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Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 9, 2020
Some Non-
essential
Stores Open
in Pasadena
New COVID-19 Community
Testing Site in Pasadena
Golf courses also open,
Rose Bowl loop and
hiking trails stay closed
Following Governor
Gavin Newsom’s recent
announcement to add
more than 80 community-
testing sites across the state
focused on underserved
communities, a new testing
site opened on Monday,
in Pasadena at ChapCare’s
Kathryn Barger Health
Center located at 1595 N.
Lake Ave. This new site
is one of 80 testing sites
being opened across the
state in collaboration with
OptumServe, the federal
government health services
business of Optum, a leading
health services innovation
company.
“This testing site will help
increase testing needs for
individuals who have had
limited access to COVID-19
tests up until now,” said
Margaret B. Martinez, MPH,
chief executive officer for
ChapCare. “We’re thrilled
to partner with the state,
county, and OptumServe
to help expand access in
our communities while also
helping meet California’s
testing goals.”
To determine where to
locate new testing sites,
the state shared analysis
on geographic distance,
underserved populations, to
address known disparities,
and median income, so
residents have access
to testing regardless of
socioeconomic status.
That information was then
evaluated with existing
testing locations and the
county’s priority to address
high-risk populations,
including nursing homes
and shelters. The opening of
the new site brings the total
number in LA County to 36
testing locations.
“Expanding access to
COVID-19 testing for
Pasadenans is a key
component of our strategy
to gradually modify the
Safer at Home Order,” said
Ying-Ying Goh, M.D.,
director and health officer
of the Pasadena Public
Health Department. “We
are appreciative of the
support from our local and
state partners to offer more
testing.”
“Increased access to
COVID testing is one of the
many critical steps needed
to keep Los Angeles County
residents safe and help
move us toward recovery,”
said Supervisor Kathryn
Barger, 5th District, “The
ChapCare health center in
Pasadena is a great asset to
the community and serves
as a vital safety net in the
region, as evidenced by the
development of this much-
needed testing location.”
OptumServe has extensive
expertise in rapidly
deploying and setting up
health care services and
has worked closely with
the military under the
leadership of former Army
Surgeon General and retired
Lieutenant General Patty
Horoho, RN. At maximum
capacity, OptumServe
will be able to support up
to 80 testing sites at one
time throughout the state,
increasing total testing
capacity by more than
10,500 tests per day.
Testing will be by
appointment only. You can
schedule an appointment
by calling (888) 634-1123
or by visiting: lhi.care/
covidtesting.
Altadena Sheriff Station to Abruptly Close
The City of Pasadena Health
Officer issued a revised
order Friday consistent
with state/county health
orders announcing that non-
essential businesses such as
bookstores, toy stores, florists,
music stores, clothing stores
and sporting goods stores can
reopen for curbside pick-up,
with adherence to distancing
and infection control
protocols.
Prior to opening, each
retailer must complete
and implement a “Social
Distancing Protocol”
questionnaire found in the
Health Guidance Document
for Curbside Retail found
on the city’s website:
cityofpasadena.net.
Protocols for curbside sales
include:
- Customers may not enter
the store.
- Employees and customers
shall wear face coverings,
and customers without face
coverings shall not be served.
- Social distancing shall be
observed and enforced by
the retailer in the designated
pick-up zone or staging area.
- Complete payment in
advance by offering options to
purchase online or by phone.
If the transaction must be
conducted in person instruct
employees to refrain from
touching the face afterward,
to accept cash or cards on a
tray rather than directly into
their hands, to sanitize the
payment system and tray, and
to wash hands with soap and
water after each transaction.
- Instruct customers to call
when they arrive, and to
remain in their vehicles, or in
the designated pick-up zone
or staging area.
- Develop a process that does
not require employees to
touch the customer’s vehicle
door handle or trunk latch.
- If employees place items
in customers’ vehicles, they
should place the items in
unoccupied areas of the
vehicle such as a passenger
seat or trunk, and should
avoid leaning into the vehicle.
Businesses must also explain
the process to customers
in advance by clearly
communicating curbside
instructions to customers by
posting the process on their
website and social
media pages, or if transactions
occur by phone, reviewing
it verbally at the time of the
sale.
City officials also announced
that Brookside Golf Course
is open as of today but Rose
Bowl loop and hiking trails
remain closed pending
further review at Monday’s
city council meeting.
The city council meeting
will be held at 2 p.m. by video
conference/teleconference
and livestreamed with
captioning at: pasadenamedia.
org, and at: cityofpasadena.
net/commissions/agendas.
For public participation goto:
cityofpasadena.net/city-
clerk/public-comment.
By Dean Lee
Reactions came swift in
Altadena as residents and
community leaders expressed
dismay after Sheriff Alex
Villanueva announced Monday
that the Altadena Sheriff’s
Station will close permanently
July 1 due to budget shortfalls.
All Altadena sheriffs services
would be moved to the
Crescenta Valley station five
miles away.
The closing of Altadena
Sheriff’s Station, would garner
an annual $6.3 million savings
Villanueva said.
Altadena Town Council Chair
Billy Malone and Altadena
Chamber of Commerce
President Doug Colliflower,
along with Assemblymember
Chris Holden and Supervisor
Kathryn Barger all sent out
letters last week condemning
the move.
“This station not only represents
public safety in our close-knit
community, it also represents
the drastic change in enhanced
community policing because of
the hard work between citizens
and law enforcement,” Malone
and Colliflower said jointly.
“Beyond an officer’s typical
public safety duties, we have
seen involvement in toy drives,
Coffee with the Captain, school
and business events, library
events, Town Council meetings,
Citizen of the Year awards,
National Night Out, Concerts in
the Park, elderly welfare checks,
car shows, station open houses,
Christmas Tree Lane, and many
more.”
Holden made clear that closing
the station is unacceptable and
said additional safety issues
have been heightened by the
COVID-19 pandemic.
“With a population of
more than 42,000 residents,
Altadenans are deserving of
their own station. Its closure
removes a key resource from the
entire area needed to minimize
criminal activity,” he said. “There
is concern about a reduction
in the level of services and
response time to deploy Sheriffs
from the Crescenta Valley
station, and the need to rely on
the California Highway Patrol.
This closure also diminishes
the partnership between the
Pasadena Police Department
and their collaborative effort to
effectively address gang violence
and its criminal activity.”
Holden said that residents
remain concerned that hikers
walk through without masks
and do not observe social
distancing. “Many of these
trails start in residential
neighborhoods and Sheriffs are
needed to patrol these areas
where breaches are occurring.”
Barger said the Sheriff’s
Department has run a
substantial deficit for some
time but stressed that there are
more sensible adjustments that
he can make such as reducing
overtime expenses and scaling
back training academy classes.
As part of the $400 million gap,
Villanueva also announced the
elimination of other unfunded
full-time patrol positions,
including: Youth Activities
League (YAL), school resource
deputy, Vital Intervention
and Directional Alternatives
(VIDA), Nuisance abatement,
Community Relations Team and
search and rescue coordinator.
The Parks Bureau would also be
eliminated and the Community
Partnership Bureau (COPS)
would be eliminated.
“COPS teams provide
supplemental services
to residences in our
unincorporated areas,
specifically addressing the
unique and individual needs of
each area by identifying crime
trends, and quality of life and
crime trends,” Villanueva said.
He also announced cuts to
detective division positions
including Special Victims
Bureau, Operation Safe Streets
(Gang Investigations Bureau)
Fraud and Cyber Crimes
Bureau and the Major Crimes
Bureau. The Special Victims
Bureau investigates human
trafficking, child abuse, sexual
assaults. A total of $23.5 million,
is expected to be cut from that
bureau alone.
The Altadena Sheriff’s Station
first opened in 1927 and
went through a $1.4 million
renovation 2011.
At press time Friday, the
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s
Civilian Oversight Commission
held a meeting with Villanueva
about the closing and cuts
although no other information
was given. The Civilian
Oversight Commission is set to
hold a virtual town hall meeting
this Wednesday from 6 p.m. to
8 p.m. To participate or listen
visit: coc.lacounty.gov.
Marina del Rey Sheriff’s Station
is also set to closed, saving
the department $5.9 million
according to Villanueva.
For more information goto:
lasd.org or call (213) 229-1850.
Tournament
Announces
$100,000
COVID Relief
The Pasadena Tournament of
Roses announced Monday a
$100,000 donation in support of
local COVID-19 relief efforts in
the Pasadena community. All
funds will go to the Los Angeles
Regional Food Bank (LARFB),
the largest food provider and
distributor to food banks and
pantries across the County
of Los Angeles. Specifically,
the Tournament’s donation
will be used to support the
nine Pasadena food providers
affiliated with the Food Bank.
Working through their local
providers, the Food Bank is
able to provide four meals for
every $1 donated. The Pasadena
partner agencies provide food
to anyone in need and include
Foothill Unity Center, Friends
In Deed, The Salvation Army
and others.
“We assessed how we could
best assist with local relief
efforts and it became clear that
food insecurity was one of
the most critical needs,” said
Tournament of Roses Executive
Director/ CEO David Eads. “To
maximize our impact and feed
our most vulnerable neighbors,
we decided to direct our funds
to the Los Angeles Regional
Food Bank.”
This $100,000 contribution is
a combination of funds from
the Tournament of Roses
Association, the Tournament of
Roses Foundation, individual
members of the Tournament
of Roses, Foundation Board
Members and the organization’s
staff.
“We are fortunate to have a
strong network of partners in
Pasadena,” said Los Angeles
Regional Food Bank President
& CEO Michael Flood.
“This generous gift from
the Tournament of Roses
and Tournament of Roses
Foundation will help us meet
the increased demands of this
moment and ensure that food
is getting to the most vulnerable
in the community.”
The Tournament of Roses
also recently began providing
lunches to Huntington Hospital
nurses staffing the drive-
through COVID-19 testing site
at the Rose Bowl Stadium and
has committed to delivering
lunches for five to seven weeks,
or as needed. Last week, 2021
Tournament of Roses President
Bob Miller surprised each
nurse with a bouquet of roses,
which they will receive weekly.
Together with our partners,
Vons and Passion Roses, the
Association is showing their
appreciation for essential
workers.
South Pasadena Trails and
Dog Park Open Today
As the County of Los Angeles begins to lift restrictions on outdoor
recreational amenities, the City of South Pasadena opened trails
and the dog park.
Physical distancing of six feet is required and group gathering
will not be permitted on trails or in parking lots. Park users over
the age of two are required to wear a cloth face covering at trail-
heads, parking lots, within the dog park and while on trails.
All sports amenities are closed until further notice, including
but not limited to playgrounds, skate parks, basketball courts, and
tennis courts.
Funding will support
Pasadena food agencies
affiliated with the Los
Angeles Regional Food
Bank
Washington
Community
House Project
View the virtual presentation
on the Washington Park
Community House project
and submit your feedback.
This project is part of the
Washington Park Master
Plan, and design options
are available for review and
comment. The presentation,
project background and
description, and project goals
can be viewed by visiting:
cityofpasadena.net search
“Washington Park Project.”
The deadline for public
comment is Friday, May 15.
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
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