Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, June 18, 2022

Mountain View News Saturday, June 18, 2022 

Pasadena 
to Ban Ghost 
Gun Kits 

 
The Pasadena city council 
is set Monday to discus an 
ordinance that would make it 
a crime in the city to possess 
firearms known as ghost guns 
and ghost gun kits. 

According to city staff the 
new ordinance, if passed, 
would close a loophole in 
federal and state law that 
ghost gun kits themselves 
are not regulated. Once 
pieces of the kit are drilled 
and machined, it becomes 
a receiver and should be 
regulated,” the city council 
report reads. “However, the 
person who assembled the kit 
will likely fail to register the 
fully functional firearm.”

 ghost gun is a homemade 
gun made from easy-to-get, 
unregulated ghost gun kits.

 If passed the council could 
also enhance the penalty 
for possessing ghost gunviolations to one year in 
the county or city jail and a 
$1,000 fine. Currently, the 
punishment is six months in 
county jail with a $500 fine.

 The rise of ghost guns is 
the fastest-growing gunsafety problem facing the 
country, according to city 
staff. More than 14 percent 
of the firearms seized by the 
Pasadena Police Department 
have been unserialized, 
untraceable ghost guns in 
the last year. The number 
is trending closer to 16 
percent for the current year. 
“Disturbingly, little is known 
about who sells ghost guns, 
who buys them, and how 
much they are used in crime,” 
they said. 

 The report alos states that 

law enforcement officers 

are recovering increasing 
numbers of homemade, 
unserialized guns from people 
who are legally prohibited 
from having guns. “It is easier 
and cheaper than ever for 
anyone to make guns. With 
a do-it-yourself kit ordered 
online and some commonly 
available tools, a novice can 
make their pistol, like a Glock 
19, or an assaultstyle rifle, 
like an AR-15 or AK-47, in 
just a few hours. The number 
of ghost gun sellers offering 
gun-making kits with all parts 
needed at discount prices is 
exploding.”

 Call the Pasadena Police 
Department at (626) 7444241 
to request a police officer 
to respond to, or surrender, a 
weapon. Gun registration is 
not necessary to voluntarily 
surrender a firearm.

 The council meets Monday 
at 4:30 p.m. by Zoom. 
For more information, 
or public comment visit: 
cityofpasadena.net. 

Related News

 Ghost Gun Found 

during Traffic Stop

 Pasadena Police Officers 
conducted a traffic stop 
late last month on a vehicle 
for a vehicle violation and 
discovered the driver was 
on probation for assault. On 
May 29 at 8:46 p.m., during 
an investigation, officers 
searched the vehicle and 
located a 9mm ghost handgun 
behind the center console. 
The driver was arrested 
for carrying a concealed 
weapon and being a felon in 
possession of a firearm. 

Council Bans New Natural Gas Hookups 

 
The Pasadena City Council 
passed a motion Monday to 
move forward with an ordinance 
requiring the electrification 
of certain categories of newly 
constructed buildings —the 
ordinance excludes food service 
and commercial kitchens.

 The new ordinance requires 
newly constructed mixed-
use buildings, commercial 
buildings, except food service 
establishments and commercial 
kitchens, and multi-family 
buildings with more than three 
units to utilize electric energy 
only. This bans the use of natural 
gas hookups. 

 Single-family dwellings, 
accessory dwelling units and 
junior accessory dwelling units 
are exempt from the ordinance. 

City staff is set to return to the 
council within a year with a 
recommendation as to whether 
these dwellings should also be 
included.

 According to the City’s 
Climate Action Plan, as of 
2009, approximately 47 percent 
of community-wide GHG 
emissions are from residential 
and commercial energy 
use, with residential energy 
use totaling 16 percent and 
commercial energy use totaling 
31 percent. 

 “Pasadena cannot meet its 
climate goals without shifting 
away from natural gas use. 
State policies and lower prices 
of renewable energy mean that 
substituting natural gas with 
electricity is one of the quickest, 

Pasadena Pops to Heat upThe Summer With Latin Sizzle 

 
Principal Pops Conductor 
Michael Feinstein kicks off the 
Pasadena POPS 2022 Rusnak 
Summer Concert series on 
Saturday, June 25 with Sway 
with Me: Latin Rhythm and 
Swing. The POPS season opener 
will explore the interchange 
between American and Latin 
sound throughout the years, 
and will have the audience 
swaying and swinging under 
the stars to songs like Brazil, 
Sway, I Love Lucy and Girl 
from Ipanema made famous by 
Carmen Miranda, Desi Arnaz, 
Pink Martini and more, all in 
symphonic sound by Pasadena’s 
premiere orchestra.

 “Latin music is inextricably 
connected to the American 
Songbook,” says Feinstein 
adding “Cole Porter often wrote 
songs with Latin rhythms like 
“I’ve Got You Under My Skin” 
and “Begin the Beguine;” and 
the classic song “Brazil,” which 
will be included in the concert, 
became the first piece of music 
played over a million times on 
American radio.”

 Two phenomenal Mexican 
soloists who will bring these 
tunes to life in both English and 
Spanish. A household name 
in Mexico and Latin America, 
Mauricio Martinez has starred 
in many Mexican Off-Broadway 
productions as well as Bailando 
Por Un Sueño (Mexico’s 
Dancing With The Stars) and 
several telenovelas. He also 
starred as Emilio Estefan in 
the Broadway Musical On 
Your Feet! The Story Of Emilio 
& Gloria Estefan and is also 
known for his role in the Emmy-
winning NBC Universo’s 
original TV series El Vato on 
Netflix. Mauricio will be joined 
by 8x Billboard Top 20 chart-
topping artist Margo Rey, who 
has recorded with the likes of 
John Oates, Marilyn and Alan 
Bergman, and Patti Austin, 
and starred on Broadway in 
Saturday Night Fever and 

Selena Forever, among others.

 All concerts are held at the 
Los Angeles County Arboretum 
and Botanic Gardens. Grounds 
open for picnicking and dining 
at 5:30pm and performances 
begin at 7:30pm. Don’t miss 
the best outdoor dinner party 
in town with spacious circular 
table seating with fine linens, 
or lawn seating for those who 
want to bring a blanket – each 
option carries on the tradition 
of picnic-dining with your 
family and friends with Michael 
Feinstein and the San Gabriel 
Valley’s premier orchestra! 
Among many venue amenities, 
concert goers can enjoy preordered 
gourmet box dinners 
for on-site pickup just steps 
from their table or a variety of 
food truck options.

 The Arboretum is located 
at 301 North Baldwin Ave., 
Arcadia. Subscribers may 
purchase pre-paid onsite 
parking at the Arboretum, and 
all concertgoers can purchase 
guaranteed and convenient 
parking at Santa Anita Park, 
with non-stop shuttle service to 
the Arboretum’s main entrance.

 Single tickets start at $25. 
Season subscriptions and single 
tickets are now on sale, and 
are available by calling the box 
office at (626) 793-7172, online 
at PasadenaSymphony-Pops.
org or at the Arboretum on 
concert days. 

safest, and least expensive 
pathways to eliminating GHG 
emissions from buildings,” 
officials said.

 The ordinance is scheduled 
for a first reading on July 11 and 
will go into effect in August. 
Once adopted, Pasadena will 
become the 55th city in the 
state, second in Los Angeles 
County, and first in the San 
Gabriel Valley region to adopt 
an electrification ordinance 
according to a statement. 

Pasadena 
Celebrates 
Juneteenth

 Join the City of Pasadena 

Parks, Recreation and 

Community Services 

Department and Pasadena’s 

Black History Month 

Committee for the 14th 

annual Juneteenth celebration 

today, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

at Robinson Park, 1081 N. Fair 

Oaks Ave.

 Juneteenth commemorates 

the effective end of slavery 

in the United States. Two 

years after President Lincoln 

signed the Emancipation 

Proclamation, news reached 

Texas and, upon learning 

they were free, former slaves 

immediately began celebrating 

with prayer, feasting, song and 

dance. Juneteenth is now a day 

to reflect and celebrate African 

American history and culture.

 The City’s free, family-friendly 

Juneteenth celebration will 

feature drummers and dancers 

from the Alkebulan Cultural 

Center, live music provided 

by Luv From Abuv, spoken 

word performed by Pasadena 

City College students, arts and 

crafts with Armory Center 

for the Arts, line dancing, 

inflatable games, and more. 

Free hot dogs, drinks and 

snacks will be available while 

they last, and three food 

trucks will provide food for 

purchase.

 Representatives from five 

historically Black colleges 

and universities (HBCUs)—

Hampton University, Howard 

University, Morehouse 

College, Paul Quinn College 

and Tuskegee University— 

and two local higher ed 

institutions, Pasadena 

City College and Pacific 

Oaks College, will be on 

site providing enrollment 

information. Representatives 

from ArtCenter College of 

Design will also be on site 

to share information with 

attendees.

 Come meet new friends or 

reconnect with old ones as we 

celebrate Juneteenth. 

 For more information visit: 

cityofpasadena.net. 

Pasadena Water and Power 
Announces Assistant GM 

 
Pasadena Water and Power 
(PWP) announced Monday 
that the department has 
appointed Stacie Takeguchi 
(pictured) as the new 
assistant general manager 
(AGM) of water after As the 
AGM of water; Takeguchi 
will be responsible for 
all aspects of Pasadena’s 
water system services, 
which include resources, 
engineering, construction, 
operations, and water 
quality. The appointment 
came after a nationwide 
search.

 Takeguchi is experienced in 
water planning, operations 
and engineering. She is a 
leader with more than 20 
years of ensuring continued 
water supply reliability, 
sustainability and resilience 
for the region. Prior to 
joining PWP, Takeguchi 
worked for The Metropolitan 
Water District of Southern 
California (MWD) for 15 
years in various capacities, 
including leading regional 
drought action planning 
efforts. Prior to MWD, 
she managed innovative 
stormwater multiuse 
projects at the County of 
Los Angeles Department 
of Public Works. Takeguchi 
has a bachelor’s degree from 
Tulane University and is a 
licensed engineer in the state 
of California.

 “We are at a pivotal point in 
managing California’s water,” 
said PWP Interim General 
Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger. 
“Stacie Takeguchi is the 
experienced leader that 
Pasadena needs in order 
to successfully navigate 
drought, supply and the 

future of water in our 
community. We’re excited to 
have her as part of our PWP 
leadership team.”

 “I look forward to serving 
Pasadena and advancing 
the goals of PWP through 
continued excellent water 
service and forward-
thinking innovation,” said 
Takeguchi.

 PWP provides electricity to 
more than 65,000 customers 
within Pasadena. PWP 
delivers water to almost 
38,000 households and 
businesses in Pasadena 
and adjacent communities 
in the San Gabriel Valley. 
As a community-owned 
utility, PWP is a not-forprofit 
public service owned 
and operated by the City 
of Pasadena for the benefit 
of its customers and the 
community. Its priorities are 
reliability, responsiveness 
to customers, reasonable 
rates and environmental 
stewardship.

 For more information on 
the City of Pasadena visit: 
cityofpasadena.net.

 To learn more about AGM 
Takeguchi and other PWP 
leaders, visit: PWPweb.com/
Executives. 

Fourth of July Celebrationto be Held at Senior Center 

 Don your favorite red, 
white and blue duds and 
bring your friends and 
family for a Fourth of July 
celebration Monday, July 4, 
from noon to 2 p.m. onsite at 
the Pasadena Senior Center. 
Doors will open at 11:45 
a.m. 

The Scott Pavilion will 
be adorned with patriotic 
décor as everyone celebrates 
with box lunches filled with 
finger-licking Independence 
Day food and enjoys live 
music performed by the 
Great American Swing 
Band.

 The cost is $7 for members 
and $10 for nonmembers of 
all ages. To register or for 
more information, visit: 

 pasadenaseniorcenter.org 
and click on Activities & 
Events, then Special Events 
or call 626-795-4331. 

Pasadena Senior Center is 
located 85 E. Holly St.

 In accordance with 
Pasadena Public Health 
Department guidelines, 
proof of COVID vaccination 
is required for everyone 
who uses the fitness center 
or attends onsite activities 
indoors. Masks are optional. 


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com