Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, February 11, 2023

Mountain View News Saturday, February 11, 2023 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com 
The city is set to moveforward and begin the processof seismically retrofitting andrenovating the Pasadena CentralLibrary after the City Councilvoted Monday awardingGruen Associates a $6 million 
contract for professional designservices for the retrofit project—That includes preparation ofenvironmental documentation,
final construction drawings and 
cost estimates for construction. 
According to city officials, the 
contract is for an amount not 
to exceed $6,104,109, which 
includes a base contract amount 
of $5,779,109 and a contingencyof $325,000.
With the contract awarded, 
environmental and designphase efforts will be initiatedin March and are anticipated tobe completed in approximatelytwo years. This phase will alsoallow the City to determine theestimated total cost of the work 
to be done. A public outreach 
effort will also be initiated to 
provide updates and collect 
public feedback. The process 
also includes an advisoryreview of the retrofit designalternatives by the TechnicalOversight Committee, HistoricPreservation Commission, andthe Public Safety Committee. 
With Central Library 
approaching its centennial 
birthday in February 2027, an 
assessment of the building’s 
condition and its various 
systems was completed in 2020.
The project provided a general 
assessment of the various 
building systems including themechanical, plumbing, electrical,
and roof; and design of a new fire 
alarm and fire sprinkler system.
The inspection discovered 
that the building consists of an 
unreinforced masonry structure,
with walls that are not fastened 
to the building’s foundation 
nor to the reinforced concrete 
floor beams and the timber roof 
they support. A preliminarystructural analysis of the buildingcompleted in April 2021 revealedthat the building does not meetthe recommended structural 
performance objectives in a 
seismic event. 
On May 3, 2021, City officialswere forced to close the Central 
Library for a required seismicretrofit and restoration to meet 
life safety requirements. 
With Central Library havingserved as an educational and 
cultural hub in Pasadena for 
almost 100 years, the City 
established a Community 
Programming Committee 
to evaluate how the Central 
Library space can be reimagined 
to enhance the library’scapacity and services, takinginto consideration current 
and future programming 
needs of the community. 
Comprised of communityleaders with backgrounds innonprofit organizations, libraryoperations, historic preservationand media, they began meetingin September of 2022. 
In October, Mayor Victor M.
Gordo appointed a technicaloversight committee to review 
key findings and recommenddesign solutions at keymilestones, as well as providefeedback to the project teamand updates to City Council.
Committee members included 
professionals and educators withbackgrounds in architecture, 
structural engineering, 
seismology, and historic 
preservation, representing 
Pasadena Heritage, Caltech,
American Institute of Architects 
(AIA), and others. Uponreview of the retrofit designalternatives by the TechnicalOversight Committee, HistoricPreservation Commission, andthe Public Safety Committee,
public works staff will return toCity Council in fall 2023 with arecommendation to approve a 
specific retrofit design. 
Concurrent with designefforts, the City will continue to 
pursue funding opportunitiesfor the construction phase ofthe project with the goal ofsecuring all funding by thecompletion of the design phase.
Pending appropriation of funds,
construction is anticipated tobegin in summer 2025 and lastapproximately 30 to 36 months. 
The City of Pasadena andthe Black History PlanningCommittee announced 
Wednesday that the 41st 
annual Black History Paradeis set to feature SportscasterJim Hill (pictured right) as 
the grand marshal. 
According to city officials, 
over 80 parade entries 
will highlight this year’s 
theme, “Celebrating our 
Excellence—The Legacyof Councilmember John J. 
Kennedy.” The parade willbe held on Saturday, Feb. 18,10 a.m. – 4 p.m. It will beginat Fair Oaks Avenue and 
Mountain View Street and 
end at Robinson Park, where 
the festival takes place from 
noon to 4 p.m. Pasadena’sBlack History Parade is oneof the largest and longest-
running in Southern 
California. 
Known for his excellence in 
broadcasting, Jim Hill, LosAngeles-based sportscaster 
and current lead sportsanchor and sports directorat KCBS-TV, is this year’scelebrity grand marshal. 
Hill is a former defensive 
back who played in theNational Football League 
for teams including the 
San Diego Chargers, GreenBay Packers, and ClevelandBrowns. Continuing in 
the spirt of excellence, 
two Pasadena natives and 
sitting Los Angeles CountySuperior Court judges, 
Pamela Dansby and TaraNewman, will serve as 
community grand marshals.
Prior to her appointment byGovernor Gavin Newsom,
Judge Dansby was the 
managing attorney at 
Dansby Law Group APC.
Judge Dansby earned her 
Juris Doctor degree fromLoyola Law School and isa proud John Muir HighSchool graduate. Judge 
Newman, also a Newsom 
appointee, matriculated 
from UCLA and Columbia 
University School of Law.
Judge Newman continues 
to be an involved member 
of several communityorganizations, including thePasadena/Altadena Links, 
Inc., First AME Church, and 
the Association of African 
American California Judicial 
Officers. Finally, the JohnMuir and Pasadena HighSchool football teams will 
share the honor of serving asyouth grand marshals. John 
Muir brought home the CIFchampionship and nearlywon a state championship,
while PHS won the 2022 
Pacific League championship. 
Other celebrities and specialguests who hail from or livein the Pasadena area will 
join the parade, includingDarnay Holmes, former 
UCLA Bruin and current 
New York Giants defensive 
back; and actress Gretchen 
Palmer, known for her roles 
in Hollywood films and TVshows, including “When 
Harry Met Sally,” “Youngand the Restless,” “NCIS LA,” 
and “A Different World.” 
Elected officials, includingCongress members JudyChu and Adam Schiff, State 
Senator Anthony Portantino,
Assemblymember Chris 
Holden, Los Angeles CountySupervisor Kathryn Barger,
Pasadena Mayor Victor 
M. Gordo, City Council 
members, and PUSD 
school board members, arescheduled to attend. 
The family-friendly festivalwill feature live performancesby R&B artist MAJOR. andthe band Luv from Abuv, food 
for purchase, informationalbooths, a children’s zone, and 
a Historically Black Collegesand Universities (HBCU) fair.
Attendees are encouraged toarrive early to navigate streetclosures, find parking. Freeparking at Calvary ChristianMethodist Episcopal Church,
135 Glorieta St. 
For more information, 
including parade entry 
applications, contact the 
Jackie Robinson CommunityCenter at (626) 744-7300. 
Black History Parade GrandMarshal: Sportscaster Jim Hill 
Council Awards $6M Library Retrofit ContractHistorian Eleanor Schrader will 
provide examples of EgyptianRevival architecture and designThursday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m.
via Zoom, presented by thePasadena Senior Center for 
anyone 50 and older. Everyonewho registers for the event will 
receive an email link to the live 
presentation.
The 1922 discovery of thetomb of the Egyptian pharaohTutankhamun (King Tut) in theValley of the Kings by a teamof archeologists and excavatorstriggered a near obsession 
for two decades of all thingsEgyptian, from interior designand fashion to architecture and 
art. Thousands of buildingswere erected in the U.S. and 
Europe that were designed withmotifs and imagery of ancientEgypt.
Schrader, an award-winning 
architectural and interior 
design historian, professor 
and consultant, lectures 
worldwide on the history ofarchitecture, interiors, furnitureand decorative arts. She has 
been named a distinguishedinstructor by UCLA Extensionand is professor emeritus of artand art history at Santa MonicaCollege. She did graduate workin fine and decorative arts at 
Sotheby’s Institute in Londonand New York and co-authored 
the book “Master Architects 
of Southern California, 1920-
1940: Wallace Neff.” 
Registration is free for 
members of the Pasadena 
Senior Center and only $5 fornonmembers. To register orfor more information, visit 
www.pasadenaseniorcenter.
org and click on Activities andEvents, then Special Events orcall 626-795-4331. The event 
will be available to members 
and nonmembers of the center. 
Residency in Pasadena is notrequired. 
1920s & 1930s 
EgyptianRevival Talk 
Senator Anthony Portantinoannounced Thursday that he hasintroduced SB 368, a commonsense gun safety measure thatwould expand and strengthenthe 10 year prohibition of firearmownership and put additionalresponsibilities on gun shops.
“Currently there is no review 
for people coming off the 
prohibited gun list and thereare many offenses that clearlymake someone incapable of 
being a responsible gun owner,"
Portantino said. "Implementing 
gun buyback programs can 
reduce violence and risk of 
suicide by compensating 
participants who voluntarilyturn in firearms to a public 
agency or community-basedorganization, especially during amental health crisis. SB 368 will 
save lives.” 
Currently, licensed retailers andlaw enforcement agencies arenot required to accept and storefirearms during a mental healthcrisis. There are also certain 
firearm misdemeanors that do 
not currently fall under the 10-
year prohibition of firearms 
category and the Department ofJustice does not have a process forevaluating individuals who mayor may not need an extensionof a 10-year gun prohibition.
Lastly, in an attempt to attract 
business, some retailers hold“opportunity drawing,” or raffles,
for various firearms accessories,
thereby increasing the demandfor firearms by means of chance.
SB 368 would: 
Require that licensed firearmdealers establish a voluntarybuyback program in consultationwith the Department of Justice;
Require a licensed firearms dealerto accept the storage of a firearmtransferred by an individual toprevent an attempted suicide;
licensed retailers may also storefirearms for other lawful reasons 
outside of mental health crises. 
Prohibits a licensed firearms 
dealer from offering an 
opportunity to win an item of 
inventory in a raffle and wouldexcept from this prohibitionnonprofit organizations undercertain circumstances;
Adds a number of misdemeanor 
offenses for which a conviction 
results in a 10-year prohibitionon possession of a firearm;
Requires the Department of 
Justice to create an evaluation 
process to determine whether 
an extension of a 10-year 
prohibition is warranted, as 
well as provide notice and 
opportunity to be heard to theperson, and establish a processfor the person to appeal anyextension of the prohibitioninstituted by the department. 
Portantino Announces New 
Firearm Reform Legislation 
In observance of Lincoln’s 
and Washington’s Birthdays,
City Hall and many Cityservices will be closed Mondayand Monday, Feb. 20. Specificclosures, exceptions and 
reminders are noted below. 
The City’s Citizen ServiceCenter (CSC) will be openbetween the hours of 8 a.m. 
and noon on Monday. The CSCwill be closed Monday, Feb. 20,
and will reopen Tuesday, Feb.
21, at 8 a.m. Trash, recyclingand yard waste collection will 
occur as scheduled on both 
holidays. There will be no 
delay in pickup for residents. 
Pasadena residents and 
businesses experiencing anypower emergencies should callPasadena Water and Power 
(PWP) at (626) 744-4673. Forwater-related emergencies,
call (626) 744-4138. PWP’sCustomer Service Call Center 
will be closed Monday andMonday, Feb. 20; however,
customers can access their 
accounts through the 
automated phone system at(626) 744-4005 or online atPWPWeb.com. 
The City’s Municipal ServicesPayment Center and ParkingOffice will also be closed on 
Lincoln’s and Washington’sBirthdays. All parking meterswill be free and parking timelimits will not be enforced. 
Violations for overnight 
parking restrictions, red 
curb parking and blockingfire hydrants will be issued.
Parking meter enforcementresumes after each. Pasadena 
Transit and Dial-A-Ride buses 
will operate on their regularschedules. 
The Permit Center will 
be closed on Lincoln’s and 
Washington’s Birthdays;
however, some services willbe available via Permit Center 
Online, where subtrade 
permits can be obtained 
and plans for commercial 
tenant improvements 
(new submittals) and 
accessory dwelling units 
can be submitted. In-personoperations will resume aftereach holiday. 
All Pasadena Public Librarybranch sites will be closed 
Sunday and Monday and 
will reopen Tuesday. Librarybranches will also be closed 
Sunday and Monday, Feb. 
19 and 20, and will reopenTuesday, Feb. 21. 
All parks will be open, nosite reservations are being 
accepted for the holidays. 
Community and recreation 
centers will also be closed to 
the public on Monday, Feb.13,
and Monday, Feb. 20. 
Pasadena Public Health 
Department’s COVID-19,
mpox and flu vaccine clinicwill also be closed Monday,
Feb. 13, and Monday, Feb.
20. The next vaccine clinic is 
scheduled for Monday, Feb.
27. 
City Council will not meet 
on Monday and Monday, Feb.
20. The next council meetingis scheduled to take place 
Monday, Feb. 27. 
Pasadena Fire and Police 
Departments will continue 
to provide patrol, jail, 
fire, paramedic and other 
emergency services during theholidays. For life-threateningemergencies, call 9-1-1. 
For non-emergencies, call 
Pasadena Police Departmentat (626) 744-4241. If you "SeeSomething, Say Something."
Report suspicious activity tothe police department at (626)
744-4241. 
Pasadena 
Closures for 
Lincoln’s, 
Washington’sBirthdays