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Mountain Views News Saturday, July 26, 2025

Pasadena 
Annual 
National 
Night Out


Barger Honors Pasadena 
Flintridge Center’s 50th 
Apprenticeship Cohort

 
The Pasadena Police 
Department (PPD) is set to 
celebrate its 29th Annual 
National Night Out (NNO) 
on Tuesday, August 5. 

 This annual community-
building campaign 
promotes police-community 
partnerships and 
neighborhood camaraderie 
to create safer, more caring 
places to live.

 The department’s objective 
is dedicated to furthering 
its mission of nurturing, 
enhancing, and sustaining the 
community it serves through 
people centered programming 
and:

- To reconnect with 
community partners

- To create a fun, safe 
environment for children and 
families to enjoy

- To make the public aware of 
available resources

 Last year, PPD was 
announced by the NNO 
Organization to be amongst 
the seventeen major cities 
across the United States for 
areas of 100,000 to 300,000, 
people to be recognized for 
their outstanding community 
outreach and involvement 
during their 2024 celebrations. 
The NNO awards program 
recognizes the exceptional 
work of governmental entities, 
businesses, or corporations 
in the United States for their 
work to improve quality of 
life and promote safe and 
crime free communities and 
neighborhoods.

 Join PPD and its main 
sponsor, Day One, as they 
kick off the evening’s festivities 
with resources, games, and 
summer fun at the Pasadena 
Police Department 207 N. 
Garfield Ave. 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 
p.m.

 For more information on the 
NNO, please visit natw.org. To 
find out how you too can host 
a future NNO block party, 
please contact Community 
Service Officer Hilda Jurado 
hjurado@cityofpasadena.net. 

 

 Los Angeles County Board 
of Supervisors Chair Kathryn 
Barger Teusday honored 
Pasadena’s Flintridge Center, 
celebrating the graduation of 
the 50th cohort of its renowned 
Apprenticeship Preparation 
Program. 

 Barger recognized the 
transformative impact of 
Flintridge Center’s 10-week, 
240-hour training initiative that 
prepares formerly incarcerated 
individuals for sustainable 
careers in union construction 
trades. She also praised the 
program’s holistic approach 
and its partnership with 
organizations like 2nd Call and 
the LA/OC Building Trades.

 “Flintridge Center doesn’t just 
train people for jobs,” Barger 
said. “It restores hope and 
unlocks potential. When you 
see the faces of these graduates, 
you see proof that second 
chances change lives. Each 
graduate is building not only a 
new future for themselves, but 
also a stronger foundation for 
our entire community. As we 
recover from recent disasters 
and look to the future, these 
skilled men and women will 
help us rebuild, inspire, and 
thrive.”

 Launched in 2008 to address 
a lack of career opportunities 
for those reentering 
society, Flintridge Center’s 
Apprenticeship Preparation 
Program equips participants 
with hands-on trade skills, 
interpersonal and financial 
management training, and an 
industry-recognized Multi-
Craft Core Curriculum 
certification. Since its inception, 
1,130 graduates have successfully 
completed the program, with 
70 percent employed within a 
year and fewer than 10 percent 
returning to incarceration—a 
stark contrast to California’s 50 
percent recidivism rate.

 “It is truly humbling to be 
recognized today,” said Josh 
McCurry, Executive Director of 
the Flintridge Center. “Our work 
is never done in isolation—
we stand on the shoulders of 
many community partners, 
including the County and the 
City of Pasadena. Reaching 
this important milestone is a 
testament of all of us working 
together. At our recent 
graduation ceremony, a mother 
told me she no longer has to 
worry about her son’s future 
and that she finally feels he will 
be okay. For her, that peace of 
mind was everything. That kind 
of lasting security is the greatest 
measure of our success.”

 For more information 
about the Flintridge Center’s 
Apprenticeship Preparation 
Program, visit: flintridge.org.

City Approves Contract for Library Retrofit

 

 The Pasadena City Council 
voted Monday night to approved 
an over $9 million contract with 
PCL Construction Services, 
Inc. to begin the process of 
seismically retrofitting and 
repairing the Pasadena Central 
Library, taking a major step 
toward reopening the Library 

 The Central Library closed 
in 2021 due to seismic 
safety concerns stemming 
from unreinforced masonry 
construction.

 According to city staff, the 
council selected PCL for both of 
Phase 1 (preconstruction) and 
Phase 1A (selective demolition) 
contract and directed staff to 
proceed with this initial phase of 
the project. The total cost of the 
contract, including contingency, 
is $8,652,340, and the total 
cost of the council’s action was 
$9,026,340 the council’s staff 
report reads. 

 The staff report also states 
that to ensure an efficient and 
collaborative project delivery, the 
city is utilizing the Construction 
Manager At-Risk (CMAR) 
method. This approach enables 
early involvement of a qualified 
construction manager/general 
contractor during the design 
phase, improving coordination, 
mitigating risk, and establishing 
a Guaranteed Maximum Price 
(GMP) for construction.

 At the council’s meeting public 
concerns were raised about 
local hiring. Some said that 
local hiring sounded voluntary 
and not a binding obligation, 
something they said should be 
mandated in a taxpayer funded 
project.

 In November 2024, Pasadena 
voters approved Measure PL, 
authorizing $195 million in 
bond funding to support the 
seismic retrofit and renovation 
of Central Library. The project 
is currently in the design 
phase, led by Gruen Associates 
with guidance from a historic 
preservation consultant and 
technical oversight by a Mayor-
appointed Technical Oversight 
Committee (TOC).

 The Pasadena Central 
Library, an iconic 1927 structure 
designed by renowned architect 
Myron Hunt, is a cornerstone of 
the City’s historic Civic Center 
and an essential hub for learning, 
research, and community 
engagement. As the main 
repository for rare collections, 
specialized reference tools, and 
large-scale public programming, 
the Central Library serves over 
1,000 daily visitors and supports 
nearly 900 annual community 
meetings and events. 

 To learn more about the 
Pasadena Central Library 
Retrofit and Building Repairs 
Project, visit

CityOfPasadena.net/Library.

Music Through 
the Decades 
at the 

Senior Center

 Pasadena Senior Center 
staff announced Tuesday 
that they will continue its 
year-long celebration of 65 
years in the community 
with a special ‘Music 
Through the Decades’ 
Summer Concert Series 
set for Tuesdays in August, 
plus Labor Day, from 5 p.m. 
to 7 p.m. onsite at the Senior 
Center.

 Each week — kicking off 
on Tuesday, August 12 with 
a 1980s dance party — will 
celebrate a different era of 
popular music — perfect 
for dancing, reminiscing 
and celebrating together. 
This free concert event is 
open to all, and reservations 
are suggested. Reservations 
can be made by visiting 
pasadenseniorcenter.org 
and clicking on Activities & 
Events, then Special Events.

The Summer Concert Series 
features:

Tuesday, August 12: 1980s 
Dance Party with the 
Michael Haggins Band

Tuesday, August 19: A 
Salute to Woodstock and 
the Vietnam War Era with 
The Silverados

Tuesday, August 26: The 
Early Days of Rock & Roll 
with the Atomic Roots 
Orchestra

Monday, September 1 
(Labor Day): Music of the 
1930s and 1940s with The 
Great American Swing 
Band

 As a donor-supported 
nonprofit, the center 
operates without any local, 
state or federal funding 
and provides more services 
to older adults than any 
other organization in 
the San Gabriel Valley. 
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.

The 10th Annual Centennial 
Square Boxing Show Aug. 22 

 The City of Pasadena Parks, Recreation and Community 
Services Department announced Monday that they will host 
the 10th Annual Centennial Square Boxing Show, a lively 
evening of amateur boxing in front of the historic Pasadena 
City Hall. This free, family-friendly event will take place on 
Friday, August 22 from 7-10 p.m. at Centennial Square, 100 
N. Garfield Ave.

 Now in its 10th year, the Centennial Square Boxing Show 
has become a beloved local summer tradition, drawing 
hundreds of spectators from across the region. This special 
decennial anniversary promises an electrifying lineup of 
Olympic-style bouts featuring male and female boxers ages 
8 and older from all over Southern California. This event is 
open to the public and free to attend.

 The Villa Parke Boxing Program will be represented by its 
own amateur boxers including: Marvin Gomez, Jessie Kang, 
Karl Ford, Adriana Nunez, Horacio Rosales, Christopher 
Cano, Michael Diaz, David Reyes, and Quinn Spear, who 
have committed their time, energy and passion to the sport 
through discipline and determination.

Supervisors Approve First 
Historic District in Altadena

 The Los Angeles County Board 
of Supervisors voted Tuesday to 
approve the County’s first-ever 
historic district and landmark 
designation in Altadena. By 
adopting an ordinance to 
designate the northern portion 
of the Historic Highlands 
neighborhood as a County 
Historic District, the Board has 
taken a landmark step toward 
preserving Altadena’s unique 
architectural and cultural 
heritage.

 The Board’s action amends Title 
22 (Planning and Zoning) of the 
Los Angeles County Code to 
include the Historic Highlands 
Historic District, which contains 
77 parcels of predominantly 
early-20th-century single-family 
residences. This designation 
follows the recommendations of 
both the Historical Landmarks 
and Records Commission 
and the Regional Planning 
Commission after years of 
community engagement.

 “Altadena recently suffered a 
great loss, and it is especially 
meaningful to take this 
action now to ensure that the 
community’s historic treasures 
are preserved,” said Los Angeles 
County Supervisor Kathryn 
Barger. “Today’s vote affirms our 
commitment to honor Altadena’s 
past while safeguarding it for 
future generations.”

 The Historic Highlands 
neighborhood, known for its rich 
collection of Craftsman, Spanish 
Colonial Revival, Tudor, and 
other period architectural styles, 
exemplifies the subdivision of 
orange groves into a vibrant 
suburban community during the 
1920s economic boom. While 
the area was not impacted by the 
Eaton Fire, residents have long 
advocated for the protection of 
the historic integrity of their 
homes and streetscapes.

 With more than 50 percent of 
property owners supporting the 
designation, the new Historic 
District will help maintain 
the neighborhood’s character 
by establishing guidelines 
for preservation while still 
allowing thoughtful updates and 
continued community growth.

 “This is a proud moment for 
Altadena,” Barger said. “By 
formally recognizing the Historic 
Highlands as the County’s first 
historic district, we are setting 
a precedent for celebrating 
the history embedded in our 
unincorporated communities.”

 The designation is effective as 
of the Board’s adoption of today’s 
ordinance. County officials will 
notify affected property owners, 
and the district will be entered 
into the County Register as the 
Historic Highlands Historic 
District according to officials. 

Police Make 
Arrest in 
Teen’s Murder

 
A couple has been charged 
with murder in connection 
with the shooting death 
of a 13-year-old boy 
who was playing video 
games in the bedroom 
of his Pasadena home in 
November 2021, the Los 
Angeles County District 
Attorney’s Office says. 
Muhammad Abdul-Malik, 
38, is awaiting extradition 
from Florida, where he 
is currently in custody, 
while co-defendant Teraeja 
Laquanna Flemmings, 31, 
was set to be arraigned 
last week in a Pasadena 
courtroom, according to 
the District Attorney’s 
Office.


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