JULY/AUGUST  2006

New Life for Glass Bottles

Cool Down at the Library
 

Train for an Automotive Career

New Life for Glass Bottles

A sparkling water here, a cabernet there. With thousands of diners enjoying hundreds of Pasadena eateries every day, imagine the bottles we go through! Thanks to
a pilot program, bottles may stay out of local landfills for good.

Forged through a partnership of the city of Pasadena, California Department of Conservation, Glass Packaging Institute and local recycler Allan Company, the goal of the 18-month effort is to collect and recycle empty bottles while reducing contamination that lowers the volume and quality of recycled glass. Pasadena businesses will be able to participate at no cost and may even see a reduction in their waste hauling bills because they’ll be throwing out less trash. Look for a special decal in the windows of local businesses recognizing them as Earth friendly. When you see a decal, let the management know you appreciate the effort!

More than three billion glass beverage containers are sold in California each year and more than a third end up in landfills. Glass can be recycled over and over again, saving energy and natural resources while providing valuable raw materials for manufacturers, so we applaud Pasadena businesses that are participating in the pilot program.

For more information call 744-7175.

Cool Down at the Library

Great stories come to life this summer with special programs at Pasadena’s public libraries.

Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales

Children up to grade 6 can let their imaginations run wild during the Summer Reading Club through Aug. 12. With the theme “Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales,” the club encourages children to keep weekly reading logs and visit their nearest libraries for special prizes including finger puppets, shark teeth, glass fish necklaces, pencils, rubber bracelets and more. A “zoo” of free activities is also slated including puppet shows, live animal skits, origami workshops, movies and storytellers. Pick up a copy of the Paws Press at Pasadena Central Library or any branch library. For more information visit www.cityofpasadena.net/library and click on Library Kids or call
744-4066, option 4.

Creature Feature @ Your Library

Teens have their very own list of free programs. Learn how to play Go or Magic, experiment with monster make-up, be part of a human chess game or watch and review anime. While you’re at your nearest library, check out a great book or magazine, read it, then fill out a raffle entry to win an MP3 player or gift certificates to Ghirardelli’s, Jamba Juice, Cold Stone Creamery and more.

For more information visit www.cityofpasadena.net/library and click on Library Teens or call 744-4066.

Storytellers

Professional storytellers will enchant children during the Tuesday Tales program from July 11 through Aug. 1.

• Karen Abercrombie performs "Box Full of Stories" on Tuesday, July 11, at 11 a.m. at Hill Avenue Branch Library, 1 p.m. at Central Library and 3 p.m. at Allendale
Branch Library.

• Native American storyteller Geri Keams performs “Stories and Songs of My People” Tuesday, July 18, at 11 a.m. at La Pintoresca Branch Library, 1 p.m. at Central Library and 3 p.m. at Linda Vista Branch Library.

• Ken Frawley will delight little ones with his “Fun Animals” Tuesday, July 25, at 11 a.m. at Villa-Parke Branch Library, 1 p.m. at Central Library and 3 p.m. at Lamanda Park Branch Library.

• The StoryQuilters blend traditional storytelling with theater to captivate children of all ages Monday, July 31, at 7 p.m. at Hastings Branch Library and Tuesday, Aug. 1, at 11 a.m. at Santa Catalina Branch Library and 1 p.m. at Central Library.

For more information visit www.cityofpasadena.net/library and click on Library Kids or call 744-4066, option 4.

Thursday Films

Dip into Central Library’s air-conditioned comfort and watch award-winning independent and foreign films the third Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. in the Donald Wright Auditorium.

• “Viva Laldejerie” on July 20 follows three women living in a hotel in the heart of Algiers amid creeping fundamentalism (in French with English subtitles)

• “Hawaii, Oslo” on Aug. 17 is the story of several people who cross each other’s paths in Oslo on the hottest day of the year (Norwegian with English subtitles.)

All films shown during the Thursday series become part of Central Library’s DVD collection and are available for check-out. For more information visit www.cityofpasadena.net/library and click on Library Events or call 744-4066.

Train for an Automotive Career

You could be on your way to a new career. The Foothill Workforce Investment Board recently received a $600,000 grant to train local residents in the field of automotive technology and match trainees with prospective dealerships.

As a trainee, you’ll receive a customized assessment of skills and interests plus personalized training and support to find the job that’s right for you. The team is looking especially for residents who already are in entry-level jobs at local dealerships and want to move up in skills and salary.

Overseeing this special program is the Automotive Industry Advisory Committee comprised of representatives from Foothill Workforce Investment Board, California State Employment Development Department, Citrus College, Pasadena City College, Monrovia Unified School District, Pasadena Unified School District and Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association.

By signing up for the program, you’ll get your foot in the door of one of the nation’s largest industries, accounting for more than 6.6 million jobs and $243 billion in payroll compensation last year alone.
 
For more information visit www.cityofpasadena.net and click on Career Services or call 584-8381.