Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, August 21, 2021

Mountain Views-News Saturday, August 21, 2021 

Council 
ApprovesDrought Plan

 Watering days willdepend on even orodd numbered street 
addresses.

 The Pasadena City Council 
unanimously approved 
a proposal Monday to 
implement the Level 2 Water 
Supply Shortage Plan under 
the Pasadena Municipal Code 
and to establish a voluntary 
water reduction target of 15 
percent which aligns with the 
state’s reduction goal.

 According to a statement, 
as part of the Pasadena 
Municipal Code, the Level 2 
Water Supply Shortage Plan 
restricts outdoor watering 
to two days per week from 
April to October and one day 
per week from November to 
March.

 To balance the water 
demand on the city’s water 
system and to prevent all 
properties from watering on 
the same days, the following 
alternating watering schedule 
was approved:

 Even-numbered street 
addresses are limited to 
watering only on Mondays 
and Thursdays with Odd-
numbered street addresses 
limited to watering only on 
Tuesdays and Fridays

 As the water supply 
situation throughout the 
state of California continues 
to worsen, with less rain 
forecasted and water sources 
dwindling, Pasadena is 
poised to take the necessary 
steps to preserve its limited 
water supplies to meet the 
community’s drinking water 
needs.

 “We are not looking for lawns 
to go brown. Often, over 
watering occurs when the 
homeowner does not realize 
they had a broken sprinkler 
head or the duration of their 
watering is too long. We are 
hoping to educate customers 
that outdoor water use 
makes up more the majority 
of an average household’s 
water use. A good amount 
of water can be saved by 
replacing leaks, using efficient 
sprinkler heads, or installing 
drip irrigation,” said City 
Manager Steve Mermell. 
“Having our own water 
and power utility helps us 
to understand community 
needs. The City recently 
introduced the Water Savers 
Team, which consists of water 
conservation specialists who 
visit locations throughout 
town where there have been 
reports of water waste and 
help evaluate households on 
how they can improve their 
outdoor watering situation,” 
Mermell added. In the past 
three months, the PWP 
Water Savers have reached 
more than 3,000 customers.

 In addition to educating 
customers, Pasadena Water 
and Power (PWP) has plans 
to collaborate with its largest 
commercial water irrigation 
customer to determine if an 
efficient water use plan can 
be established to help meet 
the city’s water conservation 
target.

 Approximately 60 percent 
of Pasadena’s water comes 
from imported water sources 
supplied by the Metropolitan 
Water District—which they 
also declare a Water Supply 
Alert. The move to “alert” 
status is a call for the region 
to safeguard storage reserves 
and for water agencies to do 
their part to reduce water use.

 For more information and 
additional water saving 
tips, visit PWPweb.com/ 
SaveWater. 

Ribbon Cutting Celebrates AbilityFirst Merger 

 
Congresswoman Judy Chu, 
along with other dignitaries, 
took part Friday morning in a 
ribbon cutting at AbilityFirst’s 
Community and Supported 
Employment Office in North 
West Pasadena to mark their 
merger with Foothill Vocational 
Opportunities (FVO). The 
site hosts the AbilityFirst 
Manufacturing Program.

“As you can imagine is no easy 
task, it takes countless hours 
on behalf of both of the board 
of directors” said AbilityFirst 
CEO Lori Gangemi. “There is 
an incredible opportunity to 
expand each of our exceptional 
services while ensuring that 
people with disabilities and 
their families have a wider 
access to a variety of programs 
that can help to transform their 
lives.” 

AbilityFirst will expand 
its newest programs: 
ExploreAbility, DiscoverAbility 
and PossAbility. Now, with FVO 
Solutions under AbilityFirst, 
the organization provides its 
participants with wider access 
to FVO Solutions’ enterprising 
manufacturing program, 
which has been renamed to 
AbilityFirst Manufacturing 
Program Gangemi said.

“This is going to expand 
the number of people they 

can help to 2,000 and will 
expand the area of those being 
helped,” Congresswoman Judy 
Chu said. “You [AbilityFirst] 
have helped so many people 
over the decades. That is way 
I am so glad that the federal 
government can support this by 
doing, at least, the purchasing 
of these hole punches but also 
providing funding that keep 
these programs alive.” 

 Gangemi also said that the 
merger of AbilityFirst and 
FVO Solutions allows the two 
organizations to consolidate 
operations, maximize 
operational efficiency by 
reducing duplicate expenses, 
and increase service to its 
participants by expanding 
programs.

 “During the pandemic it has 
been hard on everybody to 
operate, but you have done 
so many things, hosting 
COVID-19 vaccination clinics, 
hosting activities outdoors, 
hiking, dance and yoga classes, 
delivering care packages to 
participants, and operates the 
annual summer camp,” Chu 
said.

 Together, AbilityFirst and FVO 
Solutions are better positioned 
to advocate for people with 
developmental disabilities in the 
greater Los Angeles community 

South Pasadena LibraryExpands Weekend Hours

 Starting today, the South COVID-19 (cough, difficulty 
Pasadena Library will be open breathing, fever, or chills). 
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Library hours: Monday through 
Saturdays. Thursday, 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., 

 According to city officials, Friday and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. 
to enter the library building, to 5:00 p.m., and Sunday closed. 
customers ages 2 and up For more information visit: 
must wear a covering over southpasadenaca.gov. 
their mouth and nose at all 
times. The Children’s Room is 
following guidelines for youth 
settings. Capacity is limited 
and physical distancing is still 
mandatory. Children’s Room 
visitors should stay with their 
household members and 
maintain 6’ of distance from 
others. In other parts of the 
library, it is recommended 
that visitors maintain six feet 
of distance from people not in 
their household. Customers 
should not enter the library 
if they have symptoms of 


Labor Day Swing BandConcert at Senior Center

 Are you ready to get back in swing. 
the swing of things? Enjoy a To register or for more 
concert by the Great American information visit: 
Swing Band Monday, Sept. 6, pasadenaseniorcenter.org and 
from 3 to 5 p.m. on the large click on Events, Clubs and 
patio behind the Pasadena Lectures, then At the Center or 
Senior Center. call 626-795-4331. Walk-ins will 

 The cost is free for members be admitted if space is available. 
of the Pasadena Senior Center The center, at 85 E. Holly 
and only $5 for nonmembers. St., is a nonprofit organization 
Snack boxes and desserts will that has served older adults for 
be included. Everyone will be more than 60 years. During 
invited to dance or tap their toes the pandemic, doors are open 
to live music performed by The Mondays through Fridays from 
Great American Swing Band, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Masks and 
including standards, jazz and social distancing are required. 

and support efforts toward 
diversity, equity and inclusion 
Gangemi said.

 “I would like to thank 
AbilityFirst CEO Lori Gangemi, 
AbilityFirst board of directors 
and the team at FVO Solutions 
including Director of Facilities 
Rob Wahlstrom” said Council 
member John Kennedy before 
providing a certificate of 
recognition on behalf of the city. 

 AbilityFirst remains 
headquartered at 1300 East 
Green Street in Pasadena. To 
learn more about AbilityFirst, 
visit: abilityfirst.org. 

Photo by D. Lee/MVNews 


Police Asks 
Public To StaySafe Labor 
Day Weekend 

As friends and family plan 

vacations during the final days 

of summer, Pasadena Police 

Department is reminding 

everyone to stay safe by always 

choosing a sober way to go.

 No matter how you choose to 

celebrate the end of summer 

and Labor Day weekend, make 

sure you do so responsibly. 

Take the necessary precautions 

to protect yourself and your 

family by buckling up, ditching 

the distractions, following the 

speed limit, and never driving 

impaired.

 To help keep our community 

safe during the busy late 

summer and Labor Day 

weekend travel season, 

Pasadena Police Department 

will have additional officers 

on patrol through Labor Day, 

Sept. 6, looking for drivers 

suspected of driving under 

the influence of alcohol and/ 

or drugs. The increased efforts 

to address impaired driving 

are part of the national Drive 

Sober or Get Pulled Over 

campaign.

 “Driving impaired is risky 

and puts yourself and others 

around you in serious danger,” 

Pasadena police Lt. Anthony 

Russo said. “If you are taking 

a road trip over the next few 

weeks, make good choices and 

drive like your closest friends 

and family are in the cars 

around you.”

 Forty-five people were 

killed in crashes throughout 

California over the 2019 Labor 

Day holiday, and the California 

Highway Patrol (CHP) made 

more than 1,000 arrests for 

driving under the influence 

during the 78-hour Labor Day 

weekend enforcement period.

 Driving while impaired is not 

just from alcohol. Prescription 

drugs, over-the-counter 

medications, and marijuana 

may also impair your driving. 

If you plan on drinking or 

taking medications with a 

driving warning label, let 

someone who is sober drive. 

If you see someone who is 

driving impaired, call 9-1-1. 

Tournament and City HostCovid-19 Vaccination Clinic 

 
The Pasadena Tournament 
of Roses, in partnership 
with the Pasadena Public 
Health Department, hosted 
a COVID-19 walk-up 
vaccination clinic Thursday. 
The Rose Parade, Rose Bowl 
Game and associated events, 
host people from across 
the country and around 
the world, and vaccination 
remains key to returning to 
the iconic New Year’s Day 
celebration. 

 Held at Tournament 
House, this was one of the 
first clinics in Pasadena 
to offer “supplemental” or 
“third” COVID-19 shots 
to people with immune 
conditions. Individuals who 
were vaccinated on-site were 
entered for a chance to win 
tickets to the 2022 Rose 
Parade presented by Honda 
on January 1, 2022.

Alongside Pasadena 
Public Health Department 
staff, Tournament of Roses 
members assisted in nonclinical 
duties adding to 
the hundreds of volunteer 
hours they have contributed 
to the #VaccinatePasadena 
initiative.

 “We want to thank our 
Tournament members who 
have made it a priority to 
serve the people of Pasadena 
over this past year, including 
food deliveries and 
supporting the city through 
#VaccinatePasadena,” said 
David Eads, Executive 
Director/CEO of the 
Pasadena Tournament of 
Roses. “We also want to 
thank our longtime partner, 
the city of Pasadena, for their 
leadership and addressing 
the importance of receiving 
the COVID-19 vaccine. 
Their determination and 

dedication have resulted 
in more than 83% of 
Pasadena residents being 
fully vaccinated. Thank 
you, Tournament members 
and city, for your continued 
commitment to our 
community.” 

 Tournament of Roses 
volunteer members and staff 
are actively planning for the 
return of the Rose Parade 
and Rose Bowl Game here in 
Pasadena, with public health 
and safety remaining the top 
priority.

 “The Tournament of 
Roses has been a great 
partner throughout our 
#VaccinatePasadena roll-
out, including pop-up clinics 
at schools and providing 
volunteers at Pasadena City 
College and Victory Park 
dispensing sites,” said Lisa 
Derderian, Pasadena Public 
Information Officer. “They 
also assisted with promoting 
the community-based 
clinics and dropping off 
flyers at local businesses.”

 The Tournament of Roses 
continues to support 
#VaccinatePasadena by 
requiring applicants for the 
2022 Royal Court to be fully 
vaccinated to participate. 
Applications are now open, 
and the interview process 
begins next month. 

 Together with the City of 
Pasadena, the Tournament 
of Roses will bring pride to 
Pasadena and joy to millions 
of people around the world 
on January 1, 2022. For 
more than 130 years, the 
Tournament of Roses has 
welcomed each New Year’s 
Day with the possibilities 
and optimism for a better 
year to come. 

County Libraries Nixing Fines

 Los Angeles County Library brought to light the concept 
staff announced Thursday that administrative fees can 
they have eliminated fines for have a disproportionate impact 
overdue books and materials. on vulnerable individuals, 
As of this date, past, present, particularly youth, non-
and future overdue fines for citizens, and people of color. 
materials will no longer be For these reasons, more and 
charged. many libraries around the 

 “The burden of administrative country, and the world, are 
fines and fees can create eliminating fines. LA County 
financial strain for low-income Library is now a new member 
families and can contribute to of fine free libraries. 
a cycle of economic hardship,” For more information or library 
they said in a statement. locations visit: lacountylibrary. 
“Recent actions statewide have org/library-locator. 

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