Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, September 23, 2023

6

ALTADENA - SOUTH PASADENA - SAN MARINO

Mountain View News Saturday, September 23, 2023 

San Marino Upcoming 
Events & Programming

Governor Signs Bill for State 
Investments in Live Theatre

South Pasadena All Things 
Trees: a Special Free Event

 
Senator Anthony Portantino 
announced Thursday that 
Governor Newsom has signed 
legislation that helps support 
small nonprofit performing arts 
venues, commonly known as 
community theaters. Budget bill 
SB 104 included $11.5 to fund a 
program set up last year in SB 
1116, a bill authored by Senator 
Portantino that established the 
Equitable Payroll Fund (EPF) to 
support live theatre. This effort 
comes at a time when many 
small community theatres are 
struggling in the aftermath of 
the pandemic and far too many 
are closing.

 “I am proud that California 
is providing needed support 
to small nonprofit arts 
organizations,” stated Senator 
Portantino. “Our vibrant arts 
community drives much of 
our creative economy. Despite 
strong community support, our 
neighborhood theaters have 
suffered from under-investment 
and pandemic shutdown 
impacts. Investment in the arts 
helps all generations and all 
neighborhoods in Californians. 
It’s critical that we find ways 
to sustain and enhance our 
creative work force. This 
funding will prevent the closure 
of many small arts nonprofits, 
stem job losses, and create more 
sustainability. A talented and 
terrific group of artists, actors, 
directors and writers worked 
tirelessly to advocate for this 
funding over the past three 
years. Today, we celebrate and 
appreciate those efforts to keep 
the lights on and the curtains 
up.”

 Prior to the pandemic, 
California ranked 28th in state 
arts funding on a per capita 
basis. This chronic long-term 
underfunding of the industry 
amounted to a double-hit when 
the pandemic shut down much 
of the live arts. Johns Hopkins 
University reports that, as of 
October 2021, the percentage 
of job losses at nonprofit arts 
organizations remains more 
than three times worse than the 
average of all nonprofits.

 Authored by Senator 
Portantino and signed into 
law by Governor Newsom last 
year, SB 1116 established the 
Equitable Payroll Fund (EPF), 
a grant program designed to 
support live performances – 
and workers –by providing 
substantial reimbursements 
of payroll expenses. The 
program will support jobs for 
anyone hired as an employee 
by a SNPAO, including both 
production and non-production 
employees and administrative 
staff.

For more information visit: 
https://sd25.senate.ca.gov.


Annual Tree Maintenance with Mariposa Landscaping

 Beginning September 25, Mariposa Landscaping will be removing 
19 dead trees in the public right-of-way that were approved for 
removal by the City Council earlier this month. This work is part 
of the City’s Multi-Year Tree Maintenance and Planting contract. 
The City seeks to balance public safety with preservation of the 
City’s urban forest, and only removes trees when the tree is no 
longer viable and there is no other option except removal. In the 
coming weeks, Mariposa will also begin their annual grid pruning 
of City-owned street trees, and will start work in the portion of the 
City from Lacy Park north to City limits and east to Sierra Madre 
Boulevard. This annual tree trimming will ensure resident safety 
and preserve the City’s aesthetic beauty.

Family Storytime

Tuesday, September 26 at 10:30 AM, Children’s Area

 Storytime features activities for children ages 5 and under 
that will promote early literacy and lifelong learning through 
songs, movement, fingerplays, and books. Storytime is also an 
opportunity for caregivers to learn ways they can incorporate 
learning activities into everyday routines. Storytime occurs weekly 
on Tuesday through October 3. Registration is not required. Please 
watch our social media for cancellations.

Community Center Grand Opening Dedication

 You are invited to celebrate the grand opening of the newly 
renovated Community Center! It will take place next Thursday, 
September 28 at 5:15 PM. There will be tours and light 
refreshments; everyone is welcome. Visit: CityofSanMarino.org/
CommunityCenter for parking information and more details.

Coffee, Tea, and Chat

Friday, September 29 from 9:30 – 11:30 AM, Thornton Conference 
Room

 Connect with your neighbors to learn more about the community 
and its traditions. This program is presented in Mandarin by 
the United Charity Foundation for ages 18+. Registration is not 
required.

Huntington Nurses Flu Clinic

Wednesday, October 4 from 10 AM – 12 PM, Barth Community 
Room

 Flu season is just around the corner! Protect yourselves and loved 
ones with a flu shot. Flu shots are completely free; no insurance 
necessary. Registration is not required.

Nature Series: Living with Native Oak Trees

Friday, October 6 at 10 AM, Barth Community Room

 San Marino is home to two native oak tree species: coast live 
oak and the rare Engelmann oak. These native oaks are not only 
beautiful, but they also provide a valuable habitat for wildlife. In 
this lecture, Lora Hall will discuss how to care for oak trees and 
encourage long, healthy lives, pruning and irrigation, what to 
plant under oaks (and what not to), common pests, and disease 
issues. Registration is not required.

Fire Department Recent Happenings

 San Marino fire personnel continue to prepare the station for 
annual Chief’s inspections. Annual inspections are conducted by 
the respective shift’s assigned Division Chief and include a review 
of all personnel, facilities, equipment, and apparatus. Each shift 
is assigned an area of responsibility for cleaning, maintenance, 
and repair in addition to each firefighter’s personal equipment, 
licensure, and training records. Inspections are a routine part of 
the fire service and help to ensure the San Marino Fire Department 
standards are maintained; they ensure 100% readiness; they help 
reset expectations; and the work performed by the Firefighters 
helps to build esprit de corps.

 Chief Rueda led the City’s executive staff in a pre-drill training 
exercise in preparation for the Great ShakeOut earthquake 
drill in October. The exercise presented executive staff with 
an overview of the City’s emergency protocols in the event of a 
damaging earthquake. It also covered specific earthquake threats 
to our region due to proximity to the Raymond Fault, the Sierra 
Madre Fault, and the San Andreas Fault. In 2021, the City of San 
Marino developed an Earthquake Operations Annex to the City’s 
Emergency Operations Plan. The Earthquake Operations Annex 
provides specific guidance and protocols for City staff in the event 
of an earthquake affecting the City.

 During the week of September 18, the San Marino Fire and 
Police Departments were visited by Carver Elementary School’s 
five kindergarten classes. Firefighters provided the classes with 
an overview of a firefighter’s job, gave the students a tour of the 
apparatus and equipment, and provided a lesson on fire safety.

Meetings 

Library Board of Trustees

Monday, September 25 at 8:00 AM; Barth Room and Zoom 
(Public Access)

Planning Commission Meeting

Wednesday, September 27 at 6:00 PM; City Hall Council Chambers 
and Zoom (Public Access)

City Council Meeting

Friday, September 29 at 8:30 AM; Barth Room and Zoom (Public 
Access)

 South Pasadena Beautiful, 
the City of South Pasadena, 
and the South Pasadena 
Public Library invite the 
community to a special event 
to celebrate South Pasadena’s 
urban forest. With over 80 
trees on the one-square block 
of the Library Park, the South 
Pasadena Public Library 
Community Room is a 
fitting location to laud South 
Pasadena’s estimated 21,000 
trees. The free event will 
take place Tuesday, October 
3, at 7:00 p.m. (doors open 
at 6:30 p.m.) at the Library 
Community Room, 1115 El 
Centro Street. The program 
features a presentation by 
arborist and South Pasadena 
resident, Richard McLeod: 
“Let’s Show the Trees Some 
Love.” Join us to talk “All 
Things Trees”!

 Richard McLeod is an 
Arborist Representative 
working with Bartlett Tree 
Experts, leaders in scientific 
tree and shrub care since 
1907. Bartlett helps both 
residential and commercial 
customers maintain 
beautiful, healthy trees and 
teaches people how to care 
for trees. Richard will be 
speaking about some of 
the commonly overlooked 
aspects when caring for 
trees and the benefits of 
soil nutrient analysis for 
providing the best growing 
conditions for tree and shrub 
growth.

 Also on hand, Arpy 
Kasparian, the City of South 
Pasadena’s Environmental 
Services & Sustainability 
Manager and Catrina 
Peguero, Public Works 
Operations Manager, will 
present the City perspective 
on our urban forest. They 
will be available to answer 
questions about city 
regulations regarding tree 
planting and trimming, share 
tree rebate and resource 
information, and talk about 
the city’s long-standing Tree 
City U.S.A. recognition.

 Finally, Alexis Mendoza, 
Adult Services Librarian, 
will introduce the Library’s 
Interactive Tree Map and 
provide an overview of 
“Sowing South Pasadena,” a 
new Library program coming 
this spring. Sowing South 
Pasadena, funded by a grant 
from the Institute of Museum 
and Library Services through 
the California State Library, 
will include the launch of 
a Seed Library, a series of 
speaker events, and more.

 South Pasadena Beautiful 
is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit 
dedicated to planting a 
sustainable future in our 
community through such 
projects as the low-water 
landscape project at the 
South Pasadena Post Office 
and its springtime Garden 
Tour and Sustainability Fair 
at the Nature Park (officially 
The South Pasadena Arroyo 
Seco Woodland and Wildlife 
Park). This October event 
is SPB’s annual meeting. 
Additionally, over 70 
gardening books will 
be available for a small 
donation to SPB. For more 
information about South 
Pasadena Beautiful, visit: 
southpasbeautiful.org.

 The South Pasadena 
Public Library is located at 
1100 Oxley Street in South 
Pasadena. Visit the Library 
website at: southpasadenaca.
gov/library for information 
about services and programs. 

Curiosity Reaches Mars Ridge 
Where Water Left Debris Pileup

 
Three billion years ago, 
amid one of the last wet 
periods on Mars, powerful 
debris flows carried mud 
and boulders down the side 
of a hulking mountain. The 
debris spread into a fan that 
was later eroded by wind into 
a towering ridge, preserving 
an intriguing record of the 
Red Planet’s watery past.

 Now, after three attempts, 
NASA’s Curiosity Mars 
rover has reached the ridge, 
capturing the formation in 
a 360-degree panoramic 
mosaic. Previous forays 
were stymied by knife-edged 
“gator-back” rocks and too-
steep slopes. Following one 
of the most difficult climbs 
the mission has ever faced, 
Curiosity arrived Aug. 14 at 
an area where it could study 
the long-sought ridge with its 
7-foot (2-meter) robotic arm.

 After three years, we finally 
found a spot where Mars 
allowed Curiosity to safely 
access the steep ridge,” said 
Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity’s 
project scientist at NASA’s 
Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 
Southern California. “It’s a 
thrill to be able to reach out 
and touch rocks that were 
transported from places high 
up on Mount Sharp that we’ll 
never be able to visit with 
Curiosity.”

 The rover has been 
ascending the lower part 
of 3-mile-tall (5-kilometer-
tall) Mount Sharp since 
2014, discovering evidence 
of ancient lakes and streams 
along the way. Different 
layers of the mountain 
represent different eras of 
Martian history. As Curiosity 
ascends, scientists learn more 
about how the landscape 
changed over time. Gediz 
Vallis Ridge was among the 
last features on the mountain 
to form, making it one of 
the youngest geological time 
capsules Curiosity will see.

 The rover spent 11 days at 
Rare Peek busily snapping 
photos and studying the 
composition of dark rocks 
that clearly originated 
elsewhere on the mountain. 
The debris flows that helped 
form Gediz Vallis Ridge 
carried these rocks – and 
others lower on the ridgeline, 
some as large as cars – down 
from layers high on Mount 
Sharp. These rocks provide 
a rare insight into material 
from the upper mountain 
that Curiosity can examine.

 The rover’s arrival at the 
ridge has also provided 
scientists the first up-close 
views of the eroded remnants 
of a geologic feature known 
as a debris flow fan, where 
debris flowing down the 
slope spreads out into a fan 
shape. Debris flow fans are 
common on both Mars and 
Earth, but scientists are still 
learning how they form.

 “I can’t imagine what it 
would have been like to 
witness these events,” said 
geologist William Dietrich, 
a mission team member at 
the University of California, 
Berkeley, who has helped lead 
Curiosity’s study of the ridge. 
“Huge rocks were ripped 
out of the mountain high 
above, rushed downhill, and 
spread out into a fan below. 
The results of this campaign 
will push us to better explain 
such events not just on Mars, 
but even on Earth, where 
they are a natural hazard.”

 On Aug. 19, the rover’s 
Mastcam captured 136 
images of a scene at Gediz 
Vallis Ridge that, when 
pieced together into a 
mosaic, provide a 360-degree 
view of the surrounding area. 
Visible in that panorama is 
the path Curiosity took up 
the mountainside, including 
through “Marker Band 
Valley,” where evidence of an 
ancient lake was discovered.

 While scientists are still 
poring over the imagery and 
data from Gediz Vallis Ridge, 
Curiosity has already turned 
to its next challenge: finding 
a path to the channel above 
the ridge so that scientists 
can learn more about how 
and where water once flowed 
down Mount Sharp.

 Curiosity was built by JPL, 
which is managed by Caltech 
in Pasadena, California. JPL 
leads the mission on behalf 
of NASA’s Science Mission 
Directorate in Washington.

 For more about Curiosity, 
visit: mars.nasa.gov/msl.

 

 The Pasadena Senior Center 
will be hopping with activities 
Saturday, Sept. 30, from 9 a.m. 
to 2 p.m. during the free, fun 
and informative #AgeWell Day 
for members and nonmembers. 

 There will be something for 
everyone 50 and older at this 
annual event, including latest 
updates on medical marijuana 
and CBD oil, arts and culture 
activities, blood pressure and 
glucose screenings, wellness 
information and resources, 
how to make the most of 
smartphones, movement 
activities such as yoga, chair 
Pilates and low-impact 
line dancing, fitness center 
orientation, brain games to 
improve cognitive health, 
prevention of scams against 
older adults including fraud 
and identity theft, writing 
workshop, live entertainment, 
refreshments and much more. 

 Dr. Laura Mosqueda, professor 
of family medicine and 
geriatrics at USC’s Keck School 
of Medicine, will present a 
keynote address titled “How to 
Age Well.” 

 Studies by the National 
Institutes of Health have shown 
that taking it easy in retirement 
can be quite risky. Often, 
inactivity of the brain and body 
is more to blame than age when 
older adults lose the ability to 
perform normal activities of 
daily living. This can lead to 
diminishing independence, 
more doctor visits, more 
hospitalizations and more 
dependence on prescription 
medications. 

 “For older adults, this is the 
time of life when new doors 
open and new experiences 
beckon. Staying active as you 
age can work wonders for your 
physical and mental health and 
lead to a longer, more fulfilling 
life with greater independence,” 
said Akila Gibbs, executive 
director at the Pasadena Senior 
Center. “If you’re not as active 
as you’d like to be, it’s never 
too late to begin, and if you’re 
already active and want to add 
some additional variety, now is 
the time.” 

 To register for #AgeWell Day 
or for more information, visit 
www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org 
and click on Activities & Events, 
then Special Events or call (626) 
795-4331. Membership with the 
Pasadena Senior Center and 
residence in Pasadena are not 
required to attend. 

#Agewell 
Day is 

Sept. 30


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