledatehasbeen postponed,and,ifapplicable, therescheduledtimeand dateforthesaleofthisproperty,youmaycall(866)-9608299orvisitthisInterne t Websitehttps://www.altisource.com/loginpage.aspx usingthefilenumberassignedtothiscase201602853-CA.Informationabout postponementsthatarevery shortindurationorthatoccurcloseintimetothe scheduledsalemaynotimmediatelybereflectedinthe telephoneinformationoron theInternetWebsite.The bestwaytoverifypostponementinformationistoattend thescheduledsale.

NOTICEOFTRUSTEE' S SALE

I MPORTANTNOTICET O P ROPERTYOWNER: YOUAREINDEFAULTUN D ERADEEDOFTRUS T D ATED03/22/2006.UN L ESSYOUTAKEACTIO N TOPROTECTYOURPROP ERTY,ITMAYBESOLDAT A PUBLICSALE.IFYO U N EEDANEXPLANATIO N O FTHENATUREOFTH E P ROCEEDINGAGAINS T YOU,YOUSHOULDCON TACTALAWYER.

Trustor:JesusOrtis,ASingle Man D ulyAppointedTrustee : W esternProgressive,LL C D eedofTrustRecorde d 0 3/31/2006asInstrumen t No.060690884inbook---, p age---andofOfficialRe cordsintheofficeoftheRe c orderofLosAngele s C ounty,California, DateofSale:12/29/2022at 09:00AM

PlaceofSale: V INEYARDBALLROOM , DOUBLETREEHOTELLOS A NGELES-NORWALK 13111SYCAMOREDRIVE, NORWALK,CA90650

Estimatedamountofunpaid b alance,reasonablyestim a tedcostsandothe r c harges:$922,411.2 0 N OTICEOFTRUSTEE' S S ALE THETRUSTEEWILLSELL A TPUBLICAUCTIONT O H IGHESTBIDDERFO R CASH,CASHIER’SCHECK D RAWNONASTATEO R NATIONALBANK,ACHECK D RAWNBYASTATEO R FEDERALCREDITUNION ORACHECKDRAWNBY A STATEORFEDERALSAV INGSANDLOANASSOCI ATION,ASAVINGSASSO

IftheTrusteeisunablet o conveytitleforanyreason , thesuccessfulbidder’ssole andexclusiveremedyshal l bethereturnofmoniespaid totheTrustee,andthesuc cessfulbiddershallhaveno furtherrecourse.

ThebeneficiaryoftheDeed ofTrusthasexecutedan d deliveredtotheundersigned awrittenrequesttocom menceforeclosure,andthe undersignedcausedaNo ticeofDefaultandElectionto Selltoberecordedinth e countywheretherealprop ertyislocated.

NOTICEOFTRUSTEE' S SALE

NOTICETOPOTENTIA L BIDDERS:Ifyouareconsid eringbiddingonthisprop ertylien,youshouldunder standthattherearerisksin volvedinbiddingatatrustee auction.Youwillbebidding onalien,notontheproperty itself.Placingthehighestbid atatrusteeauctiondoesnot automaticallyentitleyouto freeandclearownershipof theproperty.Youshouldalso beawarethatthelienbeing auctionedoffmaybeajunior lien.Ifyouarethehighes t bidderattheauction,youare ormayberesponsiblefo r payingoffallliensseniorto thelienbeingauctionedoff, beforeyoucanreceiveclear titletotheproperty.Youare encouragedtoinvestigatethe existence,priority,andsize ofoutstandingliensthatmay existonthispropertybycon tactingthecountyrecorder’s officeoratitleinsuranc e company,eitherofwhic h maychargeyouafeeforthis information.Ifyouconsul t eitheroftheseresources , youshouldbeawarethatthe samelendermayholdmore thanonemortgageordeed oftrustonthisproperty.

NOTICETOTENANT:You mayhavearighttopurchasethispropertyafterthe trusteeauction,ifconducted afterJanuary1,2021,pursuanttoSection2924mofthe CaliforniaCivilCode.Ifyou arean“eligibletenantbuyer,” youcanpurchasethepropertyifyoumatchthelastand highestbidplacedatthe trusteeauction.Ifyouarean “eligiblebidder,”youmaybe abletopurchasethepropertyifyouexceedthelas t andhighestbidplacedatthe trusteeauction.Thereare threestepstoexercisingthis rightofpurchase.First,48 hoursafterthedateofthe trusteesale,youcancall (855)-976-3916,orvisitthis internetwebsitehttps://tracker.auction.com/sb1079,usingthefilenumberassigned tothiscase2016-02853-CA tofindthedateonwhichthe trustee’ssalewasheld,the amountofthelastand highestbid,andtheaddress ofthetrustee.Second,you mustsendawrittennoticeof intenttoplaceabidsothat thetrusteereceivesitno morethan15daysafterthe trustee’ssale.Third,you mustsubmitabid,byremittingthefundsandaffidavi t describedinSectio n 2924m(c)oftheCivilCode, sothatthetrusteereceivesit nomorethan45daysafter thetrustee’ssale.Ifyouthink youmayqualifyasan“eligibletenantbuyer”or“eligiblebidder,”youshouldconsidercontactinganattorney orappropriaterealestate professionalimmediatelyfor adviceregardingthispotentialrighttopurchase.

Date:November7,2022

WesternProgressive,LLC , asTrusteeforbeneficiary C/o1500PalmaDrive,Suite 238 Ventura,CA93003

SaleInformationLine:(866) 960-8299https://www.altisource.com/loginpage.aspx

TrusteeSaleAssistant

WESTERNPROGRESSIVE, LLCMAYBEACTINGAS A DEBTCOLLECTORATTEMPTINGTOCOLLECT A DEBT.ANYINFORMATION OBTAINEDMAYBEUSED FORTHATPURPOSE.

Published:PasadenaWeekly 11/10/22,11/17/22,11/24/22

THISSTATE:

A llright,title,andinteres t conveyedtoandnowheldby thetrusteeinthehereinafter describedpropertyunderand pursuanttoaDeedofTrust describedas:

Morefullydescribedinsaid DeedofTrust.

NOTICETOPROPERT Y OWNER:Thesaledat e shownonthisnoticeofsale maybepostponedoneor moretimesbythemortgagee,beneficiary,trustee, oracourt,pursuanttoSection2924goftheCalifornia CivilCode.Thelawrequires thatinformationabouttrusteesalepostponementsbe

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