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ALTADENA - SOUTH PASADENA - SAN MARINO

Mountain View News Saturday, July 13, 2024

San Marino Upcoming 
Events & Programming

Pasadena Playhouse’s 
Cyrano De Bergerac

Community Impact of the 
Central Library’s Closure


Summer Sunset Concerts at Lacy Park are Back!

 Join us at Lacy Park for three FREE concerts this summer! Bring 
your chairs and blankets to secure your spot and enjoy an evening 
of music. Feel free to bring your own food and drinks, or indulge 
in a variety of options from our food trucks. Looking forward to 
seeing you there!

Concert Calendar - Save the Dates

July 19, 6-8 PM: Stone Soul - Motown Tribute Band

August 2, 6-8 PM: Alan Jazz Orchestra

August 16, 5:30-8:30 PM: Multicultural Concert featuring:

- Kayamanan Ng Lahi - Philippine Folk Arts

- Dai Qin - Lead Singer of Chinese Rock Band "Thin Man"

- Upstream - Reggae

Important Update to Library Hours: the Library now closes 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

California Joe National Parks Magic Show

Monday, July 15 at 1 PM, Children’s Room

 California Joe is unlike any other magician you’ve ever seen! 
In this new and unique show, kids ages 3+ and their families 
will have the opportunity to explore the magic and beauty of all 
nine national parks in the state of California. Registration is not 
required.

Nature Series: Fall & Winter Planting in Southern California

Wednesday, July 17 at 1 PM, San Marino Community Center, 
Fireside Room

 Yvonne Savio will delve into the cultivation of 27 different 
vegetables and 70 varieties of flowers, all suited to flourish in 
your garden from late summer until the close of the year. This 
comprehensive discussion will cover everything from initial 
planting to ongoing care and harvesting techniques, ensuring a 
continuous bounty of blooms and produce well into the following 
spring. Additionally, attendees will learn about 15 specially 
propagated plants sourced directly from the presenter’s own 
garden, with opportunities to acquire them for their own green 
spaces. Registration is not required.

Magnificent Monarchs

Thursday, July 18 at 1 PM, Children’s Room

 Monarchs have many threats and they need your help! Kids 
ages 3+ are invited to a special storytime where they will learn 
about simple steps they can take to save this endangered species. 
Participants will also receive a DIY kit to plant their own monarch-
friendly flowers! Registration is recommended.

National Night Out 2024 at Lacy Park

 Save the date! Join us for National Night Out 2024 on Tuesday, 
August 6, from 6-10 PM at Lacy Park! 🎉 We'll have a DJ, a Movie in 
the Park (Paw Patrol), games, and food trucks! National Night Out 
promotes positive police-community partnerships. Don't miss out 
on an unforgettable night. See you there!

Summer Tree Care: How to Keep Your Trees Healthy and Cool

 Trees help to keep us cool during hot weather. We can help trees 
by providing them with some extra care during hot weather. Here 
are a few quick tips for summer tree care:

 Deep water your trees. Often our irrigation systems are oriented 
towards lawns, providing frequent, shallow watering. Trees benefit 
from deep, infrequent watering. Use a hose, drip irrigation or even 
a bucket to provide extra water to your trees.

Prioritize young trees. Young and newly planted trees will be less 
resilient. Newly planted trees should be watered at least weekly, 
with water applications becoming less frequent as the tree matures.

Use a natural mulch such as wood chips to protect the soil and tree 
roots. Natural mulches help to insulate the soil and keep the root 
zone cooler. This reduces stress and saves water as less moisture 
evaporates from the soil.

For more information on trees and watering visit: sanmarinoca.
gov.

Old Mill's Music Under The Stars

 The Old Mill's Music Under the Stars with Trio Elica will be held 
on Saturday, July 20th at 8 PM. This performance is the premier 
of Trio Elica. While the musicians have played together for many 
years, this new Trio was born out of a desire to create exceptional 
and daring performances of great music not often featured by 
standard chamber ensembles. Stop by the Mill to purchase tickets 
in person (11am-2pm) or purchase your tickets online.

Public Safety Commission

Monday, July 15 at 6:00 PM; City Hall Council Chambers and 
Zoom (Public Access)

Design Review Committee

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

Library Board of Trustees

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

 
Pasadena Director of Libraries, 
and Information Services 
Tim McDonald, detailed the 
community impact of the 
Pasadena Central Library’s 
closure. The closure of the 
Pasadena Central Library 
in May 2021 for earthquake 
retrofitting and building repairs 
has significantly impacted 
program offerings and services. 
Those impacts are now coming 
to light.

 Before the closure, the Central 
Library was a hub for large-
scale programming, using its 
extensive space to host events 
such as the STEAM Fair, 
ArtNight, Author Fair, Educator 
Night, Young Readers League, 
and many others. These events 
have either ceased or been 
significantly reduced due to lack 
of space. For example, ArtNight 
attendance dropped from over 
2,500 participants in FY2019 
to just 191 at the Lamanda 
Park Branch Library in FY2023 
post-closure. Similarly, the One 
City, One Story program saw 
participation drop from 2,500 
attendees at the Central Library 
in FY2019 to only 250 in costly 
rented spaces in FY2023.

 The Donald R. Wright 
Auditorium, previously a venue 
for parenting classes, Summer 
Reading performers, weekly 
lectures, film series, and cultural 
heritage programming, can no 
longer host these events. Many 
programs have been canceled or 
drastically reduced due to the 
lack of equivalent space.

 The Central Library also 
provided exhibit spaces that 
were offered free to community 
groups. These exhibits, displayed 
in areas like the North Entry, 
Centennial Room, Humanities 
Wing, and Reading Wing, are no 
longer available, further limiting 
community engagement and 
cultural enrichment.

 Programs such as the National 
Financial Literacy Month, the 
New Adult Book Club, and the 
LA Law Librarian & Law Library 
partnership have also been 
severely impacted. The financial 
literacy programs and book 
club were canceled, and the law 
library services were moved 
to the Hastings Branch with 
reduced class offerings, making 
it difficult for patrons, especially 
those near the courthouse and 
needing legal resources.

 SCORE, which provides 
free one-on-one business 
counseling, has moved to 
Lamanda Park and Santa 
Catalina Branches but with 
limited availability. The flu 
shot clinic, health screenings, 
Chinese language classes, y, 
Citizenship Preparation Classes, 
and other adult programs were 
canceled pending the reopening 
of the Central Library.

 Volunteer programs also saw 
a reduction in participation. 
Central Library previously 
had four volunteer programs 
contributing 1,804 volunteer 
hours annually. Since the 
closure, the number of 
volunteers has decreased, with 
teen volunteers and summer 
interns now operating out of the 
Jefferson Branch.

 Children and teen services were 
significantly affected as well. 
In FY2019, the Central Library 
hosted 282 programs with 6,834 
attendees. After the closure, the 
Youth Services Division moved 
to the Jefferson Branch, where 
many programs were either 
canceled or reduced. Infant 
and toddler storytimes, special 
performances, and preschool 
STEAM activities saw reduced 
attendance. Programs like 
Lucha Libros, Kids Art Salon, 
Kids Coding Club, College 
Bound Series, and others were 
canceled.

 Teen programming faced the 
most drastic reduction. Central 
Library hosted over 100 teen 
volunteers annually, with over 
5,000 attendees at teen events. 
At Jefferson, these numbers 
have dropped to approximately 
30 volunteers and about 500 
attendees annually. Programs 
like Pasadena Loves YA, 
National Coming Out Day, 
ArtNight, Youth Network, and 
others either ceased or saw 
significant reductions due to 
space and location constraints.

 The overall impact on library 
services is evident in key metrics 
comparing FY2019 to FY2023:

Total in-person programs 
offered decreased from 2,462 to 
1,594 (-35.3%).

Total in-person program 
attendance dropped from 
55,260 to 30,016 (-45.7%).

PC reservations declined from 
128,515 to 17,165 (-86.6%).

Library visits fell from 803,274 
to 393,429 (-51.0%).

Circulation of library items 
decreased from 1,251,793 to 
679,068 (-45.8%).

Reference desk questions 
answered dropped from 122,167 
to 66,028 (-45.9%).

 Reopening the Central 
Library to serve all segments 
of the community once again 
continues to be a priority.

 To learn more about the 
Central Library Retrofit and 
Building Repairs Project, visit: 
cityofpasadena.net/library.

 

 Producing Artistic Director, 
Danny Feldman, of The 
Pasadena Playhouse the State 
Theater of California and 
recipient of the 2023 Regional 
Theatre Tony Award, announces 
Chukwudi Iwuji (James Gunn’s 
Guardians of the Galaxy and 
Peacemaker, Royal Shakespeare 
Company, NY Public Theatre’s 
Othello) to star in Pasadena 
Playhouse’s Cyrano De Bergerac 
by Edmond Rostand, freely 
adapted by Martin Crimp, and 
directed by Mike Donahue 
(Little Shop of Horrors, Geffen 
Playhouse’s The Inheritance). 

 Also starring in the production 
are Rosa Salazar (Alita: Battle 
Angel, Brand New Cherry 
Flavor, Undone) as Roxane, 
Will Hochman (Broadway’s The 
Sound Inside, CBS’s Blue Bloods) 
as Christian, and Kimberly Scott 
(Broadway’s Joe Turner’s Come 
and Gone, Respect) as Madame 
Ragueneau. Additional casting 
to be announced at a later date.

 The full creative team is 
rounded out with Afsoon 
Pajoufar (Scenic Designer), 
Carolyn Mazuca (Costume 
Designer), Josh Epstein and 
Edward Hansen (Lighting 
Designers), Veronika Vorel 
(Sound Designer), Rachel 
Lee Flesher (Intimacy/Fight 
Choreographer), with Casting 
by RBT Casting (Ryan Bernard 
Tymensky, CSA). 

 One of the greatest plays ever 
written is radically reborn in this 
critically acclaimed adaptation. 
Modern poetry and sizzling 
rhythm collide in a scorching 
love triangle when Cyrano 
discovers the love of his life has 
eyes for another man. Immerse 
yourself in the romantic 
adventure of this timeless and 
heartrending love story.

 The Hollywood Reporter calls 
Crimp’s adaptation “A dazzlingly 
inventive and entertaining 
new version” and The London 
Times says “Mesmerizing… 
glittering… unforgettable.”

 Cyrano de Bergerac (Crimp) is 
presented by arrangement with 
Concord Theatricals on behalf 
of Samuel French, Inc. www.
concordtheatricals.com

 This production of Cyrano 
de Bergerac is partially 
underwritten by our very 
generous Honorary Producers 
Stephen & Susan Chandler, and 
Tammi & Lenny Steren.

 Tickets for Cyrano de 
Bergerac are currently available 
through the purchase of a 
Membership and single tickets 
go on sale Tuesday, July 16. 
More information is available 
at pasadenaplayhouse.org, by 
phone at 626-356-7529, and at 
the Box Office at 39 South El 
Molino Avenue, Pasadena, CA 
91101. 

Pasadena Public Library 
Free Programs and Events

Books N’ COPS 

Pasadena Public Library and the Pasadena Police Department 
(PPD) invite you to participate in Books ‘N’ Cops, a year 
of events for families and friends of all ages. Enjoy this 
opportunity to learn, create and laugh. 

LevelUP Youth Leadership Conference: Building a Just 
and Sustainable Future 

This free conference aims to empower youth aged 12-18 
by providing them with valuable inspiration and tools to 
contribute to climate justice and sustainability efforts. The 
event will feature inspiring speakers, enriching workshops and 
a resource fair showcasing organizations making a positive 
impact on young minds and our planet. Lunch included. For 
more information about the LevelUP Youth Conference, visit 
pasadena-library.net/teens/teen-advisory-board/levelup-
youth-conference/. Register at: cityofpasadena.net/library/
calendar/?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%
3D173772156. For teens only. Tuesday, July 16 • 10 a.m. – 2 
p.m. • Jefferson Branch Library

Sustainability Fair 

Discover local organizations making a positive impact on 
young minds and our planet at our Sustainability Fair. Fun 
activities for all ages. All ages are welcome to attend the 
Sustainability Fair. Lunch is provided for kids and teens only. 
Tuesday, July 16 • noon – 2 p.m. • Jefferson Branch Library

Pickling Workshop 

This hands-on pickling class will guide participants through 
the basic concepts of fermentation and vinegar pickling for 
the home kitchen. LA–based fermented food advocate and 
instructor Jessica Wang brings extra tips and insight drawn 
from her family’s diasporic Chinese culinary heritage. To 
attend, sign up at CityOfPasadena.net/Library/Calendar/. 
For adults and youth, ages 10+. Sunday, July 21 • 2 p.m. • 
Hastings Branch Library

Ghibli Garden Party

Celebrate the joy and wonder of Studio Ghibli and the 35th 
anniversary of the film Kiki’s Delivery Service with a garden 
party on Hill Avenue Branch Library’s outdoor patio! There 
will be games, activities, and giveaways as well as a screening 
of the movie. Registration not necessary, but those who 
RSVP will receive a special thank you gift. To attend, sign up 
at CityOfPasadena.net/Library/Calendar/. Saturday, Aug. 3 • 
3 p.m. • Hill Avenue Branch Library

Celebrate National Night Out 

Join us for Linda Vista’s first National Night Out on Bryant St. 
between Linda Vista and Ontario Avenues! Celebrate with 
neighbors, police, fire, and more. Enjoy free entertainment 
as we build a stronger community. Everyone is welcome! 
Tuesday, Aug. 6 • 6 - 10 p.m. • Linda Vista Branch Library

Cat Party! 

Santa Cat invites you to celebrate International Cat Day with 
cat-themed activities purr-fect for the whole family. You’ll 
be sure to enjoy every meow-ment. Friday, Aug. 9 • 3 p.m. • 
Santa Catalina Branch Library

‘Ranger’ Greene Presents: National Parks California 
Edition 

Join “Ranger” Greene as he takes you on a tour through 
California’s majestic national parks! Enjoy the sights and 
outdoors without ever leaving the library. You’ll also learn 
about the library’s California national park resources. 
Thursday, Aug. 15 • 4 p.m. • Santa Catalina Branch Library

Paint with Us 

Create a work of art through a guided painting session. No 
experience needed. All materials supplied. To attend, sign up 
at CityOfPasadena.net/Library/Calendar/ beginning Aug. 1. 
For teens, adults and youth ages 8+. Thursday, Aug. 29 • 3:30 
p.m. • Hill Avenue Branch Library

Police to 
hold Military 
Equipment 
Meeting 

 
Pasadena Police Department 
officials rescheduled and 
relocated a public meeting, 
to review their 2023 Military 
Equipment Report in 
accordance with state law. 

 The new meeting will now 
be held Tuesday, July 16, at 
6:30 p.m., and it will take 
place at the Washington Park 
Community House. 

 According to officials, in 
compliance with AB 481, the 
Pasadena Police Department 
will submit their annual 
report on the use of military 
equipment, any comments, 
concerns, remarks, input, or 
feedback regarding the use of 
the equipment, results of any 
internal audits on the use of 
the equipment, the annual 
costs for the equipment, the 
quantity possessed by the 
agency and the intention 
to purchase additional 
equipment in the next fiscal 
year. In addition, within 
30 days of submitting 
and publicly releasing the 
report, a well-publicized and 
community engagement 
meeting must be held to allow 
for public comments.

 Persons wishing to comment 
on the proposed report may 
do so at the public hearing or 
at: cityofpasadena.net/police.

 The Washington Park 
Community House is located 
at 700 E. Washington Blvd.

 For further information call 
(626) 744-7875 or email at 
mcuellar@cityofpasadena.net

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