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Mountain Views News Saturday, March 29, 2025

Increase 
Truck Traffic 
Due to Eaton 
Fire Projects


Pasadena Announces 
New Director of Housing

 After a nationwide search, 
Pasadena City Manager 
Miguel Márquez announced 
Monday that he has selected 
James (Jim) Wong to be the 
next Director of Housing 
with the City of Pasadena 
effective immediately. Wong 
will oversee a department 
with an annual budget of 
$46.3 million and 91 full-
time equivalent (FTE) 
employees according to 
Márquez.

 Wong brings over four 
decades of experience in 
housing programs and 
administration, thirty-five 
of which have been at the 
City of Pasadena. He was 
most recently serving as 
Acting Director of Housing 
and prior to that, as a Senior 
Project Manager since 2004. 
He has been with the City 
of Pasadena since 1990, 
when he began as a Program 
Coordinator III where he 
administered a homebuyer 
assistance loan program. 
The City of Pasadena 
welcomes Wong to his new 
role as Director of Housing 
and looks forward to the 
continued excellence he will 
bring to the department and 
the community.

 Wong has a Bachelor of 
Science degree in Economics 
and a Master’s Degree in 
Architecture and Urban 
Planning from UCLA. Wong 
is an avid music collector and 
enjoys scouring used vinyl 
bins in Pasadena.

 “Jim will be a tremendous 
asset to our City as the 
Director of Housing due 
to his strong background 
in housing administration, 
a proven track record of 
delivering critical housing 
programs, and being a 
respected presence within 
the regional housing 
community,” Márquez said. 
“Jim works effectively with 
both the community he serves 
and his team, leveraging 
their collective expertise to 
develop creative solutions 
to our many complicated 
housing challenges.” 

 “I am grateful for the 
opportunity to continue 
serving the City of Pasadena 
in this new capacity,” Wong 
said.

 For more information visit: 
cityofpasadena.net.

 
Pasadena officials are 
reminding residents of an 
increase in truck traffic 
north of the I-210 freeway 
due to two ongoing projects: 
the Eaton Fire Phase 2 
Private Property Debris 
Removal Project and the 
Eaton Wash Dam Post-Fire 
Emergency Project. While 
the trucks may look similar, 
they are transporting 
different materials and 
following specific dust 
control measures.

 The Eaton Fire Phase 
2 Private Property 
Debris Removal Project 
is managed by the U.S. 
Army Corps of Engineers 
(USACE) and involves 
removing fire-related debris 
from private properties, 
including hazardous trees, 
ash, and structural remains. 
This project will continue 
through January 2026. 
Trucks transporting this 
debris will have their cargo 
wrapped in 10-mil plastic 
with covered cargo areas to 
prevent the spread of dust 
and debris. Haul routes 
have been established by 
the City of Pasadena in 
coordination with LA 
County, USACE, and 
neighboring jurisdictions.

 The Eaton Wash Dam Post-
Fire Emergency Project, 
managed by Los Angeles 
County Public Works, 
is focused on removing 
sediment and organic 
material from the reservoir 
to prevent flooding during 
storm season. This project 
will continue through 
May 2025. The sediment 
is from undeveloped land 
and is regularly tested to 
ensure it is non-hazardous. 
To minimize dust, several 
control measures are in 
place, including water 
trucks, covered truck beds, 
moistening sediment loads, 
regular street sweeping, 
and rumble plates to reduce 
tire dust. Trucks are also 
cleaned before leaving the 
reservoir site. These trucks 
will follow the same haul 
route as the Phase 2 debris 
removal project, using New 
York Drive to Rosemead 
Blvd. Visit the Eaton Wash 
Dam Post-Fire Emergency 
Project website for more 
information.

What to Expect:

- Increased Traffic: 
Residents should expect 
additional trucks on the 
road along these haul 
routes.

- Traffic Adjustments: 
Signal timing will be 
adjusted to manage traffic 
flow.

- Safety Reminder: Please 
be patient and drive 
carefully near haul routes.

- Community Impact: 
These projects are essential 
for the recovery process 
and reducing flood risks.

For more information visit: 
CityOfPasadena.net.

Rose Bowl Stadium to Host Olympic Soccer

 City of Pasadena officials 
announced Wednesday that they 
have signed a historic agreement 
with the organizers of the 2028 
Olympic and Paralympic Games 
(LA28) for the Rose Bowl 
Stadium to host Olympic soccer, 
including the semifinal and 
final matches for both men and 
women. This will mark the third 
time that Pasadena will play a 
role in the Olympic Games at the 
iconic Rose Bowl Stadium.

 “Pasadena is proud to be a 
Venue City supporting the Host 
City of Los Angeles for the 2028 
Games and we look forward 
to welcoming the world to the 
iconic Rose Bowl Stadium,” 
Pasadena Mayor Victor M. 
Gordo said in a statement. “We 
will ensure all visitors enjoy the 
best Games experience possible 
with all our City has to offer.”

 According to a city statement, 
the signed Agreement outlines 
the roles of the LA28 Organizing 
Committee and the City of 
Pasadena in bringing the 2028 
Games to Pasadena. All venues 
and sport assignments are 
subject to final approval from 
the International Olympic 
Committee (IOC) Executive 
Board. With this Agreement, 
there is now a tiered framework 
in place that will take shape over 
the course of three additional 
agreements to be negotiated 
between now and October 2027. 

 “The City of Pasadena and 
the Rose Bowl Stadium have a 
rich Olympic history, having 
hosted events for both the 1932 
and 1984 Games,” said LA28 
Chief Executive Officer Reynold 
Hoover. “In 2028, the Rose Bowl 
will support its third Olympic 
Games, making history as only 
the second venue in the world 
with this distinction. LA28 is 
looking forward to working 
closely with Mayor Gordo 
and the City Council further 
cementing its legacy within the 
Olympic Movement.

 The City of Pasadena had 
the distinct honor of hosting 
its first Games in 1932, when 
track cycling was held at the 
Rose Bowl Stadium. In 1984, 
the Rose Bowl hosted Olympic 
soccer, including the gold medal 
match between France and 
Brazil, played in front of 101,799 
spectators.

 “The Rose Bowl Stadium is 
America’s Stadium and one of 
the most iconic venues in the 
world, said Rose Bowl Stadium 
CEO Jens Weiden. “Our 
incredibly rich history is filled 
with major global sporting and 
music events, and our setting 
is undeniably one of the best in 
the world. The 2028 Olympic 
Games will uplift the entire 
Southern California community, 
and we are honored to play a 
part in hosting Olympic soccer 
when once again, Pasadena will 
welcome the world to our city.” 

 “This is a huge win for 
Pasadena’s tourism community,” 
said Michael Ross, CEO of 
Pasadena Center Operating 
Company (PCOC). “The 2028 
Olympics will attract visitors 
from across the globe, looking 
to experience all that Pasadena 
has to offer—whether it’s our 
beautiful and iconic landmarks, 
creative arts scene, or world-
class dining. This is our moment 
to show the world why Pasadena 
is not only a premier destination 
to explore during the games but 
a top choice for travelers well 
into the future. The economic 
impact from hosting the Games 
at the Rose Bowl Stadium will be 
substantial to the city, the Rose 
Bowl, and the local and regional 
community.”

‘The Good 
Side of 
Bad’ Film 
Screening

City of Pasadena Sanitizes 
All Parks After the Eaton Fire

 The producers, writers, 
director and one of the cast 
members of the 2023 film 
“The Good Side of Bad,” will 
host a film screening followed 
by a discussion with the book’s 
author, on Tuesday, April 8 at 2 
p.m., onsite at Pasadena Senior 
Center.

 The event is free for Pasadena 
Senior Center members, and 
only cost $5 for nonmembers. 
Reservations are suggested. 
To register or for more 
information, visit www.
pasadenaseniorcenter.org and 
click on Lectures & Classes, 
then Informational Lectures, 
or call 626-795-4331.

 Longtime PSC Master’s Series 
presenter Beverly Olevin is the 
author of the 2010 bestselling 
book, “The Good Side of Bad,” 
which the film is based on. 
Both the book and film follow 
the story of three adult siblings 
brought back together after 
a shocking diagnosis forces 
them to confront realities 
regarding the mental state of 
one of their own. It dives into 
humanity’s dark places while 
illuminating the love, laughter 
and light discovered when you 
reconnect with those closest to 
you.

 Filmmakers Alethea Root 
(producer, writer, director) 
and Jules Bruff (producer, 
writer, actor) will be joined in 
a discussion by author Olevin 
after the screening. Root 
produced the Emmy Award-
winning short film, “A Love 
Story,” and her first feature 
film, “Part Time Fabulous” 
won eight film festival awards. 
Bruff, who stars as Sara in 
“The Good Side of Bad,” also 
serves as a writer for the film, 
and co-wrote “Part Time 
Fabulous.” Olevin is an author, 
playwright, and theater 
director, and has taught at 
UCLA and the University of 
Washington.

For more information visit: 
pasadenaseniorcenter.org or 
call 626-795-4331.

 The City of Pasadena Parks, 
Recreation and Community 
Services (PRCS) Department 
has completed the process of 
sanitizing city parks, fields, 
and playground equipment, 
along with replacement of 
sand and engineered wood 
fiber (safety surfacing) in play 
areas, following the Eaton Fire. 
While no specific hazards were 
identified, PRCS has taken 
steps out of an abundance of 
caution to reduce the potential 
risk of exposure to wildfire 
contaminants.

At all parks, City staff:

Sanitized park benches, tables, 
playground equipment, and 
poured-in-place rubber 
playground surfacing (effective 
February);

Rinsed the natural turf fields 
through irrigation and rain 
(effective February);

Sanitized synthetic turf fields 
(effective early March); and

Replaced the top three inches of 
sand and engineered wood fiber 
at all play areas with new sand/
fiber (effective late March).

Additional actions taken since 
the Eaton Fire in January 
include:

 PRCS staff followed public 
health guidance for restoring 
water clarity and chemistry at 
the Honorable John J. Kennedy 
Pool. The sides and bottom of 
the pool were scrubbed clean, 
pool water was vacuumed, filters 
were backwashed, and chlorine 
and pH were reset. On January 
18, the pool was reopened.

All community and recreation 
centers were cleared. After 
testing and monitoring air 
quality, community and 
recreation centers were 
reopened on January 14.

PRCS encourages the public to 
follow public health guidelines 
for assessing risk of exposure 
and taking precautions to 
protect your health when 
engaging in outdoor activities. 
Daily air quality information is 
available on the South Coast Air 
Quality Management District 
website at: xappp.aqmd.gov/
WildFireMonitoring.


Mosquito Prevention in Pools 
on Fire Damaged Properties

 Director of Public Health, 
Manuel Carmona, stated 
Thursday that the San Gabriel 
Valley Mosquito and Vector 
Control District (“SGVMVCD”) 
has identified nearly 5,000 
pools in and around the Eaton 
Fire burn area. Pools need to 
be “Clean and Functional” or 
“Empty and Dry” to ensure 
mosquitos do not breed. The 
recent fires have brought 
significant loss and disruption 
to lives of residents, and there 
may not be a clear path to when 
a pool can be brought to either 
state.

 The Vector Control District 
may provide resources and long-
term treatments depending 
on the status of your pool. In 
response to the public health risk 
posed by mosquitos, the Vector 
Control District is providing 
support to property owners with 
pools affected by the Eaton Fire 
through enhanced mosquito 
control services and financial 
relief.

 Property owners with a 
damaged pool are asked to 
notify the Vector Control 
District by submitting a request 
for mosquito control services. 
The request is a critical first 
step for establishing a line of 
communication between the 
property owner and the Vector 
Control District.

 Once a request is submitted, 
the Vector Control District will 
coordinate with the property 
owner to assess their pool and 
may deliver direct treatments 
with Vector Control District 
staff applying temporary 
mosquito control treatments, 
including larvicides, other 
mosquito control products, or 
mosquitofish where appropriate. 
The initial phase of treatments is 
expected to take approximately 
4-6 weeks, with ongoing efforts 
continuing throughout the year 
as part of a long-term strategy to 
reduce mosquito populations in 
the area.

 In recognition of the hardship 
faced by property owners in the 
Eaton Fire burn area, the Vector 
Control District has authorized 
participation in the Los Angeles 
County’s Direct Assessment 
Disaster Relief Program. 
Property owners do not need to 
take any action to receive this 
relief. The county will remove 
SGVMVCD tax assessment 
charges for fiscal year 2024/2025 
and issue refunds to taxpayers 
who have already made 
assessment payments. More 
information is available at the 
Los Angeles County Property 
Tax Website: propertytax.
lacounty.gov.


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