Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, March 21, 2020

5


Mountain Views-News Saturday, March 21, 2020 

Second 
COVID-19 
Case in 
Pasadena

Mayor Makes Plea to the Community 

Pasadena Officials Issues 
'Safer at Home' Order

 
City Council 
Approves COVID-19 
Relief Measures

 In concert with the Los 
Angeles County Department 
of Public Health, Pasadena 
Health Officer Dr. Ying-
Ying Goh Thursday issued a 
new proclamation regarding 
the COVID-19 outbreak. 
The purpose of this order 
is to prohibit public and 
private events or gatherings 
of 10 or more people, and 
require the closure of malls, 
shopping centers, children’s 
playgrounds, and non-essential 
retail businesses in an effort 
to stem or slow the spread 
of COVID-19 within the 
Pasadena community. View full 
text of Safer at Home Order.

 For all gatherings that are not 
prohibited, the health officer 
orders those persons attending 
an event or gathering and 
the venues holding the event 
or gathering implement the 
following infection control 
precautions:

(1) Practice social distancing 
within the confined space 
by requiring attendees to be 
separated by six (6) feet;

(2) Provide access to hand-
washing facilities with soap 
and water or hand sanitizer 
that contains at least 60 percent 
alcohol;

(3) Post a sign in a conspicuous 
place at the public entry to the 
venue instructing members of 
the public to not attend if they 
are experiencing symptoms of 
respiratory illness, including 
fever or cough; and

(4) Adhere to communicable 
disease control 
recommendations provided 
by the Pasadena Public Health 
Department.

 As a point of clarity, this 
order does not prohibit any 
individual or family from 
outdoor activities such as 
hiking, walking, and shopping 
at essential businesses—
including grocery stores 
and restaurants—so long as 
all persons practice social 
distancing to the extent 
practicable.

 Because of the rapid spread 
of COVID-19 and the need to 
protect everyone, including 
the most vulnerable members 
of our community, this order 
prohibits all indoor public 
and private gatherings and all 
outdoor public and private 
events within a confined space, 
where at least 10 people are 
expected to be in attendance 
at the same time. This order 
applies through April 19, 
subject to the terms and 
conditions more particularly 
set forth below.

 The Pasadena Public Health 
Department will continue to 
monitor the rate of COVID-19 
disease spread, state and 
CDC recommendations, and 
the impact of the required 
measures, and the health officer 
may revisit, extend, expand, or 
otherwise modify this order as 
needed to protect the public’s 
health.

 “The health and safety of our 
community remains our top 
concern,” said City Manager 
Steve Mermell. “Given the 
rapid spread of COVID-19, 
having people stay at home and 
avoid non-essential activities 
is the most effective way to 
prevent more infections. This 
order is necessary if we’re going 
to save lives and keep hospitals 
from being overwhelmed with 
new cases.”

 Violation of or failure to 
comply with this order is a 
crime punishable by fine, 
imprisonment, or both. 
(California Health and Safety 
Code § 120295; Los Angeles 
County Code § 11.02.080.)

 Pasadena Mayor Terry 
Tornek (pictured left) made his 
first appearance Thursday night 
after traveling back from a trip 
to Pasadena’s sister city, Dakar-
Plateau, Senegal in Africa. 
Tornek called the new “Safer at 
Home Order,” (see story right) 
disruptive, onerous, draconian 
but necessary. 

 “I ask for everyone’s 
cooperation and I ask everyone’s 
good will.” he said. “Once again, 
I would emphasize that if you 
can think about your neighbor, 
if you have a senior that you 
think may have difficulty with 
shopping, ask them if you can 
get them anything when you go 
to the market... Let’s reinsatute 
the since of community we have 
in California, make sure we 
lookout for each other and I’m 
confident that with everyone 
pulling in the same direction 
that we can beat this thing.” 

 Tornek spoke during a 
COVID-19 press conference 
for Los Angeles County that 
included Los Angeles Mayor 
Eric Garcetti, Long Beach 
Mayor Robert Garcia (pictured 
right) and L.A. County 
Supervisor Kathryn Barger. The 
event was covered nationwide. 

 In Related News. The Pasadena 
city council held a special 
meeting, Tuesday, to receive 
an update on the coronavirus 
(COVID-19) pandemic from 
Pasadena Public Health 
Director, Dr. Ying-Ying Goh, 
ratify the recent Local State of 
Emergency Declaration, and 
consider relief measures to 
reduce the economic impacts 
on residents and businesses.

 Council approved the following 
actions during the meeting: 

1. Suspension of any new late 
fees and penalties for City-
provided services, including 
water, power and garbage 
pickup.

2. Suspension of any new 
all utility shut-offs for non-
payment; 

3. Modification of various 
parking policies to reduce the 
financial burden on residents 
and support local businesses, 
including:

· Temporary suspension of 
metered parking enforcement 
to facilitate delivery and 
curbside pickup zones for food 
from restaurants.

· Temporary suspension of non-
critical vehicle impounds; and

· Temporary suspension of 
impounds of vehicles with 
five (5) or more past-due 
parking citations or expired 
registrations.

4. Approval of $150,000 to 
provide meals to for seniors, 
as well as disabled and other 
vulnerable citizens.

5. Enactment of a moratorium 
on eviction for non-payment 
of rent if a residential or 
commercial tenant has been 
impacted by COVID-19 and, 
therefore, unable to pay.

 During her comments, Dr. 
Goh stated it’s likely that 
more cases of COVID-19 
exist in the community, and 
she stressed the vital need 
for residents to follow social 
distancing guidelines (keeping 
a safe distance of at least six 
feet between one another 
when possible) to reduce 
community transmission and 
avoid hospitals from becoming 
overwhelmed with new 
COVID-19 cases.

 For accurate information about 
COVID-19, including citywide 
updates, visit cityofpasadena.
net or call the Citizen Service 
Center, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday at 
(626) 744-7311.

 The City of Pasadena 
Public Health Department 
(PPHD) has confirmed 
Monday a second case of 
novel coronavirus disease 
(COVID-19) in a Pasadena 
resident. The details of 
the case were still under 
investigation Friday.

 PPHD is following up 
directly with those who have 
had close contact with this 
individual and may be at risk 
for COVID-19 infection. 
Close contacts are informed 
on how to assess and monitor 
for signs and symptoms of 
illness and are quarantined.

 “We urge the community to 
follow public health guidance 
and take measures to 
maximize social distancing,” 
said Dr. Ying-Ying Goh, 
PPHD Director and Health 
Officer. “Your actions can 
help protect yourself from 
COVID-19, reduce the spread 
of illness among your family 
and friends, and preserve 
our healthcare resources for 
everyone. We will keep the 
community informed of new 
cases and changes in guidance 
as the situation evolves.”

 If you have recently returned 
from an area with ongoing 
COVID-19 infections, follow 
public health guidance and 
monitor your health. Call 
your healthcare providers 
and inform them about your 
travel history if you need 
care. For the latest info on 
COVID-19, visit: cdc.gov.

Humane 
Society 
Closes to 
the Public

AbilityFirst 
Closures

 Following the increased 
and overwhelming concerns 
regarding the COVID-19 
virus, Pasadena Humane 
Society & SPCA has decided 
to close to the public. Animal 
control officers will continue to 
respond to emergency animal 
welfare and public safety calls. 

 We value the health and 
safety of our residents, their 
pets, the animals in our care, 
and our employees, and hold 
these health considerations at 
the forefront of all operational 
decisions.

 During this time, service 
changes will include:

Our Adoptions Center will 
be temporarily closed to the 
public. 

 If you believe your lost pet is 
being cared for at PHS, please 
call to schedule an appointment 
to bring your pet home.

 PHS will not be accepting 
“stray” healthy cats. Sick or 
injured cats can still be brought 
in by appointment.

We ask the public to renew pet 
licenses by mail only. 

 All community outreach 
activities and events have 
been temporarily suspended, 
including: After-school Kids 
4 Animals Club, Sunday 
Morning Helpers, Barks 
& Books, and community 
workshops.

Pet behavior classes have been 
postponed. 

Our “Shelter Shop” for retail 
pet supplies will be closed to 
the public.

Pet Boarding will not 
be accepting any new 
appointments at this time. 

 We are currently seeking 
community volunteers to 
foster shelter animals. If you 
are able to open your heart 
and your home to an adoptable 
pet as a temporary foster, 
please contact us at foster@
pasadenahumane.org. 

 During this closure, the health 
and safety of the animals in our 
care remains our top priority.

For more information visit: 
pasadenahumane.org.

Pasadena Chalk Festival 
to get Rescheduled 

 AbilityFirst, the nonprofit 
in Pasadena that provides 
programs and services to 
help children and adults 
with disabilities announced 
this week that they will close 
and cancel all programs and 
services.

 “Here at AbilityFirst the 
wellness and safety of our 
participants and staff is of 
the highest importance.” they 
said. "To our knowledge, 
no one associated with 
AbilityFirst has been 
diagnosed with COVID-19.

 AbilityFirst is taking special 
precautions to limit the risk of 
infection in our community 
including:

Effective last Tuesday all 
AbilityFirst programs, 
including Community 
Centers, PossAbility, Job 
Placement and Student Work 
Services will temporarily 
close 

Supported Employment 
offices will be closed

AbilityFirst Headquarters will 
close (with HQ staff working 
remotely) 

College to Career may remain 
open? (offering limited 
support only)

Some staff May continue 
providing job coaching on a 
limited, need only basis?

We will re-open on Monday 
March 30th. This could be 
extended, based on new 
information

AbilityFirst Joan & Harry A. 
Mier Center’s “Wrestle Fest” 
event has been postponed

AbilityFirst Lawrence L. 
Frank Center’s “Abilities 
Pageant” event has been 
postponed

AbilityFirst East Los Angeles 
Center’s “Mercadito” event 
has been postponed

Camp Paivika’s “Mom’s 
Weekend Getaway” has been 
postponed

 To donate and updates, 
please visit abilityfirst.org 

 

 Organizers said they have 
no choice but to postpone 
the highly anticipated 
Pasadena Chalk Festival 
scheduled for June 20-21. “It 
is beyond our imagination 
that this could have ever 
happened. It carries with 
it great disappointment, 
and especially because we 
know how much this means 
to all of us. But our most 
important concern is for 
the safety and health of our 
chalk family and their loved 
ones. As we regroup we are 
planning ways to keep our 
chalk momentum going. 
So please stay tuned and 
stay positive. Look for more 
chalk news from us on the 
horizon.”

 The Pasadena Chalk 
Festival is the largest chalk 
art festival in the nation 
with over 600 artists from 
across Southern California 
and beyond who create 200 
spectacular chalk murals 
on concrete surfaces and 
in every style imaginable. 
Thousands of people attend 
this event annually at The 
Paseo in Pasadena. In 2010, 
a record was achieved for 
the largest display of chalk 
art in one place, at one time, 
putting the Pasadena Chalk 
Festival officially into the 
Guinness Book of World 
Records.

For more information visit: 
pasadenachalkfestival.com.


Pasadena Senior Center 
is Asking for Donations 

 Vital programs and services 
at the Pasadena Senior Center 
that serve basic daily needs for 
older adults are being impacted 
by the COVID-19 issue.

 Those who rely on the 
center for critical services 
such as daily hot lunches 
available to members, the food 
distribution program for low-
income members and non-
members who need essential 
food at home, the telephone 
reassurance program that 
helps homebound older adults 
combat isolation and loneliness 
and stay connected to the 
center and other vital programs 
consider the center a lifeline 
that benefits their mental, 
emotional and physical health.

 “Without the financial help of 
the Pasadena community, we 
may have to cut these and other 
services that are critical to 
thousands of vulnerable people 
at a time when they need our 
help the most,” said Akila 
Gibbs, executive director of 
the Pasadena Senior Center. “I 
am appealing to the Pasadena 
community to help us get 
through this precarious time, 
which may last many months.”

 The center’s revenue stream 
and investment fund, which 
Gibbs and other key staff rely 
on to operate the center and 
provide critical services, have 
diminished drastically because 
of the COVID-19 issue. Entry 
fees for the Pasadena Senior 
Games are being refunded 
to the more than 1,500 
registrants, and facility rentals 
for weddings, conferences 
and other special third-party 
events have been canceled for 
the foreseeable future. Fee-
based spring classes cannot be 
offered, and digital alternatives 
are being explored.

 “It is likely we will be in the same 
position this coming autumn,” 
Gibbs added. “This crisis is 
forcing me to make decisions 
I never imagined I would have 
to face – decisions that will 
impact the lives of thousands 
older adults throughout the 
greater Pasadena area.”

 An additional $2 million is 
needed to cover COVID-19-
related losses this fiscal year if 
the Pasadena Senior Center is 
going to get through the crisis 
with the resources necessary 
to continue providing services 
and programs. The center is 
one of only a few 501(c)(3) 
nonprofit senior centers in the 
U.S. and the only one in the 
greater San Gabriel Valley that 
offers such a breadth of services. 
No funding is received from 
any government agency. If the 
center is forced to close, there 
will be no other organization to 
fill the void.

 To donate, visit: 
pasadenaseniorcenter.org and 
click on the Donate button. 
Call 626-685-6756 for more 
information. 

 Coronavirus Crisis 
Impacts Pasadena 
Senior Center’s Ability to 
Provide Vital Services


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