Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, August 15, 2020

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, August 15, 2020 

Pasadena 
Parks to 
Get Turf 
Upgrades


NASA Mars Helicopter 
Recharges Batteries in Flight




 Headed to the Red Planet 
with the Perseverance rover, 
the pioneering helicopter is 
powered up for the first time in 
interplanetary space as part of a 
systems check. 

 NASA’s Ingenuity Mars 
Helicopter received a checkout 
and recharge of its power 
system on Friday, Aug. 7, one 
week into its near seven-month 
journey to Mars with the 
Perseverance rover. This marks 
the first time the helicopter 
has been powered up and its 
batteries have been charged in 
the space environment.

 During the eight-hour 
operation, the performance 
of the rotorcraft’s six lithium-
ion batteries was analyzed as 
the team brought their charge 
level up to 35%. The project has 
determined a low charge state 
is optimal for battery health 
during the cruise to Mars.

 “This was a big milestone, as 
it was our first opportunity to 
turn on Ingenuity and give its 
electronics a ‘test drive’ since we 
launched on July 30,” said Tim 
Canham, the operations lead 
for Mars Helicopter at NASA’s 
Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 
Southern California. “Since 
everything went by the book, 
we’ll perform the same activity 
about every two weeks to 
maintain an acceptable state of 
charge.”

 The 4-pound (2-kilogram) 
helicopter – a combination 
of specially designed 
components and off-the-shelf 
parts – is currently stowed 
on Perseverance’s belly and 
receives its charge from the 
rover’s power supply. Once 
Ingenuity is deployed on Mars’ 
surface after Perseverance 
touches down, its batteries 
will be charged solely by the 
helicopter’s own solar panel. 
If Ingenuity survives the cold 
Martian nights during its 
preflight checkout, the team 
will proceed with testing.

 “This charge activity shows we 
have survived launch and that 
so far we can handle the harsh 
environment of interplanetary 
space,” said MiMi Aung, the 
Ingenuity Mars Helicopter 
project manager at JPL. “We 
have a lot more firsts to go 
before we can attempt the first 
experimental flight test on 
another planet, but right now 
we are all feeling very good 
about the future.”

 The small craft will have a 
30-Martian-day (31-Earth-
day) experimental flight-
test window. If it succeeds, 
Ingenuity will prove that 
powered, controlled flight by 
an aircraft can be achieved at 
Mars, enabling future Mars 
missions to potentially add 
an aerial dimension to their 
explorations with second-
generation rotorcraft.

 Managed by Caltech in 
Pasadena, California, JPL built 
and manages the Ingenuity 
Mars Helicopter for NASA. 
Lockheed Martin Space 
provided the Mars Helicopter 
Delivery System.

 Perseverance is a robotic 
scientist weighing just under 
2,300 pounds (1,025 kilograms). 
The rover’s astrobiology 
mission will search for signs 
of past microbial life. It will 
characterize the planet’s climate 
and geology, collect samples for 
future return to Earth, and pave 
the way for human exploration 
of the Red Planet.

 The Mars 2020 Perseverance 
rover mission is part of a larger 
program that includes missions 
to the Moon as a way to prepare 
for human exploration of the 
Red Planet. Charged with 
returning astronauts to the 
Moon by 2024, NASA will 
establish a sustained human 
presence on and around the 
Moon by 2028 through NASA’s 
Artemis lunar exploration 
plans.

 For more information on the 
Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, go 
to: mars.nasa.gov/technology/
helicopter.

 The city of Pasadena’s Parks, 
Recreation and Community 
Services Department 
announced Tuesday the 
temporarily closed athletic 
fields at six parks for turf 
enhancements. The closures 
will allow crews to conduct 
much needed maintenance 
including aerating, fertilizing, 
over-seeding, irrigation 
testing and repairs, and 
removal of in-field lip build 
up (on baseball/softball 
diamonds). Temporary 
fencing has or will be 
installed to protect renovated 
areas as the seed needs an 
opportunity to establish 
sufficient roots and grow in 
preparation for future sports 
seasons. Enhancements 
are currently underway at 
Brookside, Brenner, Jefferson, 
McDonald, Victory and Villa 
Parks.

 Work will be completed in 
two phases. Projects in phase 
one will conclude on either 
September 8 or 30, and phase 
two is currently scheduled to 
conclude on December 14. 
Below is a list of impacted 
parks and fields. Work in 
Area H is anticipated in phase 
two, but an exact schedule is 
not yet available.

Phase I Field Closures

Brookside Park Diamon 
1 Anticipated Reopening 
September 30

Diamonds 2 and 3 Anticipated 
Reopening September 30

Brenner Park Softball 
diamond Anticipated 
Reopening September 30

Multi-purposefield 
Anticipated Reopening 
September 30

Jefferson Park Softball 
diamond Anticipated 
Reopening September 8 

Multi-purposefield 
Anticipated Reopening 
September 8

McDonald Park Multi-
purpose field Anticipated 
Reopening September 30

Victory Park Diamonds 
1-4 Anticipated Reopening 
September 8

Lower multi-purpose field 
Anticipated Reopening 
September 8

Upper multi-purpose field 
Anticipated Reopening 
September 30

Villa-Parke Softball diamond 
Anticipated Reopening 
September 8

Multi-purposefield
Anticipated Reopening 
September 8

Phase II Closures

Brookside Park Area H 
Anticipated Closure TBD

Grant Park Softball diamond 
Anticipated Closure October 
1-December 14

Hahamongna Multi-purpose 
field Anticipated Closure 
October 1-December 14

Softball field Anticipated 
Closure October 1-December 
14

Hamilton Park 
Diamonds1-3 Anticipated 
Closure October 1-December 
14

Washington Park Softball 
diamond Anticipated Closure 
October 1-December 14

 Stay connected to the City of 
Pasadena! Visit us online at: 
cityofpasadena.net.

Council to Review Multi-family Project

 The Pasadena city council 
is set Monday to review a 
predevelopment plan for a new 
105-unit six story multi-family 
apartment project on North 
Los Robles Ave and although 
the project is located within the 
Fuller Theological Seminary 
Master Plan, and cannot be 
processed further, many in the 
community are not satisfied 
with the proposed low income 
units.

 “This proposed project location, 
close to public transportation, 
is ideal for affordable housing 
but proposes only eight low 
income units,” a Pasadena 
resident said. “Whether or not 
the developers seek a density 
bonus I urge the council to hold 
fast to a minimum of 20 percent 
inclusion... Do not encourage 
this project as it is presented.”

 Others said that at least 25 of 
the units should be low income 
noting that staying under 
the Fuller Master Plan all of 
the units would need to be 
affordable student housing.

 According to city staff the 
applicant, COB Investments LP, 
would need to work with Fuller 
Seminary to remove the site 
from the Master Plan, for which 
they said are two options:

 Submit applications to 
amend the Master Plan and 
Development Agreement for 
this project site; or wait for Fuller 
Seminary to complete its own 
Master Plan and Development 
Agreement amendment 
process before proceeding with 
the proposed project. Fuller 
Seminary submitted such an 
application in March 2020 
and the application process is 
currently underway.

 According to the city staff 
report, the proposed project, at 
282 and 270 North Los Robles 
Ave., is six-stories in height, 
ranging from approximately 66 
feet to approximately 75 feet. 
The majority of the ground floor 
is occupied by at-grade parking. 
Surrounding properties are 
developed with multi-family 
buildings of various sizes. To 
the immediate south is a three-
story apartment building with 
multiple two-story apartment 
building to the east.

 The agenda item is intended to 
provide information to the city 
council only and there will be 
no vote staff said.

Caps Placed 
on Delivery 
Platforms


Historical Art to Be Restored 
at the Main Altadena Library

 In the Main Library above 
the Friends of the Altadena 
Library Bookstore, a piece of 
history hangs for all to enjoy. 
The painting, titled “Millard 
Canyon at Granite Gate” by 
George Gardner Symons, 
stands at over 6 feet tall and is 
dated back to 1896. After years 
of public enjoyment, it will be 
restored.

 The painting features intricate 
geological details hidden in the 
soft twilight of sunset with the 
Mt. Lowe railroad car chugging 
through Granite Gate in the 
upper left hand corner of the 
painting. 

 Symons, an American 
landscape and marine artist, 
was born in Chicago in 1861. 
He studied at the Chicago Art 
Institute where he became 
friends with artist William 
Wendt. Symons worked in 
Chicago as a commercial artist 
and later studied in Paris, 
Munich and London. Although 
his primary studio was in 
Brooklyn, New York, in 1903 
he and Wendt built a studio in 
Laguna Beach, becoming active 
in western art societies.

 For More information visit: 

 altadenahistoricalsociety.
blogspot.com and: 
altadenalibraryfoundation.org.

 
As the pandemic continues, 
the South Pasadena City 
Council has taken significant 
steps to help support local 
businesses. On August 5th 
the City Council approved 
a resolution continuing 
the declaration of a local 
emergency and adopted by 
reference the Los Angeles 
County Ordinance to place 
a cap on the fees that third-
party delivery platforms 
(i.e., GrubHub, UberEats, 
DoorDash, Postmates) can 
charge restaurants during 
the pandemic. This will help 
prevent delivery services 
from overcharging local 
businesses that are currently 
struggling to stay open.

 In addition, the City 
Council has authorized a 
phased approach for the Al 
Fresco Dining and Retail 
Pilot Program. The Program 
will provide local businesses 
with an opportunity to 
expand and utilize outdoor 
spaces to operate their 
business while providing 
adequate space for social 
distancing. Staff is standing 
by to work with local 
businesses to develop their 
proposals ranging from 
dedicated curb-side pick-up 
locations to lane closures. 
For more information 
regarding the program 
please visit the City’s 
Economic Development 
Webpage: southpasadenaca.
gov search “economic-
development.”

 George Gardner Symons' 
Millard Canyon at Granite Gate 
belongs to Altadena Library, 
a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Guy 
Fisher. Photo courtesy of 
Altadena Historical Society

Chief Speaks 
at Virtual 
Rotary Club 
Meeting

 South Pasadena Police Chief 
Joe Ortiz spoke to the Rotary 
Club Tuesday to provided them 
with an update on the South 
Pasadena Police Department. 
Ortiz gave a 15 minute 
presentation titled, “From 
COVID to National Police 
Reform, All During a Global 
Pandemic.” The discussion 
included Police Reform and the 
creation of two sub-committees 
to allow the City to devote staff 
resources to analyze the scope 
of the South Pasadena Police 
Department, and whether its 
policies and procedures are 
justly implemented throughout 
the community. Chief Ortiz 
spoke on statistical data going 
back to 2016 on the number of 
calls for service, types of calls, 
arrests, and the number of 
times force was used. 

Taste of ‘Dena Goes Virtual



 The Altadena Library 
Foundation invites everyone 
to attend the fourth annual 
Taste of ‘Dena event - virtually. 
Starting September 20, bid in 
the fabulous, hyper-local Silent 
Auction, and then don your 
party attire, grab a beverage, 
and log-on with your computer 
on Saturday, September 26 
at 7:00 p.m. for the premiere 
of a festive video to celebrate 
our beloved Altadena Library 
District. All proceeds from 
this virtual campaign will help 
purchase a mobile library unit. 
This unit will provide roaming 
access to Wi-Fi, books, 
technology, outreach programs, 
and whatever else our creative 
library staff can imagine.

 While our two Altadena 
Libraries are currently able to 
serve thousands of Altadenans 
each year with critical resources 
and programs, a mobile 
Altadena Library on wheels 
would allow even more of our 
community to benefit from all 
that the libraries can offer.

 To learn more about the virtual 
Silent Auction, to purchase a 
mystery wine from the Wine 
Pull, or to make a donation visit: 
altadenalibraryfoundation.org/
tasteofdena.


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