Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, May 11, 2019

5


Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 11, 2019 


Local Area 
News Briefs

Pasadena Hires New 
Transportation Director

 City to Again 
Discuss Space 
Bank Property 

 
City Manager Steve Mermell 
announced Wednesday 
the appointment of Laura 
Cornejo as the City’s new 
Transportation Director. 
Cornejo follows Fred Dock, 
who recently retired after 
12 years as Transportation 
Director. Cornejo will begin 
her role on June 3.

 “After conducting an 
extensive search which 
attracted numerous 
applicants from a 
range of agencies, 
Laura demonstrated 
the skills, experience 
and savvy to effectively 
lead the Department of 
Transportation. She has 
a proven track record of 
implementing and delivering 
numerous transportation 
projects in collaboration 
with the communities she’s 
served,” Mermell stated.

 Cornejo has over 17 
years of experience in 
municipal, regional and 
state government. She 
has served as the Deputy 
Executive Officer of 
Countywide Planning with 
the Los Angeles County 
Metropolitan Transportation 
Authority (LA Metro). 
While there, Cornejo was 
responsible for leading a 
multi-disciplinary team in 
delivering transportation 
infrastructure that ranged 
from rail to pedestrian and 
bicycle projects. Cornejo 
has also provided technical 
support and guidance to 
the 88 cities in Los Angeles 
County for their respective 
projects. Prior to joining 
LA Metro, Cornejo was 
the Interim Director of 
Transportation and Manager 
of Strategic Planning and 
Intergovernmental Relations 
with the City of Montebello. 
In this role, she oversaw a 
$40 million operating budget 
during a very challenging 
fiscal period.

 Pasadena’s Department of 
Transportation is committed 
to achieving the safe, efficient 
and convenient movement 
of people and goods within 
the city in a variety of 
modes. The Department’s 
most recent priorities 
include the Complete Streets 
Program; providing and 
enhancing safe, reliable, 
seamless and exemplary 
local transit services, 
including Dial-A-Ride; 
enhancing the efficiencies 
of on- and off-street 
parking management; and 
enhancing organizational 
and operational 
effectiveness, efficiency and 
communication with the 
community.

 Cornejo received a master’s 
degree in urban and regional 
planning from the University 
of California, Los Angeles, 
and a bachelor’s degree in 
political science with a minor 
in economics from Wellesley 
College. She resides in 
Whitter, California, where 
she previously served on the 
YMCA Board and currently 
serves on the City’s Planning 
Commission. She is fluent in 
Spanish.

 The Pasadena city council is 
set Monday night to authorize 
the City Manager, Steve 
Mermell, to communicate 
to the Department of 
Toxic Substance Control a 
comment letter regarding 
the Draft Remedial Action 
Workplan (DRAW) for the 
Pasadena Gateway Mixed-
Use Project located at 3200 
E. Foothill Boulevard. The 
site was a U.S. Navy weapons 
research facility.

 According to the city 
staff report, on April 8, the 
City Council heard public 
testimony regarding concerns 
related to the environmental 
analysis, adequacy of the 
DRAW and the proposed 
method and extent of clean-
up. On April 9. the Mayor sent 
a letter to DTSC requesting 
an extension of the public 
comment period until July 30. 
DTSC subsequently extended 
the comment period but only 
to May 14 [Tuesday].

 In the letter the city is 
asking for better sampling to 
investigate the presence of 
chemicals used in the design 
and testing of underwater 
weapons systems including, 
hexahydro-1,3,5- trinitro-
1,3,5-triazine (RDX) and for 
2,3,6 -trinitrotolune (TNT). 

 The council’s concerns 
also include, soil vapor 
confirmation sampling and 
mitigation measures to be 
implemented in the event 
soil vapor cleanup goals are 
not met. Other issues deal 
with groundwater studies 
and third-party oversight by 
an environmental consulting 
firm.

 The council meets at 6:30 
p.m. in the Council Chamber, 
Pasadena City Hall 100 North 
Garfield Avenue, Room S249.

Cornejo

Officials Kick off Water Awareness Month

By Dean Lee

 In celebration of Water 
Awareness Month the city of 
Pasadena invited adults and 
children Wednesday afternoon 
to participate in the second 
annual Rethink Your Drink Day 
at La Pintoresca Library and 
Park in East Pasadena.

 According to city officials 
Rethink Your Drink Day was a 
statewide day of action hosted 
by the Public Health and Water 
and Power Departments. 
The goal was to educate the 
community about the benefits 
of drinking great tasting, high 
quality local tap water instead 
of sugary drinks (a 20 oz. bottle 
could have up to18 teaspoons of 
sugar).

 “What we’re focusing on here 
is everyone’s health, so its one 
of those issues that shouldn’t 
be controversial, it’s hard to 
find those these days, said 
Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek. 
“What we’re focusing on here is 
changing everyone’s behavior... 
by encouraging them through 
education and demonstration, 
helping them understand what 
is in there own best interest.”

 Councilmember and new 
Vice Mayor Tyron Hampton 
introduced the community 
to the city’s first “Hydration 
Station” a modified drinking 
fountain with a filtration 
system. He showed a number 
of children how to use it to fill 
water bottles with it. “These are 
located in the district [District 
1] I serve, I’m very thankful of 
the Department of Water and 
Power” he said.

 City officials also said they plan 
Hydration Stations throughout 
the Northwest, the first being 
La Pintoresca Library but an 
additional 6-8 more. Mainly at 
parks and libraries. 

 Pasadena Public Health Officer 
Dr. Ying-Ying Goh said that 
too much sugar can lead to 
heath risk and maladies such 
as obesity, type two diabetes, 
hart disease, asthma and certain 
kinds of cancer.

 As part of the campaign city 
officials listed other benefits of 
drinking water: 

-One can of soda contains 
approximately 9 teaspoons of 
sugar. Sugary drinks are the 
leading source of sugar in the 
American diet.

-Pasadena tap water is an 
excellent option, especially 
because it contains fluoride, 
which helps keep our teeth 
strong and healthy.

-Pasadena’s water is tested 
365 days a year. PWP water 
operators go out each day and 
draw water samples throughout 
our water main distribution 
system. In general, tap water 
is tested more frequently than 
bottled water, and held to higher 
standards.

-More than 2 million tons of 
plastic bottles end up in landfills 
each year; choosing to drink 
water out of a reusable bottle 
helps save our planet.

 For more information visit: 
cityofpasadena.net/water-and-
power.

Photo by D. Lee/MVNews

PUSD to 
Offer Free 
Summer 
Meals

Free Music Under the 
Stars Concert at City Hall

 The Pasadena Unified 
School District (PUSD) 
announced they will offer 
free breakfasts and lunches 
for children and youth 18 
years old or younger this 
summer through the 2019 
Summer Food Program.

 Sponsored by the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture 
and PUSD’s Food and 
Nutrition Services 
Department and operated by 
PUSD, the City of Pasadena 
and other organizations, the 
free meals will be served at 
schools, parks, and other 
sites throughout Pasadena, 
Altadena, and Sierra Madre. 
Children do not need to be 
enrolled in PUSD schools to 
receive a meal and no pre-
registration is required.

 The USDA’s Free Summer 
Meals program is an 
amazing program that 
ensures all children continue 
to receive nutritious meals 
when school is not in 
session. Parents can bring 
their children to one of the 
27 community sites and 
they will be provided a free 
breakfast or lunch. Each 
school day at PUSD, we serve 
over 14,000 nutritious meals 
to students. This program 
provides an opportunity for 
PUSD students and all the 
children in our community 
to continue receiving these 
meals during the summer.

 Participants just need to 
show up to receive a meal 
but must eat all meals at the 
site. For more information 
and a list of sites, visit www.
pusd.us/foodservices or call 
PUSD Food and Nutrition 
Services at (626) 396-5852.

Tyron Hampton Sworn 
in as New Vice Mayor

 Sci-fi Writers to 
be Honored

 

 Stars of stage and screen will 
illuminate the night sky when 
The Pasadena Symphony and 
POPS presents its annual free 
Music Under the Stars concert 
on Saturday, June 1 at Pasadena 
City Hall’s Centennial Square. 
Presented with sponsorship 
support from Bank of America, 
the 2019 Music Under the Stars 
concert will celebrate treasured 
music that traveled from 42nd 
St. to Hollywood and back, 
spanning the Broadway canon 
from Hello Dolly to Meet Me 
in St. Louis to Gigi. Highlights 
include “The Trolley Song,” “My 
Funny Valentine,” and “New 
York New York” among many 
other classics. 

 Under the baton of Tony 
Award-nominated, Resident 
POPS Conductor Larry Blank, 
the orchestra will welcome 
three guest vocalists and the JPL 
Chorus to the stage. Best known 
for his role as Ian Troi on Star 
Trek: The Next Generation, 
multiple Emmy and Grammy 
nominee Amick Byram brings 
his dynamic range to the 
program. Returning again this 
year, Valerie Perri, who made a 
successful career of performing 
the role of the charismatic Eva 
Peron from “Evita,” will sweep 
you away with her dulcet tones. 
La Cañada native Finn Sagal 
rounds out the pack as a young 
and charismatic singer who was 
crowned the Great American 
Songbook Youth Ambassador 
as winner of the 2017 Songbook 
Academy® Award.

 The family fun begins at 6:00pm 
with pre-concert activities, 
family-style picnicking and 
gourmet food trucks. Families 
can discover the wonder of 
creating their own music with 
the instruments of the orchestra 
at the instrument “petting zoo,” 
where kids of all ages can toot 
flutes, blow trumpets, bow 
strings and bang on percussion 
instruments. Families can bring 
their own picnic along to enjoy 
at the site, or purchase a variety 
of offerings from a collection of 
gourmet food trucks. 

 This family-friendly event is 
presented with the support of 
Bank of America’s arts program, 
which supports nonprofit arts 
and culture presenters at the 
local level and with leading 
world-class arts entities. Other 
programs include the Museums 
on Us® program, which offers 
Bank of America customers free 
access to 150 of America’s finest 
cultural institutions, and the Art 
in our Communities® program 
through which the company 
shares its corporate collection 
with museums throughout the 
world.

 Gates open at 6:00pm and 
the concert begins at 8:00pm. 
Admission to this event is free, 
and guests are encouraged to 
bring a picnic, blanket and low-
back chairs. Rental chairs will 
also be available for purchase. 
For more information, visit 
PasadenaSymphony-Pops.org 
or call 626.793.7172.

 Parking: Plaza Las Fuentes 
Structure (Union Ave & Los 
Robles); School House Parking 
Facility (Green St. & Raymond 
Ave); Pasadena Center/
Sheraton Parking Structure 
(Marengo & Cordova); Paseo 
Colorado Subterranean Garage; 
Paseo Colorado Marengo 
Avenue Parking Structure; 
Paseo Colorado Los Robles 
Parking Structure; Arroyo Seco 
Park Parking (Raymond Ave 
or Arroyo Blvd), and Marriott 
Courtyard Hotel Parking (enter 
on Raymond).

 
The 5th anniversary 
readings and awards for The 
Roswell Award for short sci-
fi by writers worldwide and 
The Tomorrow Prize for short 
sci-fi by Los Angeles County 
high school students will be at 
the Pasadena Playhouse main 
stage (39 S. El Molino Ave.) at 
LitFest Pasadena. Founded by 
Sci-Fest L.A. and presented 
by Light Bringer Project, 
these nonprofit competitions 
identify and nurture the 
sci-fi writing talent of the 
future as writers explore 
today’s scientific, social, and 
environmental issues through 
a speculative lens.

 The Roswell Award Readings 
& Awards for short sci-fi 
by writers worldwide takes 
place on ?Saturday, May 18, 
from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.? 
?Celebrity guest readers 
include: ?Adrienne Barbeau? 
(SWAMP THING), Ezra 
Buzzington? (FRINGE 
THEATRE FESTIVAL), 
?Nardeep Khurmi? (JANE 
THE VIRGIN), ?Osric Chau 
(SUPERNATURAL), ?Denise 
Grayson? (THE SOCIAL 
NETWORK), and ?Gedde 
Watanabe? (GUNG HO).

 They’ll read the Finalists’ 
stories and the winning story 
for the Women Hold Up Half 
the Sky Award for feminist 
themed sci-fi presented 
by Hollywood NOW and 
?Artemis? journal. After the 
readings, the First, Second, 
and Third place Roswell 
Award winners will be 
announced and the writers, 
including the Honorable 
Mentions, will be recognized. 

 District 1Councilmember 
Tyron Hampton took the 
position of Pasadena Vice 
Mayor Monday night during 
the council’s reorganization 
meeting. Hampton was elected 
unanimously by the council in 
December. 

 City officials said the council 
reorganized Monday night, six 
months after voting, due to 
countywide changes to a new 
election calendar that starts in 
2020.

 As Vice Mayor, Hampton will 
oversee the council meeting 
when the mayor Terry Tornk is 
absent, recuses himself or any 
other reason he not able to run 
the meetings. Hampton will 
also oversee ceremonial duties 
in the Mayor’s absence. 

 Hampton said as vice mayor 
his priorities will still include 
quality of life, youth and senior 
communities. He also said he 
would ensure that the city stays 
fiscally responsible.

 According to his city bio: 
Hampton was born and raised 
in Pasadena by his parents, 
Denise and Tyrone Hampton. 
He attended Pasadena Unified 
School District (PUSD) schools 
located in District 1: Cleveland 
Elementary, Washington 
Middle School and John Muir 
High School. Upon graduating, 
he began his college education at 
the California State Polytechnic 
University, Pomona where 
he earned Bachelor degrees 
in Food Marketing and 
Agriculture Biology. 

Free Monthly Events at 
Pasadena Senior Center

There is something for everyone in 
December at the Pasadena Senior 
Center, 85 E. Holly St. You do 
not have to be a member to attend. 
Some events require advance 
reservations as noted. 

Scenic Walkers Club – 
Wednesdays, through May 29, at 9 
a.m. Join members of the Pasadena 
Senior Center’s Scenic Walkers 
Club for walks to scenic local 
places to enjoy the great outdoors 
and get some exercise. For more 
information, including where to 
meet up each week, contact Scenic 
Walkers Club coordinator Alan 
Colville at alancolville@charter.
net. 

Friday Movie Matinees – 
Fridays, May 17, and 31 at 1 p.m. 
Everyone enjoys the experience of 
watching movies and the pleasures 
they bring. May 17: “Black 
KKKlansman” (2018, R) starring 
John David Washington and Adam 
Driver. Ron Stallworth, an African 
American police officer from 
Colorado Springs, CO, successfully 
manages to infiltrate the local Ku 
Klux Klan branch with the help of 
a Jewish surrogate who eventually 
becomes its leader. Based on actual 
events. May 31: “Mary Poppins 
Returns” (2018, PG) starring Emily 
Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda. 
Decades after her original visit, 
the magical nanny returns to help 
the Banks siblings and Michael's 
children through a difficult time in 
their lives.

Screening Mimis Film Discussion 
Club – Tuesdays, May 21, at 1:30 
p.m. Diehard film fans are invited 
to watch a movie the first and third 
Tuesday of every month, preceded 
by a presentation about the film’s 
hidden history and followed by 
lively discussion. May 21: The 
Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961, 
R) starring Vivien Leigh and 
Warren Beatty. An aging actress 
travels to Rome with her husband; 
after he suddenly dies during the 
flight, she begins a passionate affair 
with a young gigolo.

Smart Gardening Workshop – 
Saturday, May 11, from 9:30 to 11 
a.m. Learn how to improve your 
lawn and garden and reduce waste 
at this beginner class that will 
provide hands-on instruction on 
composting, worm composting, 
water-wise gardening and 
grasscycling. Presented by the City 
of Los Angeles: smartgardening.
com. 

Estate Planning Basics, Part 1 
– Thursday, May 23, at 10 a.m. 
Learn the basic facts everyone 
should know about trusts, wills 
and probate issues. Presented by 
the Law Offices of Geoffrey Chin.

 Chronic Pain Self-Management 
Program - Fridays, May 24 
through June 28 from 1 to 3:30 
p.m. Anyone with chronic pain 
due to fibromyalgia, injuries or 
other health complications can 
benefit from new techniques for 
better managing pain in the back 
and neck. Practice relaxation 
and gentle movement exercises. 
Improve communication with 
healthcare providers. Call (626) 
685-6732 to register.

Volunteer with the Parks and Public Works Department

 San Marino is seeking volunteers to assist with rose 
pruning, sidewalk inspection and identifying tree vacancies. 
This is a great opportunity for individuals to learn about their 
community and gain work experience. The City’s Volunteer 
Program helps the community and teaches participants more 
about our city projects.

Rose Pruning

 Support your local community and help the city keep the 
Lacy Park rose gardens blooming! If roses are pruned now 
during the cold season, they will blossom in the spring with 
vibrant colors. No experience is necessary. Volunteers will 
be taught easy pruning methods. Enjoy the outdoors while 
learning about roses and how to properly prune.

Sidewalk Inspection

 Work together to improve our streets and fix our sidewalks. 
Take pride in our streets and help volunteer to keep the city’s 
sidewalks hazard free. Volunteers will inspect sidewalks in 
preparation of the city’s street rehabilitation project. They

will identify new sidewalk hazards and update the citywide 
sidewalk assessment.

Tree Vacancies

 

Take pride in the city’s tree preservation plan and volunteer 
to help protect city trees. Enjoy the outdoors, learn about 
the tree preservation plan and volunteer to report locations 
where the city can plant or replant trees.

 The volunteer manual and application are located on the 
city’s website at: cityofsanmarino.org. 

 Please contact the Parks and Public Works Department at 
(626) 300-0765 or email PublicWorks@CityofSanMarino.org 
to learn how the City’s volunteers are helping the community 
and spending time outdoors. 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com