6-Year-Old Paralyzed Boy Delivers 65,000 Anti-SB277 Signatures to Gov. Brown See P. 5
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INDEPENDENT THURSDAY, july 2 - JULY 8, 2015
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Volume 3, No. 27
Supreme Court Rules Same-Sex Marriage Legal in United States; Supporters Hail Civil Rights Victory
Scores of area residents let their feelings be heard loud and clear Friday evening at Lake Avenue Gold Line station.
In a landmark opinion, a divided Supreme Court ruled Friday that states cannot ban same-sex marriage, establishing a new civil right and handing gay rights advocates a victory that until very
recently would have seemed unthinkable. Word travelled fast and Pasadena Pride Center along with Planned Parenthood quickly mobilized a small celebration at the Metro Lake
Ave Gold Line Station Friday night. Scores of men, women, and children held up signs like “Love Wins” and “Equal Rights” and even a couple of “ Monks 4 Eqaulity [sic]”
Special Victims Bureau Investigating Sexual Assault on Metro Bus, Suspect Arrested Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Special Victims Bureau detectives are investigating the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl on a Metro Bus that occurred Tuesday, June 23, 2015 at 1:53 p.m. The victim and her family were traveling on Metro Line 152 on Roscoe Boulevard at Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Los Angeles, when a man stood behind her and sexually assaulted her. The victim immediately notified her mother of the crime and the family followed the suspect onto another bus as he was attempting to flee. While on the second bus, Los Angeles Police Department Officers detained
the suspect pending the arrival of Transit Policing Division deputies. The victim positively identified the suspect as the person who assaulted her. The suspect, 57-yearold John Griego, was arrested for Lewd and Lascivious Acts on a Minor and booked at the Los Angeles County Jail and is being held without bail. Suspect Griego is also a registered sex offender. Special Victims Bureau detectives believe there may be additional victims of sexual assaults committed by Sus-
pect Griego. If you believe you have been a victim or have information regarding additional victims, please contact Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Special Victims Bureau, Sergeant Peter Hahn, (562) 619-0478. If you wish to remain anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477). You can also text the letters “TIPLA” plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or use the websitehttp://lacrimestoppers. org.
– Photos by Terry Miller
to the sounds of commuters honking their horns in solidarity on the commute home. George Takei of Star Trek fame had this to say last Friday morning on his Facebook
account: “Oh Happy Day! The Supreme Court has ruled 5-4 that marriage equality is the law of the United States. Yes, ALL of these United States. I have waited decades for this day, and my heart is full of joy
Majority Leader Holden Names 80-Year-Old La Verne Resident Veteran of the Year Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) honored 80-year-old Air Force veteran Jefferson Hill at a Sacramento ceremony recently for his years of service both in the Air Force and in his community. “In recognition of his outstanding service to his country and his community, I am pleased to recognize Jefferson Hill as Veteran of the Year for the 41st Assembly District,” said Assemblymember Holden. “Jefferson served his country with distinction, earning many honors during his 22-year career. But it is his exemplary service and commitment to his community and his fellow Vets that continues to make such an impact” Please see page 5
Wildlife Waystation Waiting for CUP By Jennifer Schlueter A good five miles off San Gabriel Valley neighborhoods, the Wildlife Waystation is embedded into the midst of the dry hills of the Los Angeles National Forest. Run by director Martine Colette, this animal sanctuary houses hundreds of neglected animals from all over the world – tigers, lions, chimpanzees and other exotics as well as goats, llamas and raccoons, etc., on 160 acres of land. Colette began taking in abandoned animals in the mid-sixties, and opened the Wildlife Waystation about a decade later. For a few years now, the place, which once welcomed busloads of peo-
– Photo by Terry Miller
ple, has been shut down. Colette says that they are waiting on their Conditional Use Permit (CUP) from the County to officially reopen the sanctuary, which could take any time between 8 and 18 months. The CUP
would help to revive funding as well as provide children and adults with an important education about wildlife. During our visit, a close Please see page 4