Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, June 17, 2023

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Mountain View News Saturday, June 17, 2023 

City to Name 
new Pool after 
John Kennedy


South Pasadena Fourth 

of July Festival of Balloons

 
Pasadena city officials 
reminded residents Friday 
that they are currently 
considering naming the 
new community pool at 
Robinson Park after former 
District 3 Councilmember 
John Kennedy, who passed 
away last year and are asking 
for support or suggesting 
an alternate name.

 The city will take input 
and/or name suggestions 
though July 7. 

 On the site of the Robinson 
Park Recreation Center at 
1081 N. Fair Oaks Ave., the 
new facility features a larger 
pool with zero-entry access; 
a renovated pool building 
with accessible showers, 
and restroom facilities. 
Project includes a Youth 
Community room, new 
lighting and resurfaced the 
parking lot.

 The City will adopt a name 
for the new facility name 
that meets at least one of 
the criteria established in 
the City’s Public Park and 
Recreation Facility Naming 
Policy. The criteria are as 
follows:

Geographical location of 
the park of facility;

Natural or geological 
features proximate to the 
park or facility;

Cultural or historical 
significance to the 
City or surrounding 
neighborhood;

Name of an individual 
who has made a significant 
contribution to the 
community, country, 
state, or field of parks and 
recreation.

 The proposed name and 
other suggested names 
from this process will be 
presented to the Recreation 
and Parks Commission at 
their meeting on August 
1. The Commission 
will discuss, vote and 
recommend a pool name 
to the City Council. The 
City Council will approve 
naming the pool at a 
subsequent meeting.

 For more information 
visit: cityofpasadena.net/
parks-and-rec.

 

 The City of South Pasadena 
announced Wednesday the 
return of the 4th of July Festival 
of Balloons. This year’s theme 
is Red, White, and Blue - Bold 
Stripes, Bright Stars, and Brave 
Hearts Too.

 The activities for the July 4th 
Festival of Balloons will include 
the Kiwanis’ Pancake Breakfast 
at the South Pasadena Fire 
Station at 7:00 a.m., located at 817 
Mound Ave., South Pasadena. 
The Opening Ceremony for the 
parade will start at 10:30 a.m. 
at the South Pasadena Public 
Library Community Room, 
located at 1115 El Centro St., 
South Pasadena. The parade 
will then begin at 11:00 a.m. and 
travel from Diamond Avenue to 
Garfield Park where games and 
food will be available until 3:00 
p.m. Garfield Park will also host 
a live concert from 12:00 p.m. to 
2:00 p.m. featuring U.S. 99.

 Parade participants historically 
has, and continues to include, the 
scouts, officials, representatives 
of service clubs, and members 
of such sports organizations as 
Little League and AYSO, the 
South Pasadena Tournament of 
Roses Committee, City Council 
members, and participants of 
the Library’s Summer Reading 
Program.

 Civic leaders Ted and Joan 
Shaw and David Margrave 
started the tradition in 1982, 
according the Jane Apostol’s 
history of South Pasadena. This 
year’s theme is “Red, White, and 
Blue – Bold Stripes, Bright Stars, 
and Brave Hearts Too.”

 The day will conclude with 
fireworks at 9:00 p.m. at the 
South Pasadena High School 
Stadium, located at 1401 
Fremont Ave., South Pasadena. 
Firework Show presale tickets 
will be available for purchase 
beginning Wednesday, June 14 
for $11.00 per person online 
at southpasadenaca.gov/
events. Tickets purchased for 
the Firework Show on July 4 
will be available for purchase 
online from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 
p.m. for $13.00. Gates open at 
7:00 p.m. Please bring a copy of 
your receipt and tickets to enter 
the stadium. Due to the field 
construction at the high school, 
seating for the fireworks will be 
on the bleachers only.

 Community members and 
groups have the opportunity 
to participate in the event, 
and all are welcome to join 
in viewing the event, which 
is open to the public and free 
of charge. Interested parties 
are encouraged to incorporate 
the theme into their entry’s 
decorations and to include 
music. Registered participants 
may walk or ride along the route 
in a vehicle along the parade 
route of about 0.6 miles.

 For those interested in 
participating in the parade, 
applications can be found 
online at southpasadenaca.
gov/events. Deadline to submit 
an application is June 23. For 
more information contact 
the Community Services 
Department at (626) 403-7380 
or by email at specialevents@
southpasadenaca.gov.

PUSD Superintendent McDonald Resigns

 The Pasadena Unified School 
District Board voted Thursday 
night to accept the resignation 
of Superintendent Brian 
McDonald. He had been in the 
position for nine years, as part of 
12 years in PUSD leadership.

 “My heart is with PUSD and I 
want this to be a seamless and 
positive transition to ensure that 
students, employees, families, 
and the community continue 
to prosper. I will remain your 
Superintendent until June 30,” 
McDonald said. “With the 
District about to embark on a 
new Strategic Plan, this is an 
opportune moment for PUSD to 
transition to new leadership. It’s 
time for me to move on to new 
challenges.”

 McDonald gave no other 
information about why he 
is stepping down. In may 
McDonald was not chosen after 
reports said he had been a finalist 
for the superintendent position 
in Columbus, Ohio.

 In a statement McDonald listed 
some of his accomplishments 
including:

- Establishment and expansion of 
the instructional infrastructure 
that has led to improved student 
outcomes including the closing 
of the cohort graduation rate 
gap and significantly reduced 
student suspensions

- Three federal magnet grants 
of over $30 million that have 
transformed seven schools

Adoption of a Graduate Profile 
to guide our work in preparing 
our students for a successful 
future

- Expansion of academic 
programs such as Dual Language 
Immersion, International 
Baccalaureate (IB), Arts 
Education, Science Technology 
Engineering & Mathematics 
(STEM), College & Career 
Academies, and the creation of 
the APP and Math Academies

- Establishment of an Equity 
Litmus Test and a Student Think 
Tank that elevates the student 
voice

- Development of stronger 
partnerships between the 
school district, institutions of 
higher education, and local 
municipalities

- With the City of Pasadena and 
local community support, voters 
approved Measures I and J which 
results in approximately $10 
million in additional revenue 
annually

- The passage of Measure O, the 
largest general obligation bond 
ever approved in our District that 
provides funding for facilities 
and technology upgrades

- Restructuring of the salary 
schedule for teachers and other 
certificated employees to align 
with other districts and in the 
current school year, providing 
the largest single-year salary 
increase for teachers and other 
employees in our District’s 
history

 “I’m also appreciative of the 
Board of Education for the 
leadership they have provided 
over the years,” he added. “I 
am also grateful to the families 
and communities of Altadena, 
Pasadena, and Sierra Madre for 
your support of our students and 
schools.”

 The PUSD Board gave no 
other information on an interim 
Superintendent or the hiring 
process to replace McDonald. 

Octavia 
Butler’s 
Birthday at 
La Pintoresca 
Branch Library

 Library to Celebrate by 
Unveiling of New Portrait 
today

Pasadena Symphony & Pops 
Announces New CEO Search 

 
Pasadena Public Library 
will host author and painter 
Karla Klarin to discuss L.A. 
Painter: The City I Know, The 
City I See, today at 3 p.m., 
at Lamanda Park Branch 
Library, 140 S. Altadena 
Drive. Klarin will take us 
through a retrospective 
of more than 100 of her 
paintings illustrating Klarin’s 
Los Angeles. A question-
and-answer session will 
follow the presentation.

 In L.A. Painter: The City I 
Know, The City I See, Klarin 
combines her abstract art 
with 13 thoughtful essays 
and a foreword by Director 
Emeritus of the J. Paul 
Getty Museum, John Walsh, 
addressing what it means 
to be an artist in the world’s 
most-talked-about modern 
metropolis over the last 40 
years. Klarin, a Los Angeles 
native, began painting her 
hometown in 1980 after 
receiving her BFA from 
San Francisco Art Institute 
and her MFA from Otis Art 
Institute. See Los Angeles 
through her eyes, a place that 
constantly reminds us that 
talent is power.

 For more information, view 
Pasadena Public Library’s 
most recent Off the Shelf 
newsletter at: cityofpasadena.
net.

Library Hosts 
Author Talk 
with Painter 

Karla Klarin

 The Board of Directors 
of the Pasadena Symphony 
Association (PSA) announce 
Wednesday the opening of 
the search for their next Chief 
Executive Officer (CEO). 
The national search will be 
conducted by Arts Consulting 
Group, the leading provider of 
executive search services for 
the arts and culture industry, 
and will be overseen by a Search 
Committee of the Board of 
Directors. The CEO search 
commences after the departure 
of longtime CEO, Lora Unger 
to become Executive Director 
of the Performing Arts Center 
Eastside (PACE) in Bellevue, 
Washington. The selected 
candidate will be expected to 
carry on the artistic, institutional 
and financial growth achieved 
throughout her tenure.

 During the interim period, the 
administration of the Pasadena 
Symphony and POPS will be 
guided by a leadership team of 
upper management, overseen 
by the President and Executive 
Committee of the Board of 
Directors. This team will be 
led by Drew Flaherty, who has 
been named as Chief Operating 
Officer, effective immediately, 
and includes Chief Development 
Officer, Scott Vandrick and 
Director of Marketing & Public 
Relations, Marisa McCarthy, 
with support from staff 
members Alex Chu, Director 
of Education and Community 
Engagement and Tim Harwick, 
Director of Patron Services. 
A seasoned performing arts 
administrator, Flaherty has 
extensive knowledge of the 
Pasadena Symphony and POPS’ 
operations, having begun his 
career with the organization 
in 2009 as Stage Manager, and 
acting as General Manager for 
the past eight years, where he 
oversaw management of the 
orchestra, concert production, 
stage facilities and artistic 
planning.

 Interested candidates for the 
CEO position can view the 
job description at Pasadena 
Symphony and POPS :: 
CEO :: Executive Search 
(artsconsulting.com), and 
applications and inquiries 
about the role may be directed 
to PasadenaSymphony-POPS@
ArtsConsulting.com. The 
Pasadena Symphony Association 
does not discriminate on the 
basis of race, religion, national 
origin, gender, age, orientation, 
handicap or veteran status. All 
qualified applicants will be given 
equal opportunity.

 Formed in 1928, the Pasadena 
Symphony and POPS is an 
ensemble of Hollywood’s most 
talented, sought after musicians. 

 
Pasadena Public Library 
invites the community to 
celebrate author Octavia 
Butler’s birthday at La 
Pintoresca Branch Library, 
1355 N. Raymond Ave. Today 
at 1 p.m. There we will honor 
our hometown heroine with a 
new portrait, commissioned 
by the La Pintoresca Library 
Associates. Attendees will 
also learn about Octavia 
Butler’s books, life, legacy and 
passion for libraries. Light 
refreshments will be provided.

 Octavia Butler, born in 
Pasadena in 1947, has authored 
12 novels and two short story 
collections. A prominent 
and pioneering science 
fiction writer, Butler’s literary 
contributions earned her the 
title of The Grand Dame of 
Science Fiction. Butler was an 
impactful author, veracious 
reader and a devoted library 
user. Butler is quoted as calling 
the library her “second home.” 
The Grand Dame of Science 
Fiction’s passion for libraries 
will now live on in her home 
library, La Pintoresca Branch 
Library, with this new portrait 
installation. 

Two Day 
Summer 
Watering 

 
The City of Pasadena 
is now on the summer 
watering schedule, which 
limits outdoor watering to 
no more than two days per 
week according to the Level 2 
Water Supply Shortage Plan. 
Even-numbered addresses 
can water on Mondays 
and Thursdays, while odd-
numbered addresses can water 
on Tuesdays and Fridays. To 
ensure the health and survival 
of trees, the community is 
encouraged to use direct 
hand-watering.

 For details and guidelines, 
visit: PWPweb.com/
WateringSchedule


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