Memory Card Full

I was deleting photos from my camera tonight and decided to share some with you from the past few weeks.

This is the final photo that filled up the memory card: It's of the Rose Parade public safety staging area in the Civic Center between City Hall and Police Headquarters. I shot it at about 9 a.m. today.


Jessie Ramirez, right, who works in our Human Resources Department, was born and raised in Scotland. She was so happy to meet Bob Winter, Lord Provost of Glasgow, and his wife Sheena when they came to City Hall recently. It was my pleasure to give the Winters a private tour and tell them about the building's history and architecture.


I attended an all-day conference a couple of weeks ago in downtown L.A. The theme was "The Brave New World of Media Relations" and featured journalists (left to right) Eileen Zimmerman, a freelance writer whose columns and other works appear in national newspapers and magazines; Steve Gregory, KFI Radio reporter and news anchor; Megan Garvey, county government and data projects editor at the Los Angeles Times; David Houston, editor of the Los Angeles legal newspaper Daily Journal; and Seth Lubove, reporter for Bloomberg Markets Magazine. They shared their experiences working in a rapidly changing industry as well as the impact of new technology on their own professional time.


Mayor Bill Bogaard was among four men honored at the Pasadena/Altadena Links "Men of Distinction" awards gala at the Langham Huntington Hotel. After the presentations and truly inspiring words from the honorees, the Links women took to the dance floor. The Links Inc. is an African American women's philanthropic organization with chapters throughout the nation.


The Pasadena, Glendale and Burbank PIOs get together three or four times a year to discuss shared issues and catch up with each other. At left is Ritch Wells, PIO for the City of Glendale, and Keith Sterling, PIO for the City of Burbank.


A couple of weeks ago I hosted the final "City Beat" program of 2009 on KPAS. Afterwards I snapped this of the crew striking the set. We'll resume production Jan. 8.


I couldn't do my job without my PIO Team -- the employees who handle outreach in specific departments. I call them together quarterly to share information, bounce ideas off each other and provide whatever support anybody needs for a program or issue. Left to right: Catherine Hany, Pasadena Public Library; Erica Rolufs, Pasadena Water and Power; Janet Pope-Givens, Police Department; Joy Guihama, Public Health Department; and Linda Centell, assistant PIO for the City of Pasadena.

Missing from the photo above are Mark Yamarone of the Transportation Department (he was at a conference) and Lisa Derderian of the Fire Department (she couldn't stay long).

Which brings me to a brief trip down memory lane.


I used to be terribly jealous of Lisa's Fire PIO hat because there's never been an equivalent for a general city PIO -- for any city.


So I came up with my own.* Now PIOs in cities throughout the realm envy me, as well they should!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYBODY!


*With a little help from the mighty Zack Stromberg of the Public Affairs Office.