SEE PAGE 4 FOR san gabriel valley real estate prices drop
Pasadena Press
MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014 - OCTOBER 19, 2014
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PCCs First Year Pathways program recognized among most effective in nation at increasing Latino student success in college
SEE PAGE 3 for gone girl movie review VOLUME 1, NO. 24
Dyson shining on volleyball court for PHS By SHEL SEGAL
The project will also address how Medicaid, through its early periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment benefit, can pay for SBIRT services. The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation supports this project.
For Ruby Dyson, it’s all about winning on the volleyball court. And that’s something she’s very good at. So good that the senior for the Pasadena High girls’ volleyball team and three-year varsity starter is hoping to take her game next year to either NCAA Division I or II. “I think just trying to get to college and trying to get a scholarship, just being able to do what I love to do beyond high college,” Dyson said in response to a question about her next step. Dyson said she plays volleyball year-round and that started at a very young age. “I started with my cousin Shelby, who graduated last year, and it just started with her, peppering and pumping the ball around. I was 9,” Dyson said. “And then I started my club season when I was 9. I’ve just been playing ever since.” She added she gets a real high from doing well. “At first, it was just kind of something extracurricular to do,” she said. “But whenever you get a kill or whenever you get a block, knowing that the team needs you it’s something that feels good. It’s just a good experience. I really love it.” Helping Dyson’s success on the court has been her height, and she stands at 6 feet, 4 inches tall. And while that is unusual for a girl, Dyson said she just uses it to her advantage. “People think I can’t hear them talking about me, but I do,” she said. “And I don’t care. That makes me want to capitalize on that. That drives me to show them,
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Please see page 2
PCC first year pathways program group photo - Courtesy photo
Elected officials and higher education leaders from across the country came together at the St. Regis Washington, D.C. hotel on Tuesday to honor Pasadena City College’s First Year Pathways program as a finalist among America’s
top programs that increase academic opportunities and increase achievement for Latino students. PCC’s First Year Pathways was selected from among 217 competitors from 26 states, the District of Columbia, and Puer-
to Rico as one of four Finalists in the Associate’s Level for the 2014 Examples of Excelencia award. Conceived and run by Excelencia in Education, this is the only national initiative to Please see page 4
Pasadena charity Hillsides selected to participate in national initiative to reduce adolescent substance abuse The National Council for Behavioral Health has selected Hillsides as one of 29 community behavioral health organizations from across six states to participate in the Reducing Adolescent Substance Abuse Initiative. This two-and-a-half year
project is designed to help providers systematically implement a screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) protocol to address substance use among adolescents ages 15–22 who receive services for an emotional disturbance or a psychiatric disorder.
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Flu, pneumonia and shingles clinic at Pasadena Senior Center Rite Aid will host a flu, pneumonia and shingles clinic Wednesday, Oct. 15, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Pasadena Senior Center, 85 E. Holly St. Flu vaccinations will be offered free to people with Medicare Part B or Medical and to those with private insurance from Cigna, United Health Care and Aetna PPO. Pneumonia vaccinations will be offered free to people with Medicare Part B; coverage by other insurance will be determined after a short phone questionnaire. Coverage for shingles vaccinations will be determined after a short phone questionnaire. Because the immune system weakens as people age, older adults are more susceptible to influenza (flu), which causes 200,000 hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths nationwide each year. Advanced age can make pneumonia more dangerous. It
kills more people in the U.S. annually than all other vaccine-preventable diseases combined. Shingles is caused by a reactivation of the chicken pox virus in the body. The older a person is, the more severe the effects of shingles, including severe pain, burning and numbness. To sign up for flu, pneumonia or shingles vaccinations, call the Welcome Desk at (626) 795-4331 and ask to speak with someone in the Social Services Department. You will be asked some questions over the phone to determine your share of the cost based on your individual health plan coverage. Founded in 1959, the Pasadena Senior Center is an independent, nonprofit organization that offers recreational, educational, wellness and social services to people ages 50 and over in a friendly environment. Services are also provided for frail, lowincome and homebound seniors.
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Hillsides to participate in national initiative Continued from page 1
Participation in this initiative will enable Hillsides to provide more comprehensive care to its clients, said Cindy Real, Hillsides director of the Chemical Dependency Awareness and Prevention program. Clients will now be screened and treated for substance abuse issues as part of a holistic approach to treatment. The National Council for Behavioral Health will also train and mentor Hillsides staff in substance abuse screening, diagnosis, intervention, and billing. Hillsides launched a Chemical Dependency Awareness and Prevention program last spring. Families throughout Los Angeles County have access to the program through the agency’s Family Resource Centers and school-based sites.
Hillsides, headquartered in Pasadena, is a premier provider dedicated to improving the overall well-being and functioning of vulnerable children, youth, and their families throughout Los Angeles County. It consists of four core programs: Family Resource Centers that offer numerous community-based programs and services; Residential Treatment Services that provide a safe and stable environment for children unable to live at home; an Education Center, a therapeutic residential and day school for children with emotional or behavioral challenges; and Youth Moving On, a program for youth formerly in foster care who are transitioning to adulthood. For more information, please visit www.hillsides.org.
Dyson shining on volleyball court Continued from page 1
‘You think I’m this good? Well, I am this good!’” Pasadena coach Ashley DiSalvo said Dyson is just a terrific player for the Bulldogs “She was voted our MVP last year by the team,” DiSalvo said of Dyson. “That was a great honor to be bestowed onto her by her fellow teammates. That was huge. She led in kills for us last year, she led in blocks for us. It’s a huge accomplishment. That indicates a great offensive player. That indicates great ability in the front row.” DiSalvo added Dyson should have a stellar collegiate career. “She’ll probably walk in and be a starter 100 percent depending on the level that she goes to,” DiSalvo said. “With her ability right now, with her IQ on the court I think no doubt she’ll be an immediate contributor.” Dyson said DiSalvo has really helped her with her game. “She just teaches me not how to improve, but she’s been helping me on what I have as a player, just growing and expanding,” Dyson said of DiSalvo.
Ruby Dyson is having a spectacular year for the Pasadena girls’ volleyball team. – Photo by Shel Segal
Dyson also said being on the court has had some other positive results in her life. “I’ve met so many of my good friends because I’ve been playing club, because I’ve been playing high school,” she said. “They’re people I would have never associated myself with and now I’m friends with them.” (Shel Segal can be reached at ssegal@beaconmedianews.com. Follow him via Twitter @segallanded.)
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Gone Girl is a heightened but, unfortunately, accurate reflection of our culture movie review By Michael James Gonzalez It’s not surprising that this weekend’s number one movie at the box office was Gone Girl. The film stars a handsome, allAmerican male, the plot centers on a possible kidnap or even murder of a young, beautiful wife, and we are led through a maze of clues and assumptions by the media, which begins to air the police investigation 24/7. Pardon the expression, but that’s so meta. If you watched the film over the weekend and felt less like a passive viewer and more like a participant in the film, then the joke wasn’t lost on you. Consider the extraordinary amount of TV shows devoted to tabloid-crime related news stories, and you’ll realize how much our culture is obsessed with the type of narrative depicted in Gone Girl, which gives us a fly-on-the-wall glimpse into the machinations of people involved in a high-profile crime and the subsequent media frenzy once the front door shuts on the news cameras outside. The film is based on author Gillian Flynn’s bestselling novel of the same name and is directed by master craftsman David Fincher (The Social Network, Se7en). Gone Girl stars Ben Affleck as the seemingly perfect husband— who we come to find has quite a few chinks in his armor—and Rosamund Pike as the Northeastern-bred, sophisticated, equally perfect wife who disappears under circumstances that appear obvious but are anything but. We begin as Nick Dunne (Affleck) returns home to discover that a violent struggle has taken place and his wife Amy (Pike) is missing. After local police get involved, circumstantial evidence begins to point toward Nick as the prime suspect and a media circus quickly ensues. Flashback sequences begin to reveal cracks in Nick and Amy’s marriage— including money problems, a move from New York City to
the suburbs of North Carthage, Missouri due to Nick’s sick mother, frequent arguments, and infidelity—as told from the point of view of Amy’s diary. But just as Nick’s smug behavior and lies surrounding the case lead police closer to arresting him for murdering his wife, we discover that there are far more malevolent forces at work which have led to Amy’s disappearance but perhaps not her death. The 149 minute film gradually reveals the context of Nick and Amy’s complicated relationship—from their first meeting to the day she
disappears—the twists and turns throughout the police investigation, and the shocking events of the third act, which even if you see coming, you won’t know what will happen next. Fincher’s distinct directing style brilliantly fleshes out the film’s motifs-psycho-pathology set against the appearance of affluence and normality, and the investigation of truth versus the exploitation of it—with his usual chiaroscuro tones and still frames, both of which make the camera invisible but remind us that this is a dirty world we’re inhabiting.
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Price drops indicate a shifting San Gabriel Valley real estate market By Redfin agent Josh Ritnimit The percent of homes for sale in major U.S. metros with price drops has increased steadily over the past year. As of mid-2014, an average of 23.7% of all homes for sale in major markets had a price drop of $1,000 or more, up from 17.7% one year prior. This figure is even higher in Southern California markets specifically. More than a third of sellers in Orange County dropped their price in July. Los Angeles and Inland Empire sellers were not far behind,
with some 25% of sellers in each metro dropping their listing price in order to get buyers in the door. Homes for sale in the major San Gabriel Valley markets are no exception. As of midSeptember, 35% of all Pasadena homes listed for sale dropped at least once in price and a staggering 40% of all Monrovia homes for sale had price drops. Not even the seemingly bullet-proof Arcadia market is immune. Of the 236 homes currently for sale in Arcadia,
76 have dropped their price – almost 32%! The majority of price drops are occurring in markets that had the most dramatic price gains during the mini-boom of 2013. Last year price appreciation in Pasadena, Arcadia and Monrovia was up 30 to 40 percent. The rate of price appreciation has slowed considerably as sellers gradually realize the market is changing. This is not to say that San Gabriel Valley real estate is in a downturn. Rather, it is in the
process of normalizing – a brief adjustment from the dizzying highs that actually prohibited many would-be buyers from taking the keys to their Pasadena dream-bungalow. The price drops story will likely trail off as the seasons change (as much as they do in So Cal) and sellers begin pricing their homes appropriately from the start. For now, we’ll take it as a good sign the often contentious relationship between buyers and sellers is reaching some middle ground.
PCCs program recognized for increasing Latino student success in college Continued from page 1
systematically identify, recognize, and catalogue evidencebased programs that improve Latino college success. “Dedicated, hardworking faculty, counselors, and staff have created a highly effective program to improve student completion at PCC,” said Dr. Robert B. Miller, interim superintendent-president of PCC. “I am incredibly proud of them, and the entire college is honored to have been selected by Excelencia in Education as a student success leader in California and the country. We will continue to grow our Pathways program until every student has a clear path to success.” First Year Pathways is a program that provides students
guaranteed full schedules – including difficult-to-get English and math courses – in the fall and spring semesters of their first year at the college. Led by a team of dedicated counselors and coaches, Pathways also provides students with the critical support they need outside of the classroom so that they can complete their academic goals in a timely manner. In 2012, more than 800 students enrolled in the First Year Pathways program. In 2013, that number jumped to 1,400 students. This year, Pathways staff members are serving almost 1,900 students. “PCC’s five Pathways represent the work of many people
on campus,” said Brock Klein, associate dean of Pathways and Professional Learning. “As the program grows, we all must remember that we can’t let students get lost in the shuffle. We want to continue to give personalized attention to each and every student enrolled in the program.” Dr. Cynthia Olivo, PCC associate vice president of Student Services, added: “Ensuring that we create a sense of community in our large scale programs and services is critical for Latino students and all students. PCC has been able to achieve a great sense of community in our Pathways collaboration.” Tuesday’s announcement event, Celebraciòn de Excelencia, coincided with the release of the 2014 edition of “What Works for Latino Student Success in Higher Education,” a compendium of all 29 recognized programs along with the evidence of their success. Through this annual process, Excelencia in Education continues to grow America’s largest inventory of programs and strategies that education leaders, policymakers, and others tap into to accelerate degree completion among Latinos. This is the ninth annual release of Examples of Excelen-
cia. Excelencia in Education has systematically reviewed more than 700 programs to identify and recognize 125 programs and departments – including, for the first time this year, community-based organizations – that demonstrate with evidence that they effectively boost Latino enrollment, performance and graduation. “As one of this year’s Finalists, Pasadena City College is at the forefront of meeting the challenge of improving higher educational achievement for Latino students,” said Sarita Brown, president of Excelencia in Education. “No longer should policymakers and institutional leaders ask how to improve college success for Latinos – we have the largest accumulation of proven examples and tested strategies that show them how. Today’s question is do leaders have the will to put these practices into action.” To download “What Works for Latino Student Success in Higher Education,” which includes detailed information about all of the programs recognized today, visit www.EdExcelencia.org. For more information about PCC’s Pathways program, visit www.pasadena.edu/pathways.