Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, January 13, 2024

6

ALTADENA - SOUTH PASADENA - SAN MARINO

Mountain View News Saturday, January 13, 2024 

San Marino Upcoming 
Events & Programming

Firearm Bill Passes Senate 
Public Safety Committee

Writing Workshops with South 
Pasadena’s Poet Laureate


The 2024 State of the City Address!

 Join Mayor Steven Huang, DDS and the rest of City Council to 
reflect on the accomplishments and challenges of the last year, 
while looking ahead to the coming year's opportunities. The 
annual State of the City will be held on Tuesday, January 16 at 7 
PM via Zoom.

Coffee Connections

Weekly on Monday and Wednesday starting January 15 from 8 - 9 
AM, San Marino Community Center, MPR 3

 Come spend your mornings with neighbors, friends, and a hot 
cup of coffee at the newly renovated Community Center! Free 
coffee will be provided. Stay for a variety of organized activities 
like bingo, chair volleyball, and lectures beginning at 9 AM. This 
program is for active adults ages 55+. Registration is required.

Story, Stomp, & Sing

Thursday, January 18 at 10:30 AM, Children’s Area

 In partnership with the San Marino Music Center, we are proud 
to present an all new music and movement Storytime for children 
ages 0-5! This early literacy program will feature instrument 
exploration, songs, fingerplays, dances, and books. Please watch 
our social media for cancellations. Registration is not required.

Planting the Seeds for a Happy New Year

Thursday, January 18 at 3 PM, Schow Patio

 New Year is a great time to set new goals! Teens in grades 6-12 
are invited to drop by the Library to set a goal for the year while 
planting a seed; remember, like seeds, goals need lots of care to 
grow and flourish! All materials will be provided. Registration is 
not required.

Valentine’s Day Grams

 Calling all kids in grades K-8! Help us share some neighborly 
love with a local senior citizen. All it takes is a little creativity! 
Register for a kit online, pick up your kit at the Community 
Center (1800 Huntington Drive) between January 22 – February 
2, decorate the gigantic Valentine's Day Gram, and return your 
Gram by February 5. We'll deliver it to a local senior citizen to 
brighten their day. In exchange, participants will receive a free and 
cool activity kit for their random act of kindness. Know a senior 
citizen in town who'd love to receive a Valentine's Day Gram? 
Let us know by calling (626) 403-2200 or emailing recreation@
cityofsanmarino.org.

Senior Trip to Paramount Studios Tour

Monday, February 26 from 10:15 AM – 5:30 PM

Cost per person: R $88 / NR $111

 Start your day at Eataly to experience the wonders of Italian 
biodiversity at the many restaurants, counters, and cafes providing 
a taste of foods prepared with the very best ingredients. Shop the 
market and browse a fine selection of Italian wines and bring 
home everything you need to make your own feast. From there, 
you’ll be whisked to historic Paramount Studios. You’ll have the 
opportunity to explore 100 years of movie and television history 
and get an intimate behind-the-scenes look at Hollywood’s first 
studio. Registration is required by January 26.

Fire Department Recent Happenings

On Tuesday, January 9, and Wednesday, January 10, San 
Marino Fire Department personnel assisted the Montebello 
and South Pasadena Fire Departments with proctoring their 
Engineer examinations. The Fire Engineer is responsible for 
driving, operating, and maintaining fire department apparatus. 
The Engineer is also responsible for operating pumps on fire 
apparatus to deliver water during fire suppression operations. 
Engineer examinations consist of both written and manipulative 
exercises to assess the candidate's ability to perform the duties of 
an Engineer.

 San Marino Fire Department personnel met with representatives 
from Atlas Planning Solutions to discuss the update to the City’s 
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. A kickoff meeting with the project 
team will be held in the first week of February. Opportunities 
for public input on the project will be announced in the coming 
months.

 The Fire Department currently has three personnel off duty due 
to COVID-19. As new COVID cases continue to rise, the Fire 
Department would like to remind residents of San Marino to 
stay current with COVID vaccine boosters and flu vaccines. For 
information on FDA-approved vaccines for Respiratory Syncytial 
Virus (RSV) visit the CDC’s website.

Meetings

Design Review Committee

Wednesday, January 17 at 6:00 PM; Barth Room and Zoom 
(Public Access)

Public Safety Commission

Monday, January 22 at 6:00 PM; City Hall Council Chambers and 
Zoom (Public Access)

Library Board of Trustees

Monday, January 22 at 8:00 AM; Barth Room and Zoom (Public 
Access)

 
Senate Bill 53, authored by 
Senator Anthony Portantino, 
passed the Senate Public 
Safety Committee Tuesday. 
The bill expands existing 
firearm safe storage laws by 
creating barriers to suicide, 
unintentional shootings, and 
theft. Senator Portantino was 
the author of California’s 
landmark safe storage law in 
2019.

 “Safely storing your firearm 
is commonsense public 
safety policy and should not 
be partisan. Safe storage is 
proven to reduce firearm 
injuries and I’m pleased to 
be tightening California’s 
existing law,” stated Senator 
Portantino. “SB 53 does not 
infringe upon an individual’s 
Second Amendment right 
to keep and bear arms 
in the home. Rather, it 
ensures that a firearm is 
stored in a manner that 
will prevent unintentional 
firearm injuries and protect 
Californians in the home and 
deter violence in public. It 
will unequivocally save lives.”

 Death by firearm is the 
number one cause of 
death for children in the 
United States. States that 
have safe storage laws have 
seen a 78 percent drop in 
unintentional shootings 
committed by children 
compared to states that do 
not have safe storage laws in 
place. Additionally, firearms 
are the most lethal method 
used in suicide deaths, with a 
fatality rate of approximately 
90%. As mentioned above, 
Senator Portantino authored 
SB 172 - California’s original 
safe storage law in 2019. SB 
53 builds on that effort and 
will make Californians even 
more safe. President Biden 
has called for a national safe 
storage law as well.

 SB 53 prohibits a person 
from keeping or storing a 
firearm in a residence unless 
the firearm is stored in a DOJ-
approved locked box or safe. 
Under this bill, a violation 
results in an infraction 
for the first offense and a 
misdemeanor for a second 
and subsequent offense and 
subjects the violator to a one-
year ban on the purchase and 
possession of a firearm.

 “When guns end up in the 
wrong hands – whether it 
be by a child, a person in 
crisis, or a thief – tragedy is 
on the horizon. All too often 
unsecured firearms are to 
blame for mass shootings, 
homicides, unintentional 
shootings, and firearm 
suicides.” stated Kris Brown, 
President of Brady. “Safe 
storage can prevent these 
tragedies before they strike. 
California has long been 
a leader in gun violence 
prevention, and SB 53 will 
take the Golden State one step 
further by ensuring that all 
gun owners safely store their 
firearms. Brady is grateful to 
Senator Portantino for his 
unwavering commitment to 
freeing California from gun 
violence.”

 Senator Portantino has 
long been a champion 
of common-sense gun 
reform policies. During his 
time in the Assembly, he 
successfully authorized local 
governments to prohibit the 
open carry of handguns and 
rifles in certain areas and as 
Senator, he raised the firearm 
purchase age in California to 
twenty-one. The Senator has 
authored legislation related 
to firearms storage and gun 
purchase safeguards, as well 
as a legislation that reduces 
the number of firearms an 
unlicensed individual is 
annually able to sell and the 
frequency with which they 
are able to sell. Most recently, 
he authored legislation aimed 
at preventing tragic school 
shootings and a major gun 
reform measure that offers a 
new tool to combat the rise 
in gun violence and save lives 
– a private right of action. 
Last year, he partnered with 
Governor Newsom and 
Attorney General Bonta to 
enact SB 2, which implements 
significant improvements 
to strengthen California’s 
existing concealed-carry 
weapon (CCW) laws.

 

 The South Pasadena Public 
Library will present a series 
of free interactive poetry 
writing workshops led by 
award-winning author 
and South Pasadena Poet 
Laureate Ron Koertge, to take 
place on January 24, April 
24, August 14, and October 
16, 2024, from 6:00–7:30 
p.m. in the South Pasadena 
Public Library Community 
Room (1115 El Centro 
Street). Each session is 
unique, and participants may 
register for the whole series 
or single sessions online at 
www.southpasadenaca.gov/
register, or by calling the 
Library at 626-403-7350. 

 Koertge will guide 
participants through the 
creative writing process, 
focusing on poetry 
fundamentals like meter, 
rhyme, form, narrator, and 
metaphor. Koertge, who 
is both an author and an 
inspiring teacher, explains 
that “knowing a little about 
the nuts and bolts of poetry 
will launch us into writing. 
We meet as writers in a 
workshop, so most of the 
time is devoted to writing. 
I have lots of interesting 
prompts and some peculiar 
forms that are fun to work 
with.”

 The Poet Laureate of the 
City of South Pasadena is an 
honorary position given to 
a South Pasadena resident 
poet who serves as the 
City’s official ambassador 
for the literary arts. The 
position was established 
on July 6, 2018 by the City 
Council. The Poet Laureate 
seeks to raise awareness 
of poetry and literature in 
the community and to help 
inspire residents of all ages to 
appreciate the joy and power 
to be found in reading and 
writing. South Pasadena Poet 
Laureate Ronald Koertge 
is a three-time finalist and 
two-time winner of the 
PEN Literary Award for 
Children’s Literature and 
the author of 10 acclaimed 
poetry collections, including 
Yellow Moving Van and 
Olympusville, and 12 
novels. His honors include a 
fellowship from the National 
Endowment for the Arts, 
a California Arts Council 
grant, and inclusion in 
numerous anthologies such 
as Best American Poetry, 
Poetry 180, and Ted Kooser’s 
“American Life in Poetry” 
column. His prose poem 
“Negative Space” was the 
basis of the 2018 Academy 
Award-nominated animated 
short film directed by Ru 
Kuwahata and Max Porter. 
Koertge has also inspired 
students over many decades 
as a distinguished college 
writing instructor.

 The workshop series is 
offered as part of the Library’s 
“Sowing South Pasadena” 
initiative and is supported 
in whole or in part by the 
U.S. Institute of Museum 
and Library Services under 
the provisions of the Library 
Services and Technology Act, 
administered in California 
by the State Librarian. 
“Sowing South Pasadena” 
will include the launch of 
a Seed Library and a series 
of sustainability-focused 
programs and activities 
offered by the Library from 
January through May 2024.

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

Playhouse World Premiere of 
Grumpy Monkey, The Musical

 

 Pasadena Playhouse 
announced Tuesday the 
casting for the world 
premiere of Grumpy 
Monkey, The Musical from 
February 3 through March 
3, commissioned by the 
Playhouse, and based on the 
book Grumpy Monkey by 
Suzanne and Max Lang. This 
is the first full production 
of the Playhouse’s newly 
announced you and family 
programming initiative. The 
production will feature Hao 
Feng (Lifetime’s Twisted 
Little Lies) as Jim Panzee, 
Marc Ginsburg (Ragtime 
at Pasadena Playhouse) as 
Norman, Kay Sibal (Spring 
Awakening at East West 
Players) as Snake, Ciarra 
Stroud (Grease at Drury Lane 
Theatre) as Marabou, Frankie 
Zabilka (Newsies at 5-Star 
Theatricals) as Lemur, and 
Danny Holmberg (She Loves 
Me at Conundrum Theatre 
Company) as Understudy.

 Grumpy Monkey, The 
Musical is adapted and 
directed by Nina Meehan, 
with music and lyrics by 
Daniel Mertzlufft and Jacob 
Ryan Smith. 

 Suzanne Lang is the author 
of the New York Times 
bestselling Grumpy Monkey, 
as well as several other 
titles. When Suzanne is not 
working on books, she writes 
and produces children’s 
television.

 Max Lang is an animation 
director, storyboard artist, 
character designer, and 
illustrator. He co-directed 
the film adaptation of the 
picture book The Gruffalo, 
which was nominated for an 
Oscar Award and a BAFTA 
Award, as well as the Oscar-
nominated adaptation of 
the picture book Room on 
the Broom, which has won 
numerous awards, including 
the Cristal for Best TV 
Production at the Annecy 
International Animation 
Film Festival.

 This production will be 
presented at Porticos Art 
Space, located at 2033 
E. Washington Blvd. 
Tickets are available at 
pasadenaplayhouse.org, by 
phone at 626-356-7529, and 
at the box office at 39 South 
El Molino Avenue,

Related Gun Safety News

 Senator Anthony J released the 
following statement Wednesday 
on SB 2 and sensitive places:

“It is unfortunate that some 
sensitive places outlined in SB 2 
are being challenged. However, 
many of them remain in effect 
- including schools and child-
care facilities, executive and 
legislative branch buildings, 
courthouses, local government 
buildings, jails, higher education 
facilities, airport and passenger 
vessel facilities, nuclear facilities, 
law enforcement facilities, and 
polling places. The age limit, 
permit criteria, and training 
requirements are also in effect. 

 I strongly support Attorney 
General Bonta’s appeal of the 
court decision, as the purpose 
of SB 2 is to enhance the public 
safety of Californians under the 
guidelines of the Supreme Court 
Bruen decision. I am optimistic 
that California will prevail in 
upholding this responsible and 
necessary law.”

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

 Statement on SB 2 Gun 
Safety Bill Court Ruling

 
The community is invited to 
join Pasadena Water and Power 
(PWP) for a Water Town Hall 
virtual community meeting on 
Thursday, January 18 from 6-8 
p.m. on Zoom.

 Learn about your water: 
where it comes from, what it 
takes to deliver it, how costs 
are recovered, and how we 
ensure sustainable and reliable 
delivery of safe, high-quality 
water services into the future. 
Assistant General Managers 
Lynne Chaimowitz, Finance 
and Administration, and Stacie 
Takeguchi, Water, will lead 
a presentation followed by 
questions and answers.

 Residential and commercial 
customers are invited to attend 
the meeting, ask questions, 
and join the discussion. For 
accessibility information, or 
to request an accommodation, 
please contact (626) 744-7311 
or CSC@cityofpasadena.net. 
Providing at least 72 hours 
advance notice will help ensure 
availability.

 For Virtual Meeting Credentials 
visit: cityofpasadena.net/city-
manager/news.

 To join by telephone, dial (669) 
444-9171, and use the code 886 
6696 1478 when prompted.

 Pasadena Water and Power 
(PWP) provides electricity to 
more than 65,000 customers 
within Pasadena. PWP 
delivers water to almost 38,000 
households and businesses 
in Pasadena and adjacent 
communities in the San Gabriel 
Valley. As a community-owned 
utility, PWP is a not-for-profit 
public service owned and 
operated by the City of Pasadena 
for the benefit of its customers 
and the community. Its priorities 
are reliability, responsiveness to 
customers, reasonable rates and 
environmental stewardship.

PWP Town 
Hall Virtual 
Meeting

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