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ALTADENA - SOUTH PASADENA - SAN MARINO

Mountain View News Saturday, February 10, 2024 

San Marino Upcoming 
Events & Programming

Pasadena Black History 
Parade on February 17

Holden‘s Ghost Networks 
Bill Passes Assembly Floor

 Assemblymember Chris 
Holden’s AB 236, legislation 
that would put an end to 
“ghost networks” and rampant 
provider inaccuracies by 
reinforcing current policy with 
accuracy guidelines, benchmark 
goals, and effective enforcement 
methods, passed the California 
State Assembly and advances 
to the Senate for further 
consideration.

 “Ghost networks should not 
be something we accept as 
reality,” said Assemblymember 
Chris Holden. “The issue here 
is not the quality or the cost 
of care, but the actual access. 
This bill provides solutions 
for Californians struggling to 
find their unique care needs by 
making the information given 
to them accurate and accessible.”

 California has one of the 
nation’s strongest laws on 
health plan provider directories. 
Existing law provides that 
health plans would pay for out-
of-network care if a consumer 
relied on a directory to receive 
said care. Recent studies have 
found that some health plans 
have inaccuracy rates as high 
as 80%, and major plans like, 
Anthem and Kaiser, have 
inaccurate information for 20% 
to 38% of providers. As a result, 
the inaccurate lists produced are 
referred to as “ghost networks,” 
because they do not actually 
exist.

 “Provider directories are meant 
to help consumers find care 
and shop for a health plan, but 
many consumers have had care 
delayed because they have to sift 
through listings that are grossly 
inaccurate,” said Katie Van 
Deynze, policy and legislative 
advocate with Health Access 
California, the sponsor of the 
bill. “AB 236 puts benchmarks 
and policies in place to get our 
state to accurate health plan 
provider directories, so that 
Californians can access the 
services that they need. This is 
a critical bill to breaking down 
barriers to care, and we applaud 
the Assembly for passing this 
bill to the Senate.”

 Though our state has 
regulations in place for 
provider directories, consumer 
protections are not effectively 
enforced. The Department of 
Managed Health Care has only 
taken five enforcement actions, 
all with small fines. For many 
health plans, there is little 
incentive to abide by existing 
law given the infrequency and 
insignificance of fines imposed. 
AB 236 would work alongside 
medical providers to incentivize 
compliance and would ensure 
that the information provided 
to enrollees are accurate.

 Specifically, the bill would 
establish the following 
numeric percentage accuracy 
benchmarks for plans: 60% 
accuracy by July 1, 2025; 80% 
accuracy by July 1, 2026, and so 
on. AB 236 would also require 
annual verification by health 
plans of provider directories 
for accuracy of all required 
information.

 “Health is an important facet 
to help our communities thrive,” 
said Holden. “Affordable, 
accessible and quality care for all 
Californians is what we want.”


Townhall Meeting on February 15 at 6 PM

 Join City staff and residents on Thursday, February 15, at 6 PM for 
an important Townhall meeting on FY24-25 Priority Initiatives. 
The meeting will take place in the Barth Room at Crowell 
Public Library and Zoom (Mandarin translation available via 
Zoom). Mark your calendar for this impactful gathering! More 
information at: www.CityofSanMarino.org/Calendar

Complete the Budget Priority Initiatives Survey

 Your voice matters! Join us in shaping the future of San Marino. 
Public participation is crucial in the budget process. Take a 
moment to complete the 2024 Budget Priority Initiatives Survey 
- your insights will directly influence the Mayor and Council in 
their FY24-25 Budget Discussions. Let's work together for a better 
community! Submit your feedback by March 3.

San Marino Historical Society Lecture Series: Kathy Fiscus 
Tragedy

When: Monday, February 26 | 7 PM

Location: Barth Community Room

 In its Speakers Series, the San Marino Historical Society presents 
quarterly history talks focusing on topics specially selected for 
our town. This quarter, William Deverell will be speaking about 
the Kathy Fiscus tragedy. Mr. Deverell is the Divisional Dean for 
the Social Sciences at USC’s Dornsife College of Letters, Arts & 
Sciences. He is the founder and co-Director of the Huntington-
USC Institute on California and the West. A graduate of Stanford 
University, he received his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in History from 
Princeton. His work addresses the history and culture of the 19th 
and 20th century American West. Registration is not required.

Coffee Connections

Weekly on Monday and Wednesday from 8 - 10 AM, San Marino 
Community Center, Fireside Room

 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.

Maker Mondays

Monday, February 12 at 3:30 PM, Barth Community Room

 Is your child a budding engineer or LEGO fanatic? Then join us 
for this new monthly STEM program where kids ages 4-11 will 
build unique and open-ended creations with a surprise material 
each time. Will it be LEGOs or KEVA planks? Straw builders or a 
marble run? Only one way to find out! Registration is not required.

Huntington Nurses Health Screening

Wednesday, February 14 from 10:00 – 11:30 AM, Barth 
Community Room

 The Huntington Nurses offer free blood pressure and glucose 
screenings. Please plan to fast 2 hours prior to having glucose 
checked. These blood pressure and glucose evaluations can lead to 
prevention and early detection of the “silent killer” diseases such 
as hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes. Health screenings 
will be held every second Wednesday of the month. Registration 
is not required.

Story, Stomp, & Sing

Thursday, February 15 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.

All City Track and Field Meet

Friday, March 15 at 4 PM, San Marino High School Stadium

 Registration is open now through February 16. Grab your 
sneakers and participate in this year's All City Track and Field 
Meet, sponsored by San Marino Community Athletics Association 
(SMCAA). All students born between 2009-2017 who are San 
Marino residents or attend a San Marino school are eligible to 
participate. Participants can sign-up for a maximum of 2 events 
and 1 relay. The cost per activity is $10; fees are non-refundable.

Meetings

Recreation Commission Meeting

Monday, February 12 at 6:00 PM; Barth Room and Zoom (Public 
Access)

City Council Meeting

Wednesday, February 14 at 6:00 PM; City Hall Council Chambers 
and Zoom (Public Access)

Public Safety Commission

Monday, February 19 at 6:00 PM; City Hall Council Chambers 
and Zoom (Public Access)

 For more information about any of these events visit: 
CityofSanMarino.org. 

 

 The City of Pasadena and 
the Black History Planning 
Committee announced 
Tuesday the 42nd annual 
Black History Parade and 
Festival set for Saturday, Feb. 
17, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. with the 
theme “Past, Present, Future: 
Celebrating the Life and 
Legacy of Jackie Robinson.” 
The parade begins at Fair 
Oaks Avenue and Mountain 
View Street and ends at 
Robinson Park, 1081 N. 
Fair Oaks Ave. A festival 
after takes place from noon 
to 4 p.m. Pasadena’s Black 
History parade is one of the 
largest and longest-running 
in Southern California.

 Throughout the day’s 
activities, Jackie Robinson’s 
many contributions to the 
Civil Rights Movement and 
the Pasadena community 
will be recognized and 
honored. Danny Bakewell, 
Jr., will serve as the parade 
grand marshal of this special 
and historic event. This year’s 
celebrity grand marshals will 
be Michael Jai White and 
Gillian White, both award-
winning actors who have 
broken barriers and earned 
accolades both on and off 
screen. Pastor William 
Turner Jr. will serve as the 
community grand marshal, 
with the Tournament of 
Roses princesses (Rose 
Court) as the youth grand 
marshals. 

 Attendees are encouraged 
to arrive early at the parade 
to navigate street closures, 
find parking, and claim 
their favorite viewing spots 
along the parade route. 
Free parking is provided on 
a first-come, first-served 
basis at Calvary Christian 
Methodist Episcopal Church, 
135 Glorieta St.

 The following streets will 
be closed for the parade and 
festival during the times 
listed below. Motorists are 
advised to use caution while 
driving through the area.

• Hammond Street between 
Fair Oaks Avenue and 
Morton Avenue, 7 a.m.-5 
p.m.

• Morton Avenue between 
Hammond Street and 
Mountain Street, 7 a.m.-5 
p.m.

• Fair Oaks Avenue between 
Woodbury Road and Harriet 
Street, 7 a.m.-noon

• Fair Oaks Avenue between 
Mountain Street and 
Woodbury Road, 9 a.m.-1:30 
p.m.

• Mountain Street between 
Raymond Avenue and Sunset 
Street, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

 The parade will be recorded 
and will air live on both KPAS, 
Pasadena’s government TV 
station, and Arroyo, the city’s 
community access channel. 

 Visit PasadenaMedia.org of 
more information about the 
parade and festival or call 
(626) 744-7300.

Robinson Park Recreation 
Center Public Art Project 

 Director of Pasadena 
Planning and Community 
Development, Jennifer Paige, 
announced an invite to the 
community to participate 
in the Robinson Park 
Recreation Center Public 
Art Project at the upcoming 
42nd Annual Black History 
Festival on Saturday, 
February 17, from noon to 4 
p.m. at Robinson Park, 1081 
N. Fair Oaks Ave. This event 
is a great opportunity f or 
residents to meet the selected 
aitists and learn more about 
their artistic approach to the 
project and engagement with 
the Northwest community. 

 Attendees are encouraged to 
stop by the Cultural Af fairs 
Division booth to learn more 
about the project and share 
their own personal stories 
of living and working in 
Northwest Pasadena. Artists 
Deborah Aschheim and 
Carla Jay Harris will share 
the progress of their artistic 
research and engagement 
with the Northwest 
community as they develop 
their public ait concepts for 
the Recreation Center. 

 As part of the first phase 
of the Project, both artists 
are currently conducting 
extensive research and 
community engagement 
through collaboration 
with Northwest Pasadena 
residents and stakeholders 
to develop specific content 
and artistic themes which 
will serve as the basis for 
the public art concept at the 
Center. 

 The public art project for the 
Robinson Park Recreation 
Center was developed 
through guidance from the 
Robinson Park Stakeholder 
Group and community 
members and is intended to 
prioritize community input 
and collaboration during 
the first phase of the artwork 
development process. 
This project serves as an 
exciting opportunity for the 
Northwest community to 
contribute their unique 
stories and perspectives into 
the formation of a permanent 
public artwork at the Center. 

 The renovation of the 
Robinson Park Recreation 
Center was the second and 
final phase of the Robinson 
Park Master Plan adopted 
by City Council in 2002 and 
designated as an eligible 
Capital Improvement Public 
Art project in 2015. Per the 
unique requirements of this 
project, the artists selected for 
the project will be responsible 
for initiating numerous 
opportunities to engage with 
the Northwest Pasadena 
community, ranging from 
large public events to small 
intimate conversations. This 
community-based research 
will then be incorporated 
into the artist’s Concept Art 
Plan, which will be presented 
to the City’s Arts & Culture 
Commission for review and 
approval. 

Pasadena Public Library 
to Host Books N’Cops

 

 Pasadena Public Library (PPL) 
in partnership with Pasadena 
Police Department (PPD) is 
hosting “Books N Cops,” a 
10 month long multi-event 
program series. Books N’ Cops 
brings together various divisions 
and representatives from 
Pasadena Police Department 
to a different Pasadena library 
branch, January through 
October. Community members 
are invited to attend, learn, play 
and discover together. All events 
are free..

Behind the Blue: A Candid 
Conversation Celebrating 
Women in Law Enforcement

 Celebrate the incredible 
women in law enforcement 
who work tirelessly to keep 
our communities safe. During 
this event, you’ll have the 
opportunity to hear inspiring 
stories from female law 
enforcement officers, learn 
about their experiences, and 
gain a deeper understanding of 
the challenges they face in their 
line of work. 

Saturday, March 16 • 3 p.m. • 
Hill Branch Library, 55 S. Hill 
Ave.

Donut Décor Showdown with 
Police Chief Gene Harris 
& Library Director Tim 
McDonald

 In this messy, hands-on 
program, Police Chief Harris 
and Library Director Tim 
McDonald and friends come 
together in our very first donut 
décor showdown. Teams 
will use plain donuts, food 
decorations and basic supplies 
to create freestanding structures 
or designs that will be judged 
to name the winners. Fifteen 
decorators are competing this 
year! Registration is required 
for participates in competition. 
The public is invited to help 
judge and enjoy other fun donut 
activities. For ages 12 and up.

Saturday, April 20 • 2 p.m. • 
Jefferson Branch Library, 1500 
E. Villa St.

Sleuths N’ Scoops Escape 
Room

 Stop by the library to enjoy free 
popcorn with PPD detectives. 
Work as a team to solve logical 
puzzles, uncover clues, and 
follow the storyline to unravel 
the mystery. Registration 
required. To attend, sign up 
at https://PasadenaLibrary.
Trumba.com/.

Tuesday, May 14 • 4 p.m. • La 
Pintoresca Branch Library, 1355 
N. Raymond Ave.

Parks N’ Books with the Park 
Safety Team 

 Join us for a fun program 
showing what Park Safety does, 
including a mobile command 
unit, crafts, storytime. Meet the 
Park Safety Team. 

Thursday, June 20 • 10:30 a.m. • 
Lamanda Park Branch Library, 
140 S. Altadena Dr.

Bikes N’ Books

Meet the PPD motorcycle 
officers. Join us as they showcase 
their bikes, tell us about their 
jobs and explain bike safety, 
make a motorcycle craft, and 
have fun singing songs. 

Thursday, July 11 • 10:30 a.m. 
• Linda Vista Branch Library, 
1281 Bryant St.

Bored in the Library – 
Skipbo Showdown with PPD 
Detectives and Friends 

 Don’t get bored…get a game! 
Challenge your PPD friends or 
meet some new people to play 
with. Registration required. 
To attend, sign up at https://
PasadenaLibrary.Trumba.com/.

Monday, Aug. 12 • 3 p.m. • San 
Rafael Branch Library, 1240 
Nithsdale Rd.

K9 Tales with Peppa

 Join Peppa and her handler 
Officer Padilla for K9-Storytime 
as they read a few stories and 
shares some fun. 

Friday, Sept.13 • 3 p.m., Santa 
Catalina Branch Library, 999 E. 
Washington Blvd.

H.O.P.E. Team Storytime

 Have a little fun with the 
Pasadena H.O.P.E. (Homeless 
Outreach Psychiatric 
Evaluation) team as we decorate 
pumpkins. Families are invited 
to decorate mini-pumpkins for 
fall or Halloween. Registration 
required. To attend, sign up 
at https://PasadenaLibrary.
Trumba.com/.

Monday, Oct. 28 • 4 p.m. • Villa 
Parke Branch Library, 363 E. 
Villa St.

 For more information visit: 
cityofpasadena.net.


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