Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, December 19, 2020

5


Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 19, 2020 

Pasadena 
Gets First 
Doses of 
Covid-19 
Vaccine


Pasadena One City, One 
Story Selections Announced

 Pasadena Public Library 
announced last week their two 
book selections for Pasadena’s 
2021 One City, One Story 
community reading celebration. 
Tattoos on the Heart by author 
Father Gregory Joseph Boyle, 
S. J. is the 2021 One City, One 
Story selection and Leave Only 
Footprints: My Acadia – To – 
Zion Journey Through Every 
National Park by author Conor 
Knighton is the 2021 One City, 
One Story Summer Edition.

 Now in its 19th year, One 
City, One Story is designed 
to broaden and deepen an 
appreciation of reading and 
literature and to promote 
tolerance and understanding 
of differing points of view by 
recommending a compelling 
book that engages the 
community in conversation. 
This year’s theme is “Books for 
our Times.”

 Tattoos on the Heart is a series 
of parables about kinship and 
redemption from pastor, activist 
and renowned speaker Father 
Gregory Boyle. In this, his debut 
book, he distills his experience 
working with gang members 
into a breathtaking series of 
stories inspired by faith. Tattoos 
on the Heart reminds us that no 
life is less valuable than another.

 Founder of Homeboy 
Industries, the largest gang 
intervention, rehabilitation and 
re-entry program in the world, 
Father Boyle has dedicated 
his life to helping the most 
marginalized individuals find 
a place in society. In a moving 
example of unconditional love 
in difficult times, the Jesuit 
priest and bestselling author 
of Tattoos on the Heart and 
Barking to the Choir: The Power 
of Radical Kinship shares what 
three decades of working with 
gang members in Los Angeles 
have taught him about faith, 
compassion and the enduring 
power of kinship.

 One City, One Story 
community programs will be 
held throughout March, with 
a virtual conversation with the 
author on Sunday afternoon, 
March 14, 2021, at 2 p.m.

 The One City, One Story 
Summer Edition, Leave Only 
Footprints: My Acadia – To 
–Zion Journey Through
Every National Park by 
Conor Knighton is a behind-
the-scenery look at his year 
traveling to each of America’s 
National Parks, discovering the 
most beautiful places and most 
interesting people our country 
has to offer.

 Knighton is an Emmy-
winning correspondent for CBS 
Sunday Morning, America’s 
#1 Sunday morning news 
program. Depending on your 
cable package, you may have 
also seen him hosting shows 
on Current TV, AMC, and 
The Biography Channel or 
providing commentary for the 
likes of MTV, E!, and CNN. 
He has been to all of America’s 
national parks and what feels 
like 40 percent of its Hampton 
Inns.

 Copies of the books are 
available for checkout from 
the Library in eBook or book 
format and may be picked up 
via curbside service. For more 
information on One City, One 
Story visit: cityofpasadena.
libguides.com/onecityonestory. 

 
The Pasadena Public 
Health Department 
(PPHD) announced 
Friday that it has received 
1,950 doses of the Pfizer 
COVID-19 vaccine. This 
shipment was delivered 
directly to Huntington 
Hospital, and vaccinations 
are expected to begin 
tomorrow. Additional 
Moderna vaccine doses are 
expected to arrive in the 
coming weeks.

 Healthcare workers and 
residents of nursing homes 
and other long-term care 
facilities will be the first to 
receive the vaccine. Both 
the Pfizer and Moderna 
vaccine require two doses 
and provide the same 
efficacy. PPHD is managing 
the vaccine distribution 
process and will be 
following guidance from 
the Centers for Disease 
Control (CDC) and the 
California Department of 
Public Health.

 The city has the 
infrastructure to both store 
and distribute the vaccines. 
Vaccine distribution is a 
normal function of PPHD. 
Every year, team members 
practice for emergency 
vaccine distribution 
by conducting mass 
vaccination events such 
as free flu vaccine clinics. 
When the COVID-19 
vaccine is made available 
to the general public, it will 
be provided at no charge; 
it will be paid for by the 
federal government or by 
one’s insurance company.

 “We are excited for these 
safe and effective vaccines 
to arrive in Pasadena, and I 
want to thank Huntington 
Hospital and all of our 
partners who are helping 
distribute the vaccine in 
an equitable and efficient 
matter,” said Dr. Ying-
Ying Goh, health officer 
and director of Pasadena 
Public Health Department. 
“Although the arrival of 
vaccines has given a lot of 
hope, we are still seeing 
an upward trend of an 
alarming surge in cases, 
hospitalizations, and sadly 
more deaths. It’s up to each 
and every one of us to do 
our part to reduce the 
spread of COVID-19.”

 As COVID-19 infections 
continue to rise in the 
community, residents are 
strongly urged to keep 
following the Regional 
Stay-at-Home Order, 
which requires everyone 
to stay home as much as 
possible and avoid in-
person contact with people 
from other households. 
People should also avoid 
travelling for the holidays 
and follow the “Three Ws”:

Wear a face covering when 
outside your home;

Watch your distance by 
avoiding gatherings and 
close contact with non-
household members; and

Wash your hands often.

For more information 
about the city of Pasadena 
visit: cityofpasadena.net.

City Council Votes to Rejoin SGVCOG

 The Pasadena city council voted 
unanimously Monday in favor of 
rejoining the San Gabriel Valley 
Council of Governments, after 
former Mayor Terry Tornek 
abruptly led an effort in 2018 to 
withdraw membership over the 
710 Freeway tunnel. Rejoining 
will cost the city $121,660.94 in 
back fees. 

 “I do think it is important 
to rejoin the COG, the San 
Gabriel Valley Council of 
Governments,” said newly 
elected Pasadena Mayor, Victor 
Gordo. “There are 31 cities in 
the San Gabriel Valley, at the 
moment only 30 are working 
together on important issues, 
transportation, homelessness, 
housing, water, all of the issues 
that we gravel with in Pasadena. 
The COG is not going to solve 
all those problems but it’s an 
important tool that we should 
be a part of.”

 According to Pasadena City 
Manager Steve Mermell, in 
March 2018 the city formally 
withdrew from the SGVCOG 
because it was going in a 
different direction regarding the 
SR 710 Freeway.

 Members of the public also 
agreed that the city should 
rejoin.

 “While policy differences led 
to Pasadena’s withdrawal, there 
are compelling reasons outlined 
in the staff report for Pasadena 
to be an active leader...,” said 
Pasadena resident and COG 
volunteer Rick Cole. “The 
challenges and opportunities 
facing Pasadena (e.g., climate 
change, economic recovery, 
housing affordability, public 
health and public safety) do not 
end at our city borders. ” 

 Mermell said the back 
membership dues were not 
punitive or aimed only at 
Pasadena. He said this is a 
standard practice for Council of 
Governments. 

 Councilmember Steve Madison 
said, “I think is regrettable... we 
have to pay dues now... it really 
shows the folly of having simply 
pulled out because we missed 
all that collaborative governess 
that we could have been 
participating in, in cities that 
might have disagreed with us.” 

 Gordo had campaigned for 
mayor on a promise to rejoin 
SGVCOG, an issue that was 
always at odds during debates 
with Tornek.

Gordo 
Announces 
New Council 
Committee 
Assignments

 In his first official act as mayor 
of Pasadena, Victor Gordo has 
announced new committee 
assignments for all members of 
City Council.

 City councilmembers serve on 
various 

 intergovernmental committees 
during their term in office. 
These assignments are reviewed 
and modified annually 
following the swearing in of 
new councilmembers.

 Gordo has appointed District 
1 Councilmember Tyron 
Hampton to chair the Economic 
Development & Technology 
Committee, which meets the 
third Tuesday of each month. 
The mayor has also appointed 
District 6 Councilmember 
Steve Madison and Vice Mayor 
and District 7 Councilmember 
Andy Wilson to serve on the 
committee.

 Gordo will chair the Finance 
Committee, which meets the 
second and fourth Monday of 
each month. He has appointed 
Vice Mayor Wilson, District 
3 Councilmember John J. 
Kennedy, and new District 
2 Councilmember Felicia 
Williams to join him in serving 
on the Finance Committee.

Councilmember Madison has 
been appointed to chair the 
Legislative Policy Committee, 
which meets the fourth 
Tuesday of each month. He 
will be joined by the mayor 
and District 4 Councilmember 
Gene Masuda.

 Gordo has appointed Vice 
Mayor Wilson to chair 
the Municipal Services 
Committee, which meets the 
second and fourth Tuesday of 
each month. Councilmembers 
Hampton and Williams have 
also been appointed to serve 
on the Municipal Services 
Committee.

 Finally, Gordo will serve 
as chair of the Public Safety 
Committee, which meets 
the first Monday and third 
Wednesday of each month. The 
mayor has also appointed 

 Councilmembers Hampton, 
Kennedy and Madison to serve 
on the committee.


South Pas Tournament of 
Roses Crunch Time Party



 With the cancellation of the live 
Rose Parade on Jan. 1, the South 
Pasadena Tournament of Roses 
Committee is already gearing 
up for the 2022 New Year’s Day 
event by encouraging public 
support, starting Saturday, 
December 26, at 10 a.m. and 
continuing through Sunday, 
December 29, at 10 p.m.

 South Pasadena Tournament 
of Roses Committee (SPTOR) 
President Brant Dunlap is 
urging those in the community 
and beyond to get behind a new 
look Crunch Time Party, minus 
the traditional dinner, silent 
and live auction held at the War 
Memorial Building in town. This 
year’s virtual auction will feature 
dozens of items, including a 
gourmet dinner for eight, a 
private airplane ride for two, a 
Big Bear getaway, an overnight 
stay at a high-end hotel, an 
elegant estate tour, dinners, 
gift baskets, entertainment and 
much more.

 While this year’s Crunch Time 
Party will look different, Dunlap 
knows the goal of the auction 
remains the same – to raise the 
necessary funds for the city float 
to participate in the 2022 Rose 
Parade and create enormous 
hometown pride along the way.

 To take part in the auction site, 
go to: SPTOR.org or auctria.
com/auction/SPTOR2020

E-Waste Recycling Event Today

 Residents can safely dispose 
of electronic waste and 
have personal and business 
documents shredded at the 
Department of Public Works’ 
free e-waste event today, from 
9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event 
will be held in Parking Lot I 
outside Rose Bowl Stadium 
near Brookside Park, 360 North 
Arroyo Blvd.

 Signs will be posted directing 
visitors to the event. 

E-waste items include 
computers, keyboards, printers, 
monitors, laptops, docking 
stations, scanners, shredders, 
fax machines, computer mice, 
phones, televisions, VCRs, 
DVD players, PDAs, cassette 
players, tape drives, stereos and 
household batteries. Many of 
these products have parts that 
can be recycled.

 The Department of Public 
Works is also helping residents 
prevent identity theft by 
providing free paper shredding 
during the event. The public can 
bring a maximum of three (3) 
legal-size boxes for shredding. 

 Event participants will be 
required to show proof of 
Pasadena residency, and 
COVID-19 public health 
safety protocols will be in 
place. For more information, 
visit: cityofpasadena.net/
PublicWorks or call (626) 744-
7311.

Tournament of Roses TV 
Special Featured Segments

 The new year is almost here 
and we’re getting ready to 
celebrate with some of our most 
spectacular floats and floral 
décor! Today the Pasadena 
Tournament of Roses announced 
the nine featured segments 
appearing in “The Rose Parade’s 
New Year Celebration presented 
by Honda.” Each segment will 
spotlight award-winning float 
participants and sponsors, their 
Rose Parade legacy and their 
commitment to the community. 
Some have been Rose Parade 
mainstays for decades, while 
others are just getting started 
on the annual procession down 
Colorado Boulevard.

 Cal Poly Universities – A 
behind-the-scenes look into the 
making of a float

City of Hope – Celebrating 
doctors, nurses, cancer survivors 
and new beginnings

Dole Packaged Foods – 
highlighting its efforts to bring 
access to sustainable nutrition 
for 1 billion people by 2025

Donate Life – Presenting a 
floral sculpture to honor organ 
and tissue donors, as well as 
healthcare heroes who make the 
gift of life possible

FTD – Contributing their iconic 
floral décor in the Rose Parade 
for nearly 70 years

Honda – Celebrating more 
than 60 years of innovation and 
commitment to helping others

Kaiser Permanente – Honoring 
health care heroes and a healthy, 
thriving world

Trader Joe’s – Saluting store Crew 
Members who are nourishing 
their neighborhoods, every day

The UPS Store – Highlighting 
their dedication to literacy, 
providing children resources to 
read 

 The special will air on ABC, 
Hallmark Channel, KTLA, NBC 
and RFD-TV at 8 a.m. PST and 
on Univision at 7 a.m. PST on 
January 1, 2021. 

 For more information about 
“The Rose Parade’s New Year 
Celebration presented by 
Honda,” visit our website at 
tournamentofroses.com.


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