5

Mountain View News Saturday, December 7, 2024

Man Arrested 
for Assault on 
Police Officer


Pasadena Transit to Expand 
Bus Service Starting Dec. 15

 
A homeless man was 
arrested late last month in 
South Pasadena after he 
threw a rock hitting the 
windshield of a police car. 

 According to South 
Pasadena Police on 
November 16 at about 2:20 
p.m., officers responded
to the 1400 Block of
Huntington Drive to
investigate a reported
vandalism where a male
suspect had shattered four
windows of vehicles parked
in the area.

 Officers located twenty-
eight-year-old Norberto 
Sanchez in the 1900 Block 
of Marengo Avenue. When 
they attempted to contact 
him, Sanchez became 
agitated and belligerent. 
He threw numerous objects 
at the officers, including 
bottles of alcohol and large 
landscape rocks. One of 
the rocks damaged the 
windshield of a patrol 
vehicle as an officer was 
arriving on scene. Officers 
deployed less lethal devices 
and Sanchez eventually 
surrendered and was 
taken into custody without 
further incident. Neither 
the officers nor Sanchez 
sustained any injuries. 

 Sanchez is unhoused 
police said. He was arrested 
for assault with a deadly 
weapon on a peace officer 
and felony vandalism. He 
was taken to Alhambra 
City Jail for housing and 
booking. 

 Anyone with additional 
information about this 
incident is urged to call 
the South Pasadena Police 
Department at (626) 403-
7265. If you would like to 
provide an anonymous tip, 
you can call Crime Stoppers 
at (800) 222-TIPS (8477). 

 Pasadena Transit officials 
announced Wednesday that 
the system will expand from six 
to eight bus routes beginning 
Sunday, December 15. Metro 
Lines 177 and 256 will become 
Pasadena Transit Routes 53 and 
33, respectively. 

 The city will integrate these 
two routes into the Pasadena 
Transit network of bus routes 
per the Metro NextGen Bus 
Plan. Metro bus Line 177, which 
connects Caltech, Northwest 
Pasadena and the Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory (JPL) via Fair Oaks 
Ave, Mountain St and the 
210 freeway, will be Pasadena 
Transit Route 53. Metro bus Line 
256, which connects Highland 
Park A (Gold) Line Station, 
Northwest Pasadena, and the 
Sierra Madre Villa A (Gold) 
Line Station via Washington 
Blvd., will be Pasadena Transit 
Route 33.

 “The last time Pasadena added 
a bus route to its system was 
in 2003, so this is an exciting 
moment for us,” Joaquin Siques, 
Director of Transportation for 
Pasadena. “Adding these two 
routes into our system allows 
us to coordinate schedules with 
our existing routes to better 
meet the needs of our residents 
and visitors.”

 Pasadena Transit Route 33 will 
have a frequency improvement 
from every 50 minutes to every 
35 minutes and service along 
Washington Blvd. has been 
coordinated between Routes 
31/32/33 so that a bus arrives 
every 18 minutes between 
Fair Oaks Ave. and Altadena 
Blvd. The route and bus stop 
locations will remain the same 
as what Metro provides today, 
however, they will be branded 
for Pasadena Transit and will no 
longer be part of the Metro bus 
network according to Siques.

 Metro’s base fare on these two 
routes of $1.75 will be replaced 
by Pasadena Transit’s base fare of 
$0.75. TAP Cards are accepted 
as fare on Pasadena Transit 
services. Transfers between 
Pasadena Transit routes is free 
for 2.5 hours. If transferring 
from another transit service 
including LA Metro bus and rail 
services, it is $0.25. Transferring 
from Pasadena Transit routes to 
Metro bus and rail services is 
$0.50. Pasadena Transit provides 
discounted fares for seniors, 
customers with disabilities, and 
youth Siques said.

 The schedules for Pasadena 
Transit Routes 31/32, 40 and 
51/52 will also be updated as 
part of this service change he 
said.

 For more detailed information 
or for real-time arrival 
information please visit 
Pasadena Transit’s website at 
PasadenaTransit.net or contact 
Pasadena Transit Customer 
Service at (626) 744-4055. 

Local Residents Rally to Save Oak Tree

By Dean Lee

 Pasadena Department of Public 
Works put up barricades in 
McDonald Park Monday, a day 
after a large group of residents 
rallied to save a large century old 
oak tree from being cut down.

 The oak tree in question is 
on the east side of the park in 
Bungalow Heaven. On Sunday 
residents tied ribbons to the tree 
pleading to spare it. A larger sign 
placed on the tree read, “I may 
be high but by roots run deep.”

 According to organizers, “while 
this is but one tree, more mature 
trees are slated for removal in 
this park. We must intercede 
to prevent a troubling trend of 
removing rather than treating 
and supporting our historic 
trees,” they said.

 In a statement, Pasadena 
Public Information Officer Lisa 
Derderian commented that 
the city’s long-time Arborists 
inspected the tree after they 
received a complaint from a 
resident about the tree’s safety. 
She said that the tree is a threat 
to residents and visitors due to 
instability in its roots and large 
branches. 

 Derderian also said the tree 
is less than 100 years old after 
many residents claimed it to be 
over 200. 

 Derderian said that the city 
is also seeking a third-party 
independent assessment of the 
condition of the tree prior to 
taking any further action. 

 Pasadena’s Municipal Code 
establishes strict processes and 
guidelines to help protect the 
city’s forest and ensures that 
trees are not removed without 
justified reasons and only as last 
resort when considering public 
safety.

 “The city values its urban 
forest of over 60,000 trees, 
annually receiving a Tree City 
USA designation since 1988,” 
Derderian said. “The city’s 
primary focus is to sustain a safe, 
healthy forest for members of the 
community to enjoy. The City of 
Pasadena prides itself on being a 
compassionate caregiver of trees 
that enhance the city’s beauty, 
provide environmental benefits, 
and enhance public health, and 
will continue to take utmost care 
of our trees while protecting the 
safety of the public.”

Volunteer 
for the 2025 
Homeless 
Count

PWP Updates Water Service 
and City Watering Schedule

 The survey will take 
place on the evening 
of Wednesday, January 
22, and the morning of 
Thursday, January 23.



 Pasadena Water and Power 
(PWP) announced Monday 
three developments in water 
operations: the completion of a 
major water main replacement 
project, the launch of a searchable 
customer service line inventory 
system, and a reminder about the 
annual water scheduling change.

Completion of Glenarm Water 
Main Replacement Project

 PWP is proud to announce 
that the Glenarm Water Main 
project, a crucial upgrade to an 
over 100-year-old 12-inch cast 
iron water main along Glenarm 
Street, is complete. The project 
spans approximately 3,000 feet 
from Arroyo Parkway to El 
Molino Avenue. This upgrade 
enhances water service reliability 
for the city.

 “The completion of this 
project, as well as the recent 
completion of a similar upgrade 
on Bellefontaine Street, helps 
ensure the community will 
continue to benefit from reliable, 
high-quality water,” says Chief 
Assistant General Manager, 
Stacie Takeguchi. “Pasadena 
Water and Power is dedicated 
to improving our infrastructure 
efficiently and effectively year-
round.”

Pasadena is Deemed a Non-
Lead Service Line System 
with Customer Service Line 
Inventory Launch - Lead and 
Copper Rule Revisions

 Based on extensive efforts to 
verify and ensure water quality, 
Pasadena is deemed a non-lead 
service line system. Furthering 
Pasadena’s commitment to 
water quality, PWP launched 
the Customer Service Line 
Inventory, a searchable 
accounting of water service lines. 
The inventory complies with the 
U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) 2021 Lead and 
Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) 
applied nationwide.

 The service line is the pipe that 
delivers water from the water 
main into homes and businesses. 
PWP owns and maintains the 
portion from the water main 
to the meter, while property 
owners own and maintain the 
section from the meter to the 
home or business. In 2018, PWP 
established a complete inventory 
of the city-owned service lines, 
which do not contain lead. The 
new regulations further require 
PWP to perform an inventory 
of customer-owned service 
lines. Ongoing efforts, including 
routine field verifications, 
continue on a regular basis to 
ensure the inventory remains 
up-to-date.

 Customers can search and view 
the inventory at PWPweb.com/
LineInventory.

One-Day-Watering Schedule 
Now in Effect

 Pasadena’s one-day outdoor 
watering schedule is now in 
effect through March 31, in 
accordance with the City’s 
existing Level 2 Water Supply 
Shortage Plan. Outdoor watering 
is limited to one day a week. 
Even-numbered addresses may 
water on Mondays, while odd-
numbered addresses may water 
on Tuesdays. All watering must 
be done before 9 a.m. or after 6 
p.m., with exceptions for hand-
watering, tree maintenance, and 
other water conserving methods, 
such as low flow drip-type 
irrigation systems.

 PWP provides electricity to more 
than 65,000 customers within 
Pasadena. PWP delivers water 
to nearly 38,000 households 
and businesses in Pasadena and 
adjacent communities in the San 
Gabriel Valley. As a community-
owned utility, PWP is a not-for-
profit public service owned and 
operated by the City of Pasadena 
for the benefit of its customers 
and the community.

 For more information, 

City Announces Director 
of Housing Recruitment

 The City of Pasadena and 
Pasadena Partnership seek 
volunteers to help with the 
annual Homeless Count 
in 2025. The count sets 
in motion a year full of 
education, engagement and 
action for the Pasadena 
Partnership. Each year, 
volunteers help count people 
experiencing homelessness 
living on the streets of 
Pasadena for one night and 
one morning in the last ten 
days of January. The annual 
homeless count informs 
the state of homelessness in 
Pasadena, helps advocate for 
vital community resources, 
and engages directly with 
our neighbors experiencing 
homelessness through a 
survey. Volunteers will be 
sent in teams of 3-4 to an 
assigned zone on the night 
of Wednesday, January 22, 
8-10 p.m., and the morning
of Thursday, January 23, 6-8
a.m. The same teams go out
together in the evening and
the morning.

 Volunteers who register to 
participate should be over 18 
years old and will be asked to 
attend an online orientation 
to prepare for the count on 
Wednesday, January 15. The 
deadline to register to be a 
volunteer is Sunday, January 
5.All volunteers can sign
up at PasadenaPartnership.
org. Volunteers are the
foundation of ensuring the
count is a success and is
carried out effectively and
comprehensively.

For questions, contact us at
info@pasadenapartnership.
org.

Museum 
Free Day

 City Manager Miguel Márquez 
announced Thursday the 
recruitment process for the 
next Director of Housing. The 
application process for this 
position is slated to begin in 
January with screenings and 
interviews taking place in 
February.

 “Community input is an 
essential component in 
selecting the next leader of the 
Housing Department,” Márquez 
said. “I strongly encourage 
all community members to 
participate in the upcoming 
forum and share their 
perspectives on the qualities, 
skills, and experience they 
believe are critical for the new 
director.”

 The executive search firm of 
WBPC, Inc. will facilitate the 
executive search and the public 
meeting.

 The City of Pasadena 
Department of Housing 
is dedicated to providing 
affordable housing and 
community development 
opportunities for low and 
moderate income persons 
and employment resources to 
enhance and strengthen our 
community.

 The community forum will take 
place on Zoom on the following 
date and time: Thursday, 
December 19 at 6:00 p.m.

 Meeting information can be 
found at: cityofpasadena.net 
search “Director of Housing 
Recruitment.”

 Those who would like to 
offer input but cannot attend 
the meeting can do so online 

 
Pasadena Museum of History 
is inviting the public Sunday 
to their "Hollywood Magic" 
as part of Museum Free Day. 
The event runs from noon to 
5 p.m.

 Immerse yourself in the glitz, 
the glamour, and the legendary 
revelries of Hollywood and 
filmmaking as Pasadena 
Museum of History opens 
its doors for a free afternoon 
focused on the Pasadena-
Hollywood connection. Visit 
the exhibition Lights, Camera, 
Action! Hollywood Magic 
in Pasadena to discover the 
famous people, places and 
productions tied to this region. 
Enjoy Mini Self-Guided Tours 
of the 1906 Fényes Mansion 
and visit the one-of-a-kind 
Finnish Folk Art Museum. 
Watch silent movie. They will 
be showing classic silent films 
starring Charlie Chaplin, 
Harold Lloyd and Laurel 
and Hardy and serving free 
popcorn throughout the 
afternoon.

 Pasadena Museum of History 


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