Robinson relative headlines celebration of PCC’s Black abundance

Share: To walk down the Quad on Thursday afternoon was to walk into a community of diverse and innovative people. While students were browsing the booths of the market, the banging of drums could be heard throughout the Quad. From 12-2 p.m. not only did the Black and Brown Market thrive with creativity, but the lives and heritage of black people in the Ujima ending ceremony of Black History Month were celebrated with African drumming and tribal face painting.  The Black and Brown Market consisted …

Second trustee retires, reflects on ‘wonderful’ time at PCC as election looms

Share: PCC Board of Trustee member Jim Osterling said, reflecting on his time at PCC that he was proud of his small contributions in the wider fabric of Pasadena City College, from his financial knowledge to his even keeled nature.   “Even before I thought about running for PCC trustee back in 2015 my wife Scarlett and I both felt PCC was the most important institution in Pasadena and the West San Gabriel Valley,” Osterling said. “You have CalTech, you have Art Center, you have the …

Break a leg PCC! The theater department’s plans for Spring 2024

Share: On the first and second day of school at exactly 5pm, the outside of PCC’s Center of the Arts Theatre was buzzing with students hoping to get a part in Professor Martin Rodriguez’s production of “The Book Club Play.” Students who were auditioning seemed excited or nervous, while others paced and rehearsed the slides provided for them. Rodriguez’s production will be the only main stage production this semester. “The Book Club Play” by Karen Zacarias is a comedy about devoted book lovers becoming subjects …

Lions and Lance O’Lot bust a move as PCC celebrates Lunar New Year

Share: The trees in the quad were decorated head to toe with bright red banners and ornaments the first week of the new semester at PCC. Tables run by various student volunteers offered different activities for people to participate in, such as learning calligraphy, Chinese paper cutting, a build-your-own paper lantern station, and gift bags filled with treats for people to take home and celebrate the Lunar New Year. Celebrated in many Asian countries as well as Asian diaspora around the world, this day represents …

Friends In Deed lends a helping hand to Pasadena neighbors

Share: At the Hastings Ranch Vroman’s, at 9pm, 2 weeks before Christmas, a single snowflake remains on their Giving Tree. The snowflake bears the Christmas wish of a 4-year-old named Matthew who wants a gift card for clothes, shoes, lego sets, or a bicycle. For 20% off, a customer can buy Matthew his gift card to be delivered by local non-profit interfaith organization, Friends In Deed. Since 1894, Friends In Deed has operated out of Pasadena, and their main goal is to provide services to …

Christmas light extravaganza brightens up Hastings Ranch

Share: On a cold December night, off Valley View Ave. in Upper Hastings Ranch, the famous Charlie Brown house was displayed for the residents and visitors alike. Raymo Wong owns the house and loves the Peanuts gang. He and his wife, Virginia, designed the entire backyard, which consists of cardboard drawings of the Peanuts gang with a photo stand-in and a video screen playing the “Charlie Brown Christmas” TV special in their front window. People get to the Charlie Brown House by word of mouth. …

Cats and community celebrated at kitty crowning ceremony

Share: A four-month-old orange and white kitten, Parker gave a welcoming loud meow as guests entered the cafe. He’s not nominated for catnip crown today, but there is such a large commotion of people he can’t help but be excited to join in the festivities. “This is to highlight some of our resident kitties who have been here longer, a little more than we would have liked,” cafe operator Gwendolyn Mathers announced to the room of guests. “To show their great personalities and maybe a …

Pining for a fresh tree? Check out Santa and Mikey’s

Share: Selecting a Christmas tree is one of the most anticipated activities of the holiday season and Santa and Mikey’s has got you covered. Filled with friendly staff members and a very knowledgeable owner, the experience is made fun and easy.  Located off Sierra Madre Avenue, Santa and Mikey’s is a small Christmas tree lot tucked away next to a gas station. Walking in, you’re greeted with the fresh aroma of pine and a variety of Christmas trees to choose from.  Santa and Mikeys was …

The past, present and Futurama of professor Dunbar

Share: Reclining back in his desk chair in the large PCC radio studio, repping PCC in a large red Pasadena City College sweater, professor Geoff Dunbar reflects on his decades of experience in the radio and TV industry, as well as his time here at PCC. Dunbar has been teaching television and radio at PCC for sixteen years now but has been doing audio production and radio for well over 20 years. In the 90s, he created his own recording studio, which got him work …

Historic campus redwood chopped down, will native species replace it?

Share: Just 15,000 years ago redwood trees were common in the Los Angeles basin. The climate was cool and moist, and saber tooth cats, dire wolves, giant ground sloths, and coyotes roamed the forests.  By about 1970 when the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) was planted in the quad at PCC, the climate in Southern California was considerably warmer and drier, and much less hospitable to the tree whose natural habitat is now limited to a slice of Northern California and southern Oregon where it receives …