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Mountain View News Saturday, November 9, 2024

Veterans Day 
Closures and 
Reminders


City Announces New 
Public Works Director

 
Pasadena city officials 
announced Monday that 
Greg de Vinck has been 
selected to be the next Public 
Works Director, effective 
Monday, Dec. 2. He will 
oversee a department with 
273 full-time employees 
and an annual budget of $ 
93.5 million. de Vinck was 
selected after conducting 
a nationwide search that 
spanned several months and 
attracted many well-qualified 
candidates.

 De Vinck has 28 years of 
experience in public works 
and was most recently the 
Public Works Director with 
the City of San Gabriel for 
six years. At San Gabriel, 
he oversaw the operations 
of public works, including 
Administration, Engineering, 
Field Operations, Fleet 
Maintenance, Parks and 
Facilities, and Wastewater 
(including stormwater). 
Under his leadership, the 
city’s Pavement Condition 
Index improved from 58 to 
85, going from the worst 
to the best streets among 
all its neighboring cities. 
He improved operational 
efficiencies, designed and 
constructed an addition to 
the police station using only 
in-house staff, surveyed and 
modeled the entire sewer 
system for efficient capital 
planning, and expanded 
the use of GIS software 
to improve maintenance 
operations, work-order 
tracking, and public access to 
data.

 Prior to San Gabriel, he 
worked in the engineering 
division for the City of 
Santa Monica for 22 years, 
successfully managing dozens 
of Capital Improvement 
Projects, including many 
of the largest and most 
complex projects the city 
has undertaken, including 
several LEED (Leadership in 
Energy Efficient Design) – 
certified projects.

 
De Vinck has a Bachelor 
of Science degree in civil 
engineering from Rutgers 
University with an emphasis 
on structural design and six 
years of private engineering 
experience designing and 
inspecting bridges in New 
Jersey and Ottawa, Canada.

 “Greg will be a tremendous 
asset to our City. He has 
a robust public works 
background, a proven track 
record delivering projects 
both big and small, and is 
known for his innovative 
and forward thinking 
mindset. I am confident he 
will work well with both the 
community he serves and 
his nearly 300-person team, 
engaging their expertise to 
bring about creative solutions 
to the challenges that lie 
ahead,” said City Manager 
Miguel Márquez.

 “I am thrilled to join Pasadena 
as the next Public Works 
Director. I love public works 
and the essential services 
that support and enhance 
a community’s quality of 
life. It’s highly rewarding to 
deliver successful Capital 
Improvement Projects as 
well as efficient and reliable 
services to the public. Making 
lives better through public 
infrastructure and municipal 
services is what public works 
is all about,” said de Vinck.

 For more information visit: 
CityOfPasadena.net.

 
Pasadena City Hall and 
many City services and 
administrative business 
offices will be closed 
Monday in observance 
of Veterans Day, a day to 
honor those who have 
served in the U.S. Armed 
Forces. The public is 
invited to attend a special 
Veterans Day ceremony at 
Pasadena City Hall, 100 N. 
Garfield Ave., on Monday, 
November 11, beginning at 
10:00 a.m.

 Specific Veterans Day 
closures and exceptions are 
noted below.

 Pasadena residents and 
businesses with any power 
emergencies should call 
Pasadena’s Water and 
Power (PWP) Department 
at (626) 744-4673. For 
water-related emergencies, 
call (626) 744-4138. PWP’s 
Customer Service Call 
Center will be closed for 
the holiday, but customers 
can access their accounts 
and make payments by 
phone at (626) 744-4005 or 
online at PWPweb.com.

 The City Service Center 
(CSC) will be closed on 
Monday and will return to 
normal business hours, 8 
a.m. to 5 p.m., on Tuesday. 
CSC is available via the 
web and by calling (626) 
744-7311. Residents with 
City trash and recycling 
service will be on their 
regular pickup schedule for 
November 11, including 
any previously scheduled 
pickups for bulky items.

 Both Pasadena Transit 
and Pasadena Dial-A-Ride 
services will operate on 
their normal schedules. All 
parking meters will be free, 
and parking time limits will 
not be enforced; however, 
violations for overnight 
parking, red curb parking, 
“No Parking” zones, and 
blocking fire hydrants will 
be enforced. All regular 
enforcement resumes on 
Tuesday.

 The Permit Center will 
be closed on Monday; 
however, many services 
will be available via Permit 
Center Online, where 
you can obtain subtrade 
permits and submit plans 
for new construction, 
tenant improvements, 
accessory dwelling units, 
and additions. In-person 
operations will resume after 
each holiday on Tuesday.

 All Pasadena Public 
Library sites will be closed 
on Sunday and Monday. 
Regular operating hours 
resume Tuesday.

 Pasadena Police and 
Fire Departments will be 
staffed for all patrol, jail, 
fire, paramedic, and other 
emergency services, but not 
business or administrative 
offices. If you see 
something, say something; 
report suspicious activity 
to Pasadena Police at 
(626) 744-4241. For life-
threatening emergencies, 
dial 9-1-1.

 All parks will be open 
for picnics, fun, and 
play; however, no site 
reservations are accepted 
for the holiday.

 For more information visit: 
CityOfPasadena.net.

John Vorhaus, Grand Marshal of Doo Dah

 

 Light Bringer Project and 
The Doo Dah Preservation 
Society officials announced 
their selection of the 2024 
Grand Marshal of the 
Pasadena Doo Dah Parade, 
local ultimate frisbee legend 
John Vorhaus.

 John Vorhaus, the runner of 
Hahamonga and Brookside 
Parks’ “Slacker Wednesday” 
ultimate frisbee game, 
renowned comedy writer 
and teacher, and self-
described “serial creative 
entrepreneur” was in a cab in 
London finishing up a three-
week teaching tour when 
he received the news of his 
selection. He “couldn’t say yes 
fast enough” and called his 
appointment to the position 
“the apotheosis of my life.”

 Vorhaus, known broadly in 
ultimate circles as “JV” is a 
longtime resident of the San 
Gabriel Valley and a lifelong 
devotee of ultimate. “I’ve 
been playing twice a week for 
45 years,” says JV, “but I can 
quit anytime I want.” Though 
he won a world gold medal 
with the 1990 USA Masters 
ultimate frisbee team, he 
considers founding Slacker 
Wednesday to be the pinnacle 
of his contribution to the 
sport. Slacker Wednesday 
has been going strong now 
for more than two decades, 
energized by one of its many 
mottos: It Works Because You 
Don’t.

 The Slacker Wednesday elves 
are hard at work creating 
adornments and garb befitting 
a Grand Marshal. Vorhaus 
alluded to a full “Honor Guard 
of Slackers” to accompany 
him as his entourage, a few 
freestylers to add flare to his 
grand entrance, and of course 
a bewildering costume which 
he hopes will wow spectators 
on parade day.

 John Vorhaus is best known 
for his comedy-writing 
classic, The Comic Toolbox: 
How to be Funny Even if 
You’re Not. He has taught and 
trained writers in 37 countries 
on five continents at last 
count, and created TV shows 
of his own in Nicaragua, 
Romania and elsewhere. His 
writing credits include dozens 
of teleplays and screenplays, 
plus seven novels and some 
two dozen works of non-
fiction. His latest book is The 
Book of Practice: How to do 
Better What You Want to do 
Well. Vorhaus is a graduate of 
Carnegie Mellon University 
and a member of the Writers 
Guild of America. 

 Known as the twisted sister of 
the conventional Rose Parade, 
the Occasional Pasadena Doo 
Dah Parade celebrates 45 
years of irreverent frolicking 
in Old Pasadena on Sunday, 
November 24 at 11 a.m. 

 For more information visit: 
pasadenadoodahparade.info.

Thanksgiving 
at Pasadena 
Senior Center

 
Pasadena Senior Center 
are saying let’s give thanks 
together on Thursday, Nov. 
28, at noon at the Center at 
85 E. Holly St.

 The Scott Pavilion 
will be decorated with 
Thanksgiving and autumn 
décor. Diners will enjoy 
a delicious, traditional 
Thanksgiving turkey feast 
with all the gobbling good 
trimmings in a fun and 
festive atmosphere with 
live music. Vegetarian 
options will be available.

 The cost for the luncheon 
is only $15 for members and 
$20 for non-members of all 
ages. To register, visit www.
pasadenaseniorcenter.org 
and click on Activities & 
Events, then Special Events 
or call 626-795-4331. 
Tickets will not be available 
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 www.
pasadenaseniorcenter.org 
or call 626-795-4331.

Winners of the Día de los 
Muertos art competition

Free Health Screening

 
Thursdays, Nov. 14 & Dec. 
12 | 11 a.m. | La Pintoresca 
Branch Library located 1355 
N Raymond Ave.

 Wednesdays, Nov. 20 & 
Dec. 18 | 10 a.m. | Hastings 
Branch Library located 3325 
E Orange Grove Blvd.

 Registered nurses from 
Huntington Health, an 
affiliate of Cedar Sinai, 
provide referrals, health 
education and free blood 
pressure and blood glucose 
screenings for hypertension 
and diabetes. A two-hour 
(minimum) fasting time is 
required before blood glucose 
testing. No appointment 
necessary.

For more information visit: 
cityofpasadena.net/library or 
call (626) 744-4066

 
The Pasadena Tournament of 
Roses announced the winners 
of the fifth annual Día de los 
Muertos art competition, a 
celebration of art and culture, 
in partnership with the 
Consulate General of Mexico 
in Los Angeles, LA Plaza 
de Cultura y Artes, Athens 
Services, Ed and Delia Corey, 
Rose Hills Memorial Park 
& Mortuary and Wife of the 
Party.

 More than 1000 students 
participated, and their artwork 
highlighted the traditions 
of Día de los Muertos and 
artistic talent in numerous 
art forms, including drawing, 
face painting, poetry and 
more. Winners of this year’s 
regional competition were 
awarded cash prizes and gift 
cards in three age categories: 
4-8, 9-13 and 14-18.

 A tradition in Mexico 
and Central America that 
goes back more than 3,000 
years, Día de los Muertos 
is an annual holiday that is 
now celebrated around the 
world. A celebration of life 
and death, the holiday spans 
two-days, during which it 
is believed that the spirit 
world and the real world 
become one, even if only for 
a moment. When it comes 
to traditions, festivities and 
flowers – we get the appeal. 
As an organization that’s all 
about a rose, the Pasadena 
Tournament of Roses can 
appreciate that the marigold 
holds such a prestigious place 
in this celebration.

 For more information visit: 
tournamentofroses.com. 


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