Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, May 22, 2021

Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 22, 2021 Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 22, 2021 
Council to 
Discuss 710 
North Gap 


Council Meeting Nixed over McClain Protest 


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 

 The Pasadena city councilis set to discuss Mondayfurthering the goal of 
having the 710 North gapcorridor delisted from the 
State highway system andto have the streets within 
the SR 710 City boundaries(stub) to be relinquished tothe city thereby regaininglocal control. Delisting 
the SR 710 North and 
achieving relinquishment 
requires several interim 
steps, the first being 
reaching an agreementwith Caltrans, with the 
California TransportationCommission (CTC)
serving as the final decisionmaking body.

 According to city staffthey have been workingwith Caltrans looking atconverting the existing 
freeway to freewayinterchange into a local 
street network with 
connections to 1-210 and 
SR-134.

 They also said the initialstep of defining the localconnections is the first stepin the city’s long-term goalof regaining control overthe 710 North “stub” area, 
securing relinquishment 
and developing a land 
use and transportationplan for roughly, the areabetween Walnut Street 
andCalifornia Boulevard. 
The 710 Norther Stub 
Repurposing SupplementalAnalysis, in part, will assistin advancing the followingobjectives of the MobilityElement: 
Promote greater linkagesbetween land uses and 
transit, as well as non-
vehicular modes of 
transportation to reduce 
vehicular trip related 
emissions. 
Recognize the distinctivetransportation needs of 
the community and deliverappropriate transportationservices developed throughpublic outreach programs.
Continue to coordinate 
with other governmentalagencies in the area, 
including municipalities, 
Southern California 
Association of 
Governments, Metro and 
the San Gabriel ValleyCouncil of Governments 
to address issues of mutual 
concern related to the 
transportation system. 

All fireworks 


are Illegal

 The Pasadena Fire 
Department reminds 
residents that all fireworks 
are illegal in Pasadena. 
They’re a fire hazard 
and can result in life-
threatening injuries fire 
officials said. The City ofPasadena municipal codeholds property owners and 
tenants responsible for 
permitting the possession,
sale, usage or discharge offireworks on their property.

 The City maintains a zerotolerance enforcement 
policy for fireworks,
Report illegal fireworks in 
your neighborhood to the 
Pasadena police at (626)
744-4241. 

 Just hours before the Pasadena also spoke saying that he did 
city council was set to hold normally get into politics but 
their regular meeting Monday this was too much. 
officials abruptly canceled it for In March attorneys Harper and 
safety concerns over a protest, Crump released new video of 
planned weeks earlier, calling for McClain’s death they said shows 
justice in the police shooting of doubt on a weapon police found 
Anthony McClain in August. at the scene. Investigators had

 McClain’s family was joined said it had McClain’s DNA on it. 
by Members of Black Lives The video also showed McClain 
Matter George Floyd’s brother, on the sidewalk bleeding 
Philonise Floyd, along with after being shot. Harper said 
local civil rights lawyer Caree McClain can be heard saying 
Harper and civil rights attorney ““I can’t breathe.” One of the 
Benjamin Crump. officers kneels on his back as 
“I pray that we can all tell these he is handcuffed Harper said. 
babies that we stood up and McClain had been shot through 
we said his name, Anthony his right lung. 
McClain, because Anthony McClain was shot by police 
McClain’s life matters,” Crump Aug. 15 after running away from 
said. officers holding his waistband 
Music producer and longtime according to police at the time. 
musician George Clinton Harper has maintained that 

Holden’s Social and Racial 
Justice Bills Clear Committee 

 
A series of AssemblymemberChris Holden’s bills cleared 
the Assembly Appropriations 
Committee he announced 
Friday. The package of socialand racial justice bills thatpassed include police reform,
AB 26; The Upward MobilityAct, AB 105; transportation 
contracts for disadvantagedcommunities, AB 349; and real 
estate appraisal reform, AB 

948. The other bills authored byHolden that passed include leadfree faucets, AB 100; affordablehousing in 710 corridor, 
AB 512; electric investor-
owned utilities’ executive 
compensation oversight AB 
1156; and records managementat state departments, AB 1429. 
“I am pleased to see my socialand racial justice bills passthe Assembly Appropriations 
Committee today. This 
demonstrates both the 
commitment of the legislatureand the ongoing public supportfor these important reforms,” 
Holden said. “I’m also proudthat my bills that would reducelead in our drinking water andhelp create affordable housing inthe district passed.” 
AB 26 would establish 
clear guidelines for policeresponsibility and accountabilitywhen witnessing excessive 
force by another member oflaw enforcement, including 
providing a selection of 
techniques to establish that anofficer has in fact attempted tointercede. 
AB 100 would set a limit on the 
amount of lead leaching fromdrinking water faucets and 
fixtures. 
AB 105 would address barriers to 
upward mobility and inclusionfor people of color working inCalifornia’s civil services system.
Specifically the legislationwould require diversity on allstate boards and commissions 
that have volunteers, and reformprocesses that hinder upwardmobility for people of color inthe civil service system, givingattention to compliance, the 

appeals process, and annualparity goals for upward mobility.
AB 349 would require half of onepercent of SB 1 dollars be used toconduct outreach efforts to small 
business and disadvantaged 
business enterprises. The 
bill aims to bolster efforts to 
include minority owned andwomen owned business in a 
post COVID-19 economic 
recovery to meet contract 
procurement goals establishedby the California Department ofTransportation.
AB 512 would allow HousingRelated Entities (HREs), likecity housing departments andaffordable housing developers,
to purchase vacant land ownedby Caltrans in the 710 NorthCorridor, at the original 
purchase price, for the purposeof building affordable housing.
AB 948 would require the 
Bureau of California Real Estate 
Appraisals to gather data ondemographic information of 
buyers and sellers of real estateproperty and compile data ofhomeowners from protected 
classes who file complaints 
based on low appraisals.
The legislation also requiresappraisers to take anti-bias 
training when renewing theirlicense. 
AB 1156 would retain CPUC 
oversight of electric investor-
owned utilities’ executive 
compensation structure, and 
ensure public transparency ismaintained for such review. 
AB 1429 would require 
the record managementcoordinators for their respectivestate departments and agencies 
to train all employees on 
correct records retention 
practices within 60 days of theiremployment and annually. 

McClain was holding his beltbuckle and the gun was planted.
The car McClain was a passengerin had originally been stoppedfor having no front license plate. 

City to Alignwith State 
Keep rules forFace Masks 

After the U.S. Centers 
for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) released 
guidance indicating that peoplewho are fully vaccinated againstCOVID-19 can resume some 
activities without wearingmasks or physically distancingexcept where required by locallaw and regulations, includinglocal business and workplaceguidance the city of Pasadenawill align with state and 
maintain current requirementsfor face masks Until June 15. . 
On May 17, the state announcedthat existing face mask 
guidance remains in place untilJune 15. This will allow a few 
more weeks for people who liveor work in our city, students,
and visitors to access vaccine,
and to increase our overall 
community vaccination rates tokeep our residents safer.
It is important to note 
workplaces remain under Cal/
OSHA masking and distancingrequirements, which have notyet changed.
When are masks still required?
When indoors (except when inone’s own home)
When outdoors at crowded 
events or venues 
When not fully vaccinated,
outdoors and unable to 
physically distance from othersAt businesses and worksites 
including retailers, restaurants,
markets, offices, and schoolsWhen utilizing public 
transportationWhen can I remove my mask?
When outdoors and able to 
physically distance from othersWhen eating or drinking whileseated at table in a restaurant,
bar, or brewery dining areaWhen receiving personal careservices to the facial area such 
as barbering, waxing, massage,
and electrologyWhen fully vaccinated and 
outdoors (except at certain 
events or venues, includingbusinesses and retail)
When fully vaccinated and ata private event or gatheringwhere all other attendees are 
fully vaccinatedWhen fully vaccinated and 
gathering with unvaccinatedindividuals from only one 
other household who are not at 
high risk for severe COVID-19disease 
For more information about 
this city’s guidelines visit: 
cityofpasadena.net. For moreinformation about the CDC 
facemask guideline visit: cdc. 
gov. 

Police Chief Perez to Retire 

BY Dean Lee 

After 36 years with the 
Pasadena police department,
John Perez (pictured)
announced he plans to retirein 2022. The news came 
in light of current events,
including the departmentbeing under public scrutinyfor use of force tactics.

 The official announcement 
came only after public 
comment during the 
Pasadena city council’s May10 meeting. Former mayoralcandidate Allen Shay broughtup Perez retirement after 
reading a recent news storyin Pasadena Now.

 “I think it is kind of 
disingenuous, with such areport to come out after wehave asked that you fire thechief for the last 60 days,
specifically, there has beenno comments, no reactionsby the city council and thecommunity is having realissues with this,” Shay said. 
“Here the police chief can 
make a decision on his own 
accord, where as our citycouncil and our city managerhave no say so in what thecommunity is asking.”

 A number of other publicspeakers brought up the 
connections between Perez 
announcement and AnthonyMcClain (see story left)
something Perez denounced.

 Councilmember John 
Kennedy asked that they bebriefed by the city attorneyabout allegations in closedsession. Councilmember 
Tyron Hampton further 


Pasadena Recognizes CityPublic Works and Arbor Day 

 Pasadena Mayor Victor 
Gordo issued proclamationsThursday for National PublicWorks Week and Arbor Day.

 National Public Works 
Week took place last weekand highlighted public worksinfrastructure, facilities and 
services that are vital to the 
health, safety and well-beingof the people of Pasadena.
The planning, developmentand maintenance of publicworks systems and services,
such as sewers and storm 
drains, streets and sidewalks, 
traffic signals, publicbuildings, parks, and trashcollection and recycling, 
are essential to meetingthe needs of our residents,
and could not be providedwithout the dedicated efforts 
of our public works teammembers.

 Arbor Day, itself, to becelebrated on Thursday,
encourages the planting oftrees in urban and wildland 

asked that any part of it, thatcan, be agenized for pubicsession at the city’s PublicSafety Meeting.

 “This is definitely a seriousmatter,” he said. “Hearingabout the [possible]
movement of a gun.”

 Pasadena Mayor VictorGordo said that he would 
let the city attorney updatethem on the hiring process ofa new chief.

 “What the charter allows, 
don’t allow, there are 
powers… that are very clearlyoutlined… as well as in the 
municipal code that we needto adhere to,” he said.

 Kennedy also said that thecity needed to speed up theappointment process of fillingall 11 seats on the city’s newCommunity Police OversightCommission. To date 
only three commissioners 
have been chosen, Alexis 
Abernethy, Florence Annangand Juliana Serrano.

 Perez said he will stay withthe department until afterthe 2022 Rose Parade and 
Rose Bowl game. 

areas to protect, renew 
and manage local trees 
and forests, and promote 
a healthy ecosystem. For 
the 31st consecutive year,
the National Arbor DayFoundation has recognizedPasadena as a Tree City USAdesignee and has awardedthe City a Growth Awardfor excellence in promotingurban forestry programs.

The City of Pasadena has 
committed to trees as a 
defining feature of the cityand 11 new trees will be 
planted around City Hall andthe Civic Center area and to 
mark the occasion. Througha longstanding partnershipwith Pasadena Beautiful 
Foundation, the City willalso plant a large specimenoak tree at Defenders Park, 
450 W. Colorado Blvd. Due 
to COVID-19 regulations,
there will be no public 
participation.

 For more information visit: 
cityofpasadena.net.