Mountain View News Saturday, July 18, 2026 

CommunityMeetingson SB 79 
in South 
Pasadena

 City of South Pasadenaofficials are hosting two 
community meetings to 
provide information about 
Senate Bill (SB) 79, discuss 
the city’s obligations underthe new state law, and sharethe priorities the city is 
considering for implementingthe legislation while 
balancing local priorities andcommunity concerns.

 Residents are invited to 
attend either of the followingmeetings:
July 27 at 6:00 p.m. at theLibrary Community Room,
1115 El Centro Street, SouthPasadena. 
July 30 at 6:00 p.m. in theCity Council Chambers,
1424 Mission Street, SouthPasadena, CA 91030

SB 79, also known as the 
Abundant and Affordable 
Homes Near Transit Act, 
establishes new state 
requirements that affect 
land use and developmentstandards near major transitstops. Effective July 1, 2026, thelaw requires cities throughoutCalifornia, including South 
Pasadena, to allow increasedresidential developmentin designated transit areas,
overriding certain local 
zoning regulations.

Cities can comply with SB 
79 in several ways. They mayapply the state law directly;
update their zoning to allowtaller buildings, more homes, 
or mixed-use developmentnear transit stations; or preparea locally tailored alternativeplan that redistributes wheregrowth occurs within transit 
areas while providing the 
same overall housing capacityrequired by the law.

 The community meetingswill include an overview of SB 
79, an explanation of the City’simplementation options, thepriorities staff are consideringas they develop an alternativeplan, and an opportunity forresidents to ask questions andlearn more about the process.

 City staff are expected to 
present recommendations 
for an alternative plan to theCity Council at its meeting onAugust 4.

 To view Senate Bill No. 
79, visit: leginfo.legislature.
ca.gov. To contact the City ofSouth Pasadena CommunityDevelopment Department,
call (626) 403-7220. 

HealthyNeighborsSmall Grants

 UniHealth Foundation 
anouned the launch of 
Healthy Neighbors SmallGrants Program. A new 
initiative to fund nonprofitsfocused on enhancing 
community health and 
wellness in Pasadena,
Altadena, Sierra Madre, 
and South Pasadena.

 Grant awards will rangefrom $5,000 to $10,000, 
with decisions announced 
in fall 2026. Priorityconsideration will be given 
to organizations with 
operating budgets of lessthan $10,000,000.

 Proposals are due onFriday and awards will beannounced in November. 
Visit: unihealthfoundation. 
org to learn more and accessto the full application. 

Restoring Emma Dickinson Bird Sanctuary 


The One Arroyo Foundation,
in partnership with the Cityof Pasadena and RJM DesignGroup, announced the launch 
a new community planninginitiative to restore and reimagine 
a promontory along the Lower 
Arroyo Seco, home to the EmmaDickinson Bird Sanctuary, oneof Pasadena’s historic landmarks. 
As the project enters its firstphase of planning and design, 
community members are 
invited to help shape the futureof the site by participating ina public survey and attendingcommunity workshops — thefirst August 1.

 The planning effort marks thefirst step in a comprehensiverestoration initiative that will 
preserve the site’s historic 
character while improving 
accessibility, safety, ecologicalhabitat, and the overall visitorexperience. The process will 
result in a site plan to guidefuture construction and 
fundraising efforts.

 “The Overlook is Pasadena’s 
most spectacular viewpoint,
offering sweeping views of theArroyo, the Colorado Street 
Bridge and the San GabrielMountains while serving as 
home to the historic Emma 
Dickinson Bird Sanctuary,” saidDaniel Rossman, Executive 
Director of the One ArroyoFoundation. “This is a once-
in-a-generation opportunity 
to restore a cherished publiclandmark in a way that honorsits history, protects its naturalcharacter, and ensures it can besafely enjoyed for generationsto come. Community input isessential to shaping that vision,
and we encourage everyone toparticipate.”

 Originally established in 1935in honor of Pasadena resident 

and bird advocate Emma 
Dickinson, the sanctuary wasdesigned as a peaceful place for 
bird observation, reflection, andpanoramic views of the LowerArroyo Seco. Centered arounda memorial fountain adorned 
with historic Batchelder tile,
the site has suffered decades 
of deterioration. Today, 
the fountain is no longeroperational, historic stone wallsrequire stabilization, and theoverlook lacks a safe pedestrianconnection to the Lower Arroyotrail system.

 The One Arroyo OverlookProject will address these 
challenges through a thoughtfulrestoration that balances historic 
preservation, environmental 
stewardship, and public access.
The long-term vision includes:

-Restoration of the Emma 
Dickinson Bird Sanctuary,
including the memorial fountain,
Batchelder tile, benches, andstairways 
-Stabilization and repair of 
historic stone retaining walls
-Improved accessibility andpedestrian safety
-Construction of a new trail 
connection linking the overlookto the Lower Arroyo trail system
-Expansion of native habitat tosupport birds, pollinators, andthe Arroyo ecosystem 
-Development of a 
comprehensive Park Site 
Master Plan to guide future 
implementation 
The planning and designprocess includes site analysis,
engineering and environmentalreview, concept development,
community engagement, and 
preparation of the final project 
scope and construction cost 
estimate. The process is beingled by RJM Design Group, thelandscape architecture firm that 

Artist Gronk in conversation 
with Paul Holdengräber 


USC Museums and Caltech 
present Moveable Feast, 
August 27 at the Ramo 
Auditorium, bringing 
together arts partners 
and creative voices in 
conversation to shape 
collective experiences and 
deepen our understanding ofthe world and ourselves. The 
latest installment of the series 
features renowned visual and 
performance artist Gronk in 

conversation with Paul 
Holdengräber. The event 
starts at 7:30 p.m.

Gronk (pictured) is the heir 
to Paul Klee: “A line,” wroteKlee, “is a dot that went for 
a walk.” Gronk maintains a 
fierce commitment to the 
dynamic nature of the line, tocolor, to repeated patterns andshapes like musical notationsand graffiti. The importanceof the gestural, of the hand, thelove of Japanese calligraphy,
of fluidity, is visible in Gronk’sextraordinarily varied body 

of work. 

In a far-ranging conversation,
Holdengräber and Gronk willdive into the artist’s younger 
years in the avant-garde 
multimedia arts collective 
known as Asco (Spanish 
meaning nausea, disgust);
together they will examine hisnumerous collaborations with 
stage designers, directors, andmusicians.

 Ramo Auditorium is 
located 1200 E California 
Blvd, at Caltech. For more 
information visit: caltech.edu. 


partnered with One Arroyoand the City of Pasadena on therecently completed One ArroyoTrail Critical Linkages Project.
It is funded by One ArroyoFoundation with the generoussupport of donors.

 Community participationis a central component of theplanning process. Residents,
neighbors, Arroyo users, andother interested stakeholders 
are encouraged to share theirperspectives by completing theproject survey and attendingone of two public workshops atBrookside Golf Club. 
August 1 workshop will be from9 a.m.-11 a.m. 
The second workshop will beWednesday, August 26 from 5p.m.-7 p.m.
Both workshops will be at 
Brookside Golf Club, 1133 
Rosemont Ave.

 For additional information, 
project updates, meetingdetails, and to participate inthe community survey, visit 
OneArroyo.org. 

Altadena 
Steadfast 
CommunityVirtual 
Workshop

 Join the Altadena 
Steadfast Tuesday from 6

p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to share 
your thoughts on the 
design framework that 
they have been devlopingfor the public spaces ofNorth Lake Ave. and its 
environs —inspired bythe priorities that youidentified in their earlier 
visioning workshops.
They will give a briefoverview of our work 
to date and will then 
disperse into randomlyselected break-out rooms 
where they will facilitatediscussions around 
specific topics to gain adeeper understanding of 
your priorities around 
connectivity, walkability,
parking, and placemakingin our public spaces.

“Your participation is 
everything. Altadena’s 
public spaces are yourpublic spaces,” organizerssaid. “ We all want to 
get back home and back 
to business, and most 
importantly, back to 
gathering and being incommunity with one 
another.”

 P RSVP to: tinyurl.com/
AltadenaSteadfastJuly21to register and to get aZoom link. 

Nathan Wolford Recognizedas the 2026 Robert Gorski 
Access Award Recipient

 City of Pasadena officials amputation of both legs below 

announced Monday that theyrecognized Nathan Wolford 
as the 2026 recipient of theRobert Gorski Access Award,
an award established by theCity of Pasadena Accessibilityand Disability Commission 
and presented annually to aPasadena community memberwith a disability who has made 
a significant contribution 
toward improving accessibilityand quality of life for peoplewith disabilities and the 
City of Pasadena’s disabilitycommunity. Wolford will behonored at the Pasadena CityCouncil meeting on Monday.

 Wolford is a disability advocateand enjoys working with and 


for people with disabilities. Helives in Pasadena, CA, aftermoving from West Michiganwith his wife Erin and serves 
as the Villager and VolunteerCoordinator at Pasadena 
Village, where he chairs the 
Accessibility Task Force. Heholds a Bachelor of Arts Degreein Ministry from CornerstoneUniversity and is currentlypursuing a Master of DivinityDegree at Fuller Seminary.
Wolford intends to pursue acareer in healthcare chaplaincyafter graduation.

 In addition to his work with 
Pasadena Village, Wolford 
enjoys finding opportunities toanswer questions and educatethose around him about his 
experience living with limb 
loss. In 2017, Nathan was 
injured in a work accident inMichigan, which led to the 

the knees. Since then, Nathanhas volunteered as a mentor 
for people in the limb losscommunity, having volunteeredas a peer mentor with HangerClinic, Camp No Limits, andthe Limb Kind Foundation. 
Wolford believes that althoughchallenges can accompany lifewith a disability, it is entirelypossible to thrive and enjoy lifedespite such obstacles. A centralpart of Wolford’s message in hismentor and accessibility workis the empowerment of peoplewith disabilities and the belief 
that people in the disabilitycommunity hold unique 
experiences and perspectives 
which equip them to make 
a positive impact on their 
communities. 

Pasadena Senior Center 
Summer Concert Series 

Celebrates America’s 250th Birthday

 Enjoy a line-up of classic American music at the Pasadena SeniorCenter’s Summer Concert series, running consecutive Tuesdaysfrom August 18 through September 1, and concluding with aconcert finale on Labor Day. All events run from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00

p.m. onsite at the Pasadena Senior Center. 
The concert series will feature a variety of musical performancesfeaturing different genres, from Broadway tunes to country, roots’music to big band. Each week will highlight a different style ofAmericana tunes, perfect for dancing and celebrating our country’sbirthday.

All of the Summer Concert series events are free for both members 
and non-members. Reservations are suggested, walk-ins, friendsand family welcome and dancing is encouraged. 

The four-week Summer Concert Series features: 

Tuesday, August 18: Pam Kay’s Tap Chicks — PSC’s Summer 
Concerts kick off in style with those beloved tappers, Pam Kay’sTap Chicks and special guest Franny McCartney. Music, dancingand comedy will put a smile on your face and a song in your heart.
Tuesday, August 25: The Silverados — Rocking country musicsince 1992, The Silverados play classic and contemporary countryfrom Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash to Carrie Underwood andTim McGraw, along with classic rock.
Tuesday, September 1: U.S. 99 — Get ready for some American‘roots’ music with this high energy band that will get you swayingin your seat and up on your feet.
Monday, September 8 (Labor Day): The Great American SwingBand — The music of the big band era comes alive with bandleaderJodi Gladstone, vocalist Linda Vogel, and the 14-piece GreatAmerican Swing Band performing danceable favorites of the bigband era and beyond.

 The Pasadena Senior Center’s 2026 Summer Concert Series is 
generously sponsored by the Cynthia P. Rosedale Fund for Seniors,
the Showcase House for the Arts, and Los Angeles County Arts. 


RENT our 


1914 Essick House 


550 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, 91024 

Contact Anita 
Event Rentals Coordinator 

EssickHouseRentalManager@gmail.com 


626-708-2223 

Photos at 

SierraMadreWomansClub.org 

Sierra 
Madre 
Woman’s 
Club 
since 1907 


Wistaria Shop Re-Opens 10 am, Thurs., 9/3/26 


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