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ALTADENA - SOUTH PASADENA - SAN MARINO

Mountain Views News Saturday, May 18, 2024

San Marino Upcoming 
Events & Programming

Playhouse looks toward 
the 100th Anniversary with 
a New 2024/2025 Season

Pasadena Ban on Gas Leaf 
Blower Ordinance Update

 

 On April 25, 2022, the City 
Council approved a ban of gas-
powered leaf blowers with an 
extended implementation date 
to allow ample time for the public 
to prepare. Effective April 28, 
2023, Jennifer Paige, Director 
of Planning and Community 
Development, announced the 
use of gas-powered leaf blowers 
was banned throughout the 
City.

 The Planning and Community 
Development Department 
has implemented an extensive 
bi-lingual outreach program 
to inform the public of the 
new regulations and available 
grant programs. Local 
landscape equipment dealers 
and landscapers have taken 
advantage of available funding, 
with local dealers issuing over 
1,300 discount vouchers. 

 Upon receiving a complaint, 
inspections are scheduled at 
an approximate date and time 
provided by the reporting 
party. In many cases the 
landscaper (responsible party 
by Ordinance) is not present, 
requiring additional follow-
up inspection attempts. 
Enforcement protocol 
entails making the resident 
aware of the inspection and 
proactive engagement with 
the landscapers. Some of 
the barriers expressed by the 
landscapers include the cost 
of equipment, battery-life, 
charging availability, increased 
weight and blowing power.

 Staff conducted a city-wide 
field survey on May 7, 2024, 
and based on a sample of 
103 observations, found that 
59 (57%) landscapers were 
utilizing an electric powered 
leaf-blower. It is estimated that 
prior to the ban, less than 10% 
of landscapers were utilizing 
electric-powered leaf blowers.

 Over the past year, 1,702 
code compliance cases were 
opened. This figure represents 
approximately 50% of all 3,399 
code compliance cases opened 
over the past year, demanding 
significant resources, and 
effectively doubling average case 
load.

 It is expected that compliance 
rates will continue to rise 
with ongoing education 
and enforcement efforts, 
technological advancements, 
reduced costs, and the statewide 
ban on the sale of gas-powered 
landscape equipment that took 
effect January 1, 2024.

For more information visit: 
cityofpasadena.net.

Public Works Open House - Vehicle & Equipment Showcase

 In celebration of National Public Works Week, the Parks and 
Public Works Department is holding an open house, including 
a vehicle and equipment showcase/meet and greet with staff 
vendors. The event will be held on Wednesday. May 22, from 3 
PM – 6 PM at Lacy Park. This is a great opportunity to learn more 
about the Department, including the different types of equipment 
it uses, such as lawnmowers, backhoes, loaders and lift trucks. 
Stop by to learn more and see these cool machines up close,

Honoring Our Heroes: Memorial Day Service at Lacy Park

 A Memorial Day Service will be held on Monday, May 27 at 9 
AM in Lacy Park by the War Memorial. Please join us as we pay 
tribute to the dedication and sacrifices the men and women of our 
Nation’s Armed Forces have made. The ceremony will include 
recognition of Veterans, special guest speakers, and patriotic 
music. This event is open to the public.

4th of July Parade-Palooza - Grand Marshal Nominations

 We’re excited to announce that the City has taken over 
management of the 4th of July Parade! The parade route will 
cover approximately 1.5 miles along Monterey Road to Virginia 
Road and through Lacy Park. Each year, the Parade Committee 
honors a community member as the Grand Marshal of the parade. 
Do you know someone who has significantly contributed to the 
betterment of San Marino? Submit your nomination by May 31 
online at: sanmarinoca.gov,

Public Safety Meeting on May 29

 Join us for a Public Safety Meeting at the San Marino Community 
Center on May 29th at 6 PM, hosted by the San Marino Police 
Department. We'll discuss crime trends, neighborhood watch, 
pedestrian/bicyclist safety, and hate crime reporting. For details, 
call (626) 300-0720.

Important Update to Library Hours: Starting June 3, the 
Library will close at 8 PM Monday through Thursday.

But don’t forget! The Library has resources available online for you 
24/7!

 Search the full catalog of materials and place holds on items

Access e-books and e-audiobooks in English, Chinese, and 
Spanish

Access databases and newspapers

Coffee Connections

Weekly on Monday and Wednesday from 9 – 11 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 10 AM. This 
program is for active adults ages 55+. Registration is required.

Taste of San Marino: Chapresso

Monday, May 20 at 11 AM

Cost: R: $7 / NR: $9 (non-refundable)

 Calling all active adults ages 55+! Join us as we discover what 
San Marino restaurants have to offer! Next in this series, we visit 
Chapresso located at 2142 Huntington Drive. Attendees can order 
any size tea with a topping and a cookie. Participants are required 
to meet at Chapresso; transportation is not provided. Registration 
is required by May 17.

Coffee, Tea, and Chat

Friday, May 31 from 10 AM – 12 PM, 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.

Parks & Public Works

Striping on Virginia Road

 Last week, Public Works maintenance staff completed refreshment 
of striping of street parking markings on Virginia Road just 
south of Huntington Drive. Staff has also recently refreshed turn 
arrows and other traffic striping and markings along Huntington 
Drive. This work is part of the City’s annual signing, striping, and 
marking program, which helps refresh these markings to improve 
visibility and ensure driver and pedestrian safety.

Fire Department

On May 10, San Marino Fire Investigators Jason Sutliff and Mike 
White responded to a multi-family dwelling fire on the 600 
block of Foothill Boulevard in Monrovia. Monrovia and Arcadia 
Fire Departments responded to a fire in a residential unit at 
approximately 8:24 PM. San Marino investigators were dispatched 
at 9:19 PM to conduct an investigation into the cause and origin 
of the fire. Investigators determined that the fire originated from a 
candle left unattended in the home. San Marino investigators were 
assisted by the South Pasadena arson canine.

Meetings

Special Library Board of Trustees Meeting

Monday, May 20 at 8:00 AM; Barth Room and Zoom.

Planning Commission Meeting

Wednesday, May 22 at 6:00 PM; City Hall Council Chambers and 
Zoom.

 Pasadena Playhouse looks 
toward the 100th anniversary 
of its building in 2025 with a 
new season. Producing Artistic 
Director Danny Feldman 
announces the Mainstage 
offerings for the 2024/2025 
Season including Martin 
Crimp’s critically acclaimed 
new adaptation of Cyrano de 
Bergerac; a fresh new revival 
of Jerry Herman and Harvey 
Fierstein’s Tony Award® winner 
for Best Musical, La Cage aux 
Folles; a new production of 
Suzan-Lori Parks’ Pulitzer Prize 
and Tony Award®-winning 
classic, Topdog/Underdog; and 
a new play to be announced at 
a later date. 

 New for the Playhouse in 
the 2024/2025 Season will be a 
Special Theatrical Event at the 
Pasadena Civic Auditorium: 
Anything Goes in Concert, 
starring Jinkx Monsoon 
(RuPaul’s Drag Race) as 
Reno Sweeney and Follies in 
Concertwith two back-to-back 
weekends of performances. 

 Season packages are now 
on sale and include the four 
Mainstage productions and one 
concert event. Creative teams 
and casting will be announced 
at a later date. 

 In January 2025, the Playhouse 
will also present The Next Stage 
Immersive Summit 2025 in 
partnership with The Immersive 
Experience Institute, the 
main service organization for 
immersive theater artists. The 
premiere gathering of creators of 
immersive art & entertainment 
will draw international guests 
from the fields of performing 
arts, themed entertainment, XR, 
and gaming. This is the largest 
gathering of its kind in the 
world. 

 “We are thrilled to begin our 
celebration and honor one of 
the most iconic buildings in 
the history of the American 
Theater as it turns 100 years 
old with a bold and thrilling 
season of iconic theater” said 
Danny Feldman. “Our historic 
stage will feel alive with a 
sizzling new adaptation of one 
of the greatest plays of all time, 
Cyrano de Bergerac, a fresh 
revival of the celebrated musical 
La Cage aux Folles, a new 
production of Suzan-Lori Park’s 
masterpiece Topdog/Underdog, 
and an exciting new play to be 
announced at a later date. 

 Our celebration is so big, it 
extends beyond the historic 
walls of our theater. Like the 
expansion in our current season 
of new professional children’s 
theater productions off campus, 
next season we return with 
another musical venture to the 
Pasadena Civic Auditorium for 
two back-to-back weekends of 
grand concert events featuring 
two of the most enduring 
musicals of all time: Anything 
Goes starring the singular talent 
Jinkx Monsoon and Follies, an 
encore to our recent Sondheim 
Celebration. These special 
theatrical events will expand 
our initiative exploring classic 
American musicals with our 
community. ”

 Memberships are now available 
at pasadenaplayhouse.org, or by 
calling 626-356-7529.


Asian American & Pacific 
Islander Heritage Month

 The City of Pasadena is 
celebrating Asian American 
and Pacific Islander Heritage 
Month by recognizing the 
contributions and influence of 
Asian Americans and Pacific 
Islanders to the history, culture 
and achievements of the 
United States with a series of 
virtual programs, events and 
activities for all ages. The events, 
programs, classes, and more are 
coordinated by the Pasadena 
Public Library and Parks, 
Recreation, and Community 
Services Department. Library 
activities are sponsored by The 
Friends of the Pasadena Public 
Library.

Events

For all ages unless specified.

American Mah Jongg Club

Mondays (except May 27), 12:30 
– 2:30 p.m., Lamanda Park 
Branch Library, 140 S. Altadena 
Dr.

Join us for an afternoon of this 
wildly popular game. All levels 
of players are welcome. Bring 
your Mah Jongg set and yearly 
game card or use the library’s. 
For ages 18+.

 The Architecture of the 
Huntington’s Chinese and 
Japanese Gardens

Today at 2 p.m., Lamanda Park 
Branch Library, 140 S. Altadena 
Dr.

The Huntington Library, 
Art Museum and Botanical 
Gardens’ Chinese and Japanese 
Gardens are celebrated 
worldwide as outstanding 
examples of East Asian garden 
design. This program focuses 
on the architecture of the 
buildings within those gardens. 
These include the recently 
opened 17th century Japanese 
country magistrates’ residential 
compound, transplanted from 
Japan, and the dozen classical 
Suzhou-style buildings and 
pavilions within the Chinese 
Garden. These buildings were 
constructed, in large part, by 
over 60 traditional Chinese 
craftsmen from Suzhou, who 
spent over a year working on the 
project. For ages 18+.

Celebrate AAPI Heritage 
Month & National Foster Care 
Month with the Asian Foster 
Family Initiative (AFFI)

Today, 3 p.m., Hill Avenue 
Branch Library, 55 S. Hill Ave.

Understand the challenges 
faced by Asian foster children. 
Discover how you can help these 
children and families in need. 
Learn the process of becoming 
a foster/adoptive family. AFFI 
is an adoption and foster family 
agency seeking Asian bilingual 
and/or bicultural families 
to meet the needs of Asian 
foster children. Registration is 
encouraged, and walk-ins are 
welcome! To attend, sign up at 
CityOfPasadena.net/Library/
Calendar/. For ages 18+.

Gamelan Merdu Kumala

Today at 4 p.m., Linda Vista 
Branch Library, 1281 Bryant St.

Join us to learn about and 
enjoy Balinese music-making 
tradition through Gamelan 
Merdu Kumala, a community 
gamelan assemble. For ages 5+.

Chinese Tea Brewing and 
Tasting: Gong Fu Style

Friday, May 24, 1-3 p.m. • Jackie 
Robinson Community Center, 
1020 N. Fair Oaks Ave.

Participants will taste four Gong 
Fu style brewed teas, including 
leaves from the Ancient Tea 
Tree in the Yunnan Province 
in southwestern China. 
Presentations on the history, 
brewing techniques, and 
benefits of tea will be provided 
by Wendy Chen and Nathan 
Epstein, owners of the Callisto 
Tea House. Open on a first 
come, first serve basis to the first 
50 participants in attendance. 
For more information, call 
(626) 744-7300. 

Tea Tasting with Callisto Tea 
House • Explore the Teas of 
China, Korea and India

Saturday, May 25, 11 a.m., Hill 
Avenue Branch Library, 55 S. 
Hill Ave.

From China to Korea and India, 
the types of tea are as varied as 
the countries they come from. 
Join us and learn more about 
the benefits of tea, different tea 
growing regions of the world, 
tea culture and brewing styles. 
Presented by Callisto Tea 
House. To attend, sign up at 
CityOfPasadena.net/Library/
Calendar/. For ages 13+.

Maps & Music: AAPI Edition

Thursday, May 30, 4 p.m., Santa 
Catalina Branch Library, 999 E. 
Washington Blvd.

Travel with us as we discover 
some of the locations and music 
of Asia and the Pacific Islands.

Sashiko Mending

Saturday, June 1, 2:30 p.m., 
Santa Catalina Branch Library, 
999 E. Washington Blvd.

Learn the basics of sashiko 
mending, a Japanese style of 
hand stitching, in this hands-
on program. To attend, sign up 
at CityOfPasadena.net/Library/
Calendar/. For ages 18+.

Storytimes

Chinese Storytime

Asian American and Pacific 
Islander Storytime

Wednesday, May 22, 10:30 a.m., 
Santa Catalina Branch Library, 
999 E. Washington Blvd.

Join us for a special storytime 
featuring Asian American and 
Pacific Islander stories and 
authors, then stay to make a 
craft! For ages 3-5 and their 
parents or caregivers.

Kwentuhang Pambata: A 
Bilingual Storytime

Saturday, May 25, 3 p.m., 
Lamanda Park Branch Library, 
140 S. Altadena Dr.

Join us in this fun and interactive 
Kwentuhang Pambata: A 
Bilingual Storytime. We will 
be sharing Tagalog/English 
children’s stories, fingerplays, 
songs and craft. “Samahan 
kami sa masayang kantahan at 
kwentuhan.”

Read with Pasadena Public 
Library: Asia & the Pacific 
Islands

Join us for a story map tour of 
library literature celebrating 
the voices, experiences and 
contributions of authors of 
Asian and Pacific Islander 
Heritage - Arcg.Is/5S4Sz0.

For more information visit: 
cityofpasadena.net.

City of Pasadena to Honor 
Fallen Heroes Memorial Day

 The City of Pasadena and 
the Pasadena Veterans Day 
Committee announced 
Thursday that they will honor 
the sacrifice of fallen heroes at 
the Pasadena Memorial Day 
Commemoration on Monday, 
May 27 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 
p.m. at Memorial Park, 85 E. 
Holly St.

 The ceremony will include the 
reading of 320 names of the 
men and women from Pasadena 
who lost their lives during 
World War I, World War II, the 
Korean War, the Vietnam War, 
and other conflicts. The Condor 
Squadron will perform a 
missing man formation flyover, 
paying tribute to those who 
did not return from the battle. 
As a final homage to the fallen, 
the event will conclude with 
funeral honors performed by 
the 2nd Battalion, 23rd Marines, 
symbolizing the respect and 
gratitude owed to those who 
made the ultimate sacrifice for 
our country.

 The event is open to the public, 
and all community members are 
invited to join in remembrance 
and reflection during this 
solemn ceremony.

 For more information visit: 
cityofpasadena.net.

Memorial Day 
Celebration 
at the 

Senior Center

 Event to include live 
band, dancing and 
tribute to USO

 
Break out your stars and 
stripes and get ready to cut the 
rug at the annual Pasadena 
Senior Center Memorial Day 
concert and dance event, 
Monday, May 27, from 1:30 to 
3:30 p.m. It will be red, white 
and blue all the way as we 
observe this national holiday 
that remembers and honors 
U.S. military personnel who 
died while serving in the 
United States Armed Forces. 
Light snacks will be available.

 The event will include live 
music courtesy of the Great 
American Swing Band. 
Featuring bandleader and 
trumpet player Jodi Gladstone 
and vocalist Linda Vogel, 
the band will play a variety 
of musical — and patriotic 
— favorites with a salute to 
the USO to keep everyone 
dancing. Pam Kay’s Tap 
Chicks will perform as well.

 The cost is only $8 for 
members of the Pasadena 
Senior Center and $12 for 
nonmembers. To register, visit 
www.pasadenaseniorcenter.
org and click on Activities & 
Events, then Special Events. 
Only cash payments will be 
accepted at the door.

 As a donor-supported 
nonprofit, the center operates 
without any local, state or 
federal funding and provides 
more services to older adults 
in the San Gabriel Valley than 
any other organization. Hours 
of operation are Monday 
through Friday from 8:30 a.m. 
to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 
8 a.m. to noon. To learn more, 
visit: pasadenaseniorcenter.
org or call 626-795-4331. The 
Center is located at 85 E. Holly 
Street in Pasadena.

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