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Mountain View News Saturday, October 12, 2024

Domestic 
Violence 
Awareness 
at City Hall

Polytechnic School Halts the 
PolyFields Project in Altadena


By Dean Lee

 In a public letter to the 
community Tuesday, 
Polytechnic School in Pasadena, 
stated that they are officially 
withdrawing the land use 
application to the County of 
Los Angeles for the embattled 
PolyFields project in Altadena. 

 “This study [of the site’s 
environmental conditions] 
brought new information to 
light,” said Alec Hudnut, Chair 
of Polytechnic School Board 
of Trustees. “Ultimately, the 
site proved to be too complex, 
Infrastructure, engineering, and 
grading requirements drove 
the development costs to levels 
that were much higher than 
anticipated, and far beyond what 
we believe to be reasonable.”

 According to Hudnut a 
special board committee will 
lead a process to explore a 
variety of options, including 
a single site or a combination 
of smaller properties, “We are 
also evaluating investments in 
our existing athletic facilities on 
campus.”

 The school had been in talks 
with Nuccio’s Nurseries to buy 
their property, which would 
have been the site for the 
complex. Co-owner Jim Nuccio 
said Friday that Polytechnic had 
pulled out of the sale but they 
were going to keep the Nursery 
property on the market. 

 “It’s just a matter of how we are 
going to do it,” he said. “We’re 
going to get the whole family 
together and see what we want 
to do on this? We’ll have more 
information later on.”

 On the same day as Polytechnic 
School’s decision to withdraw 
the project, the organization 
AltadenaWild unveiled a 
billboard on North Lake Avenue 
near East Mariposa Street 
declaring “Help Protect our 
Foothills.” The organization was 
founded in 2022 by opposing 
the PolyFields project. 

 According to AltadenaWild 
Board of Directors, the campus 
would have included a football/
soccer/athletics stadium, a 
baseball stadium, and six tennis. 
The proposal would have also 
includes: a training facility, a 
student fitness center, a wellness 
center, a coaches building, 
batting cages, various equipment 
storage buildings, and a lounge. 
Poly Fields would have also 
included outdoor lighting for 
night events, amplified sound, 
and a 208-vehicle underground 
parking structure. 

 Many of the neighbors next 
to the Nuccio’s Nurseries 3555 
Chaney Trail have signs in thier 
yards opposing the project, 
which they said would bring 
increased traffic, impact the 
native wildlife and associated 
migration corridors, create 
noise and light pollution, 
increase risk in a very high-risk 
fire zone and increase the risk of 
accidents involving vehicles and 
pedestrians.

 “Our motto [Let’s Keep 
Altadena WILD] will no doubt 
be tested in the future by other 
proposed developments,” 
AltadenaWild Board of 
Directors said in a statement. 

 AltadenaWild unveils 
billboard on North Lake Ave. 
declaring “Help Protect our 
Foothills."

 Join the City of Pasadena 
Parks, Recreation and 
Community Services 
(PRCS) Department 
and the Commission on 
the Status of Women for 
Light a Candle to Honor 
& Celebrate Survivors of 
Domestic Violence on 
Thursday, Oct. 24 from 6-7 
p.m. on the front steps of 
Pasadena City Hall, 100 N. 
Garfield Ave.

 The public is invited to 
this free event to honor 
and celebrate survivors, 
and to raise awareness to 
end domestic violence. 
Refreshments will be 
provided by Der Wolf, 
courtesy of Commissioner 
Crystal Aceves. Attendees 
are encouraged to wear 
purple.

 “Leaving an abusive 
relationship is the most 
dangerous time for people 
experiencing domestic 
violence,” said Vanessa 
Rodriguez, Chairwoman, 
Commission on the Status 
of Women. “With one in 
three California adults 
experiencing some form of 
intimate partner violence 
during their lifetime, the 
Commission on the Status 
of Women is dedicated 
to supporting survivors 
and providing access to 
city resources needed to 
overcome abuse.”

 The Commission on 
the Status of Women is 
collaborating with three 
community organizations 
that provide direct services 
to survivors of domestic 
violence to present the 
Light a Candle event. 
Organizations include 
YWCA Glendale & 
Pasadena, Shepherd’s Door 
and Peace Over Violence.

 According to crime 
statistics published by the 
California Department of 
Justice through the Open 
Justice initiative, domestic 
violence-related calls 
for assistance have been 
steadily rising in the City of 
Pasadena over the past ten 
years, with a particularly 
sharp increase in weapon-
involved reports from 
2022-2023, the most recent 
year of available data. 

 “These trends are alarming, 
and it is important that the 
City of Pasadena does more 
to both raise awareness 
and support survivors,” 
said Maura Harrington 
Roggero, Vice-Chair of the 
Commission on the Status 
of Women.

 For more information, 
please contact Leticia 
Lopez, at LeLopez@
CityOfPasadena.net. To 
attend, please RSVP at bit.
ly/3MLgZEc

Billie Jean King, Rose Parade Grand Marshal

 The Pasadena Tournament of 
Roses reveled Monday morning 
that Billie Jean King, sports icon 
and champion for equality, will 
serve as Grand Marshal of the 
2025 Rose Parade. Tournament 
President Ed Morales made the 
announcement on the front 
steps of the iconic Tournament 
House as King made a grand 
entrance to Elton John’s hit song 
“Philadelphia Freedom”—a song 
famously written in her honor. 

 “The work of our Grand 
Marshal has brought respect 
and credibility to Women and 
Women’s sports, but make on 
mistake, she is a champion and 
advocate for all athletes and has 
created countless best days ever 
for sports fans all over the world,” 
Morales said. “We are thrilled 
to welcome the legendary Billie 
Jean King to serve as the Grand 
Marshal of the 2025 Rose 
Parade.”

 Billie Jean King’s impact 
extends far beyond sports and 
the tennis court. Named one 
of the “100 Most Important 
Americans of the 20th Century” 
by LIFE magazine, she is the first 
woman athlete to receive the 
Presidential Medal of Freedom, 
and she will become the first 
individual woman athlete to 
receive the Congressional 
Gold Medal. King is also the 
founder of the Women’s Sports 
Foundation, the Women’s Tennis 
Association, and the Billie Jean 
King Foundation Morales said.

 “Just last week Cal State LA 
unveiled a statue of our Grand 
Marshal in front of the sports 
complex that bears her name,” 
Morales said. 

 As Grand Marshal, King will 
ride down Colorado Boulevard 
and participate in the pre-game 
ceremony at the College Football 
Playoff Quarterfinal at the 111th 
Rose Bowl Game on Jan. 1.

 “Being from Long Beach 
and growing up in Southern 
California I have fond memories 
of watching the parade with 
my family and I am deeply 
honored to be named Grand 
Marshal of the 2025 Rose 
Parade,” King said. “This parade 
is a wonderful celebration of 
joy and community, and it truly 
represents the “Best Day Ever” 
for all who attend or watch.”

 The Women’s Sports Foundation 
exists to enable girls and women 
to reach their potential in 
sport and life. We are an ally, 
an advocate, and a catalyst for 
tomorrow’s leaders. Founded by 
King in 1974, we are one of the 
first organizations to recognize 
the powerful connection 
between sport access, equity, and 
society. For more information 
visit: womenssportsfoundation.
org.

 For more information about the 
Pasadena Tournament of Roses 
visit: tournamentofroses.com. 

Photo by D.Lee/MYNews

Pasadena 
Public Art 
Walking Tour

 In celebration of Walktober, 
Jennifer Paige, Director of 
Planning and Community 
Development, and the Cultural 
Affairs Division are inviting 
the public to a special Public 
Art Walking Tour on Sunday, 
October 20 at 10:00 a.m. 

 The tour will start and end 
at the Pasadena Robinson 
Memorial, 95 Garfield Avenue.

 Join Councilmember Justin 
Jones and Cultural Affairs Staff 
for a 2.5-mile tour showcasing 
notable public artworks 
commissioned under the City’s 
Private Development and Civic 
Public Art Programs. Attendees 
will have an opportunity to 
explore the stories behind some 
of the city’s most iconic public 
artworks, learn about the artists 
who created them, and gain 
insight into how public art 
enhances the cultural fabric and 
visual landscape of Pasadena.

 Walktober is an annual 
international initiative to 
encourage walking, and this 
year marks Pasadena’s 7th year 
of participation. Walktober 
offers a variety of events 
throughout October to promote 
walking for health, social 
connection, and appreciation 
of the city’s cultural and natural 
beauty. The Public Art Walking 
Tour is one of many exciting 
activities aimed at inspiring 
the community to explore 
Pasadena’s vibrant public 
spaces.

 The Public Art Walking Tour 
is free and open to the public, 
with registration required. 
Members of the public who 
are interested in participating 
are encouraged to register early 
as space may be limited. Visit 
www.WalktoberPasadena.
org for more information and 
to register. For accessibility 
information and requests, 
contact (626) 744-7311 or 
CSC@cityofpasadena.net.

 For more information about 
the Public Art Walking Tour or 
the City’s Public Art Program, 
visit www.cityofpasadena.net/
arts or contact Corey Dunlap, 
Public Art Coordinator, 
Planning & Community 
Development Department: 
cdunlap@cityofpasadena.net, 
(626) 744-7547.

Roadway 
Safety 
Action Plan 
Workshops

 

 
City of Pasadena Department of 
Transportation staff announced 
Tuesday a series of workshops 
to help prioritize future traffic 
safety projects.

 According to city officials, 
Pasadena is developing a 
Local Roadway Safety Action 
Plan to identify and prioritize 
traffic safety projects for future 
funding opportunities. The 
initial list of proposed projects 
has been identified based on 
crash history, the safety benefit 
of potential treatments, multi-
modal safety benefits for 
complete streets, equity, and 
sustainability.

 They are inviting the public 
to learn about planned 
projects, and/or to suggest 
your own, at the website, bit.
ly/PasadenaLRSAP, or at any 
of four upcoming community 
workshops. Project staff will 
be at each workshop to answer 
any questions. Arrive any time 
between 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to talk 
to staff, learn about projects, 
and give suggestions. Both 
the website and community 
workshops will have Spanish 
and Mandarin support.

Community Workshop 
Schedule:

Wednesday, October 16, 6-8 
p.m. – Victory Park Room 3, 
2575 Paloma St.

Thursday, October 17, 6-8 p.m. 
– Villa Parke Auditorium, 363 E. 
Villa St.

Tuesday, October 22, 6-8 p.m. 
– Robinson Park Recreation 
Center, 1080 N. Fair Oaks Ave.

Thursday, October 24, 6-8 p.m. 
– City Hall Training Room, 100 
Garfield Ave.

For more vist: cityofpasadena.
net or call (626)744-7311.

ArtNight Pasadena Returns

 Pasadena city officials announced an evening of artistic exploration 
as Fall ArtNight Pasadena returns on Friday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. 
Experience 14 world-class arts and cultural venues throughout the 
city, showcasing the best of Pasadena’s vibrant creative community.

 This season, ArtNight Pasadena invites you to immerse yourself in 
a diverse array of visual art, dance, music, and more. Here are just a 
few highlights of the exciting offerings you can enjoy:

- Gamble House: Discover the intersection of sound and architecture 
with live performances by Royal Flux.

- Alkebu-lan Cultural Center: Experience dynamic on-stage tap 
dancing.

- A Room to Create: Witness kinetic dance performances by the 
Pennington Dance Group.

- At the Pasadena Museum of History, explore “Lights, Camera, 
Action! Hollywood Magic in Pasadena,” an exhibition showcasing 
the multi-dimensional world of filmmaking, featuring artifacts from 
movies, television, and music videos.

- The Armory Center for the Arts presents “From the Ground 
Up,” an inspiring exhibition of student artwork, inviting visitors to 
unleash their creativity in hands-on studio activities. At the - - Light 
Bringer Project, an outdoor installation by local artists and PUSD 
students will explore the concept of “Home” through various lenses.

- Families can get hands-on at artWORKS Teen Center, where all 
ages can create sugar skulls and screen prints, while seasonal art 
activities and snacks will be available at City Hall, accompanied by 
music from DJ Rani de Leon.

- The Art Center College of Design will showcase three thought-
provoking exhibitions, including “Seeing the Unseeable: Data, 
Design, Art,” which explores the impact of Big Data on daily life, 
as part of the Getty’s “Pacific Standard Time (PST) Art and Science 
Collide” initiative. Additionally, “Jinseok Choi: Before the Last 
Spike” examines the history of immigrant labor in connection with 
the first transcontinental railroad.

 This event is made possible in part by the City’s Arts and Culture 
Commission, which provides mini-grants to support small arts 
groups and individual artists. Each venue will offer Braille versions 
of the ArtNight brochure, and many locations, including City Hall, 
will feature food trucks.

 For a full list of participating venues and more information 
about ArtNight programming, please visit ArtNightPasadena.org 
(available in Spanish).

 For additional inquiries about Cultural Affairs Division programs, 
please contact Rochelle Branch, Cultural Affairs Division Manager, 
Planning & Community Development Department, at (626) 744-
7062.


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