Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, July 23, 2022

Mountain View News Saturday, July 23, 2022 

Library Tax tobe Placed on 
Nov. 8 Ballot

 The Pasadena City Council 
unanimously voted Monday 
to place the ‘Pasadena 
Public Library Services 
Continuation Measure’ 
on the November 8 ballot. 
Voters will decide whether to 
continue a dedicated, special 
revenue source for Pasadena 
Public Library programs and 
services. If voters approve this 
measure, it will continue to 
generate approximately $2.8 
million annually for the next 
15 years in dedicated, locally 
funds for Pasadena’s libraries.

 According to a statement, 
since its inception over 135 
years ago, the Pasadena Public 
Library has attained a unique 
position as a highly regarded 
educational and cultural 
institution. With more than 
3,000 on-site programs, 
free Wi-Fi services, and an 
extensive collection of printed 
books, periodicals, media, 
and cloud-based eBooks, 
the Pasadena Public Library 
serves as a life-long learning 
center and cultural beacon 
for the greater Pasadena 
community.

 In June of 1993, voters chose 
to save the Pasadena Public 
Library’s existing services 
and operations when they 
approved a Special Library 
Tax with 79.9 percent of the 
vote, which has since been 
renewed twice with more 
than the required two-thirds 
support of all voters. In 1997, 
it was supported with 84 
percent of the vote and in 
2007 it was supported with 

80.4 percent of the vote. The 
current parcel tax has a sunset 
date of February 2023. 
These revenues are used to 
keep Pasadena libraries open 
and well maintained. They 
are also used to purchase upto-
date books and materials, 
support library programs 
and services, provide 

access to computers, Wi-Fi, 
and technology, and retain 
well-qualified librarians. It 
has enabled the Pasadena 
Public Library to enhance 
its services by implementing 
an advanced search engine, 
a computerized magazine 
and newspaper index, a new 
online library catalog, and 
public access to the internet 
with terminals at all library 
locations. 

 If the existing funding 
through the Pasadena 
Public Library Services 
Continuation Measure is 
not maintained, the City 
would lose approximately 
20 percent of the library 
budget or $2.8 million 
annually, which may lead to 
the closure of neighborhood 
library branches, a reduction 
of books and collections, a 
reduction in library hours, 
the loss of qualified librarians, 
and cuts in other significant 
programs and services offered 
to our community.

 The Pasadena Public Library 
Services Continuation 
Measure is not a new tax. The 
Measure is meant to maintain 
a revenue source that has 
been in existence over the 
last 29 years. Extending the 
current source of revenue 
will protect current funding 
levels.

 With voter approval, these 
funds will only be used for 
the Pasadena Public Library 
benefiting the residents of 
Pasadena. The funds will be 
subject to annual independent 
audits and public disclosure.

 For more information visit: 

 For more on the Pasadena 
Public Library Services 
Continuation Measure 
visit:CityofPasadena.net/
Measure-PPL. 

City Mourns the Passing of John Kennedy 

Monday's citycouncil meetingcanceled

 Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo 
sent out a heartfelt public 
statement, on behalf of city hall, 
Thursday after lifelong resident 
and District 3 Councilmember 
John Kennedy passed away 
suddenly, from an illness, earlier 
that day. 

Soon after Gordo’s statement, 
the community organized a vigil 
in front of city hall. The event 
brought out many dignitaries, 
city leaders and residents, 
including Pasadena resident 
and Social Activist James 
Farr, Assemblymember Chris 
Holden, Councilmember Steve 
Madison and Councilmember 
Tyron Hampton along with 
many others. 

 Echoing the sentiments of 
others, Hampton said that 
Kennedy’s death came as a 
shock and tremendous loss. He 
also said that Pasadena was a 
better place because of him. 

 Officials announced Friday that 
Monday’s regular city council 
meeting has been canceled in 
Kennedy's honor. 

 Councilmember Kennedy 
proudly and tirelessly served 
District 3 since 2013. During 
his tenure on City Council, he 
was chair of the Public Safety 
Committee, served on the 
Finance Committee, and was 
one of three City representatives 
to the Burbank-Glendale-
Pasadena Airport Authority. 
He served on a variety of 
local boards, including the 
Community Health Alliance of 
Pasadena, the Pasadena Police 
Foundation, and the Tom 
Bradley Legacy Foundation 
at UCLA. He was an ardent 
supporter of affordable housing, 
paying workers a liveable wage, 
and hiring locally, city officials 
said.

 Councilmember Kennedy was 
born and raised in Pasadena. 
From a young age, he dedicated 
his life’s work to serving 
others. He served as student 
body president at Blair High 
School and student senator 
at the University of Southern 

California, where he received 
dual degrees in International 
Relations and Economics. He 
earned a juris doctor degree 
from Howard University School 
of Law, and was the youngest 
person to have served as 
president of the Pasadena branch 
of the National Association for 
the Advancement of Colored 
People (NAACP).

 On remembering his friend 
and longtime colleague, Mayor 
Victor Gordo shared, “While 
we are all deeply saddened 
by the sudden loss of our 
friend and colleague, John 
Kennedy, we should always 
remember and celebrate his 
many accomplishments and 
contributions to our city and 
beyond. John Kennedy loved 
Pasadena and the people of 
Pasadena. He worked hard 
every day to make Pasadena a 
better place for everyone. He 
dedicated himself to helping 
others, and we are all better off 

Pasadena Fire Thrills Kids 
at Boys & Girls Club Event 

 
More than 150 kids at each 
of the Boys & Girls Club 
of Pasadena clubhouses 
participated last week in a “rig 
demo” with the Pasadena Fire 
Department. Great excitement 
rang out as the kids dressed up 
in fire gear and learned all about 
how the fire truck operates.

 “It’s a fun and instructional 
thing we like to do each Summer, 
and the PFD is just great with 
the kids!” said Lisa Cavelier, 
CEO of Boys & Girls Club of 
Pasadena. “And the questions 
they ask the firefighters are 
never boring!”

 The Club’s Summer Session has 
run since June 6 and will end on 
July 29. In addition to unique 
opportunities like that with the 
PFD, kids have had a great time 
swimming, taking field trips, 

playing games, dancing, doing 
robotics activities, and more.

 Since 1937, the Boys & Girls 
Club of Pasadena has enriched 
the lives of young people in 
our community, enabling them 
to reach their full potential as 
productive, caring, healthy, and 
responsible citizens. Serving 
more than 2,000 youth, ages 
6 – 18 annually, BGCP focuses 
on Academic Success, Healthy 
Lifestyle, and Good Character 
and Leadership. The Club 
operates two main Clubhouse 
locations in Pasadena: Slavik 
Branch on E. Del Mar Blvd., 
and Mackenzie-Scott Branch 
on N. Fair Oaks Avenue; and 
two school-site Clubhouses on 
the Odyssey Charter Schools 
campuses in Pasadena and 
Altadena 

Kennedy, photo courtesy of the City of Pasadena 


because of his efforts. His was a 
life well-lived.”

 At the request of Mayor Gordo 
and City Council, flags at all 
City facilities have been lowered 
to half-staff in solemn tribute to 
Councilmember Kennedy. We 
and our family of employees 
send our condolences and 
prayers to the entire Kennedy 
family and residents of District 
3.

 At the request of 
Councilmember Kennedy’s 
family, in lieu of flowers, 
contributions can be made to 
a scholarship fund held in the 
name of the Kennedy family 
at the Pasadena Community 
Foundation.

 No other information was 
given about Kennedy’s illness.

 Kennedy had just been 
reelected, in June, to the city 
council for a third term. 

 The next city council meeting 
is scheduled for Monday, 
August 1. 

National 
Night OutEvents 
August 2 

The San Marino Police 

Department will be 

hosting National Night 

Out on Tuesday, August 

2 from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. 

National Night Out is a 

nationwide community-

building campaign that 

enhances the relationship 

between neighbors and Law 

Enforcement. The event will 

be held at City Hall, and will 

feature food, games, fun, 

safety demonstrations, and 

more.

 Millions of neighbors 

take part in National Night 

Out across thousands of 

communities from all fifty 

states, U.S. territories and 

military bases worldwide 

 Other local cities such as 

Pasadena, South Pasadena, 

Altadena, Sierra Madre 

and others hold similar 

National Night Out events. 

For more information, visit: 

natw.org. For San Marino 

visit: CityofSanMarino.org/

NightOut/.

For Pasadena visit: 

cityofpasadena.net/police/ 

Zebreda Dunham is This 
Year’s Robert Gorski 
Access Award Recipient 

 
City of Pasadena officials 
announced Wednesday that 
they have recognized Zebreda 
Dunham (pictured) as the 
2022 recipient of the Robert 
Gorski Access Award—an 
award established by the city’s 
Accessibility and Disability 
Commission and presented 
annually to a Pasadena resident 
with a disability who has made 
a significant contribution 
toward improving accessibility 
and quality of life for people 
with disabilities. Zebreda will 
be honored at the next city 
council meeting.

 Zebreda was born in 1978 
with Arthrogryposis Multiplex 
Congenita (AMC). The 
symptoms of AMC are physical 
and can differ greatly in range 
and severity from one person to 
another. Typically, individuals 
with AMC have joint stiffness 
that affects the range of motion 
of their legs and arms.

Zebreda’s life has been filled 
with both extraordinary 
challenges and achievements. 
She moved to Pasadena in 2005 
and has been a familiar face 
throughout the city ever since. 
A self-described “MacGyver,” 
Zebreda is well-known for 
her work designing, creating, 
modifying and adapting a wide 
range of tools, equipment and 
devices that support activities 
of daily living, many of which 
can be viewed on her YouTube 
channel, Zebreda Makes It 
Work! Her work enjoys an 
international following of 
persons with disabilities, 
assistive technology specialists, 
designers, engineers and 
service providers working on 

accessibility-related products 
ranging from simple DIY 
tools to high-tech interfaces. 
Zebreda has participated in 
projects hosted by both Google 
and Apple, and was the first 
recipient of RESNA’s Do-It-
Yourself Assistive Technology 
Contest for her modification of 
a key turner. In 2015, she was 
invited to virtually present at 
the Enable Makeathon hosted 
in Bangalore, India.

 Always with a smile and 
positive attitude, Zebreda 
has made Pasadena a more 
inclusive and welcoming city. 
Over the last few years, she has 
helped the City’s Accessibility 
and Disability Commission 
initiate Pasadena’s annual 
Adaptive Sports Festival and 
integrate accessible features 
into the Union Street Protected 
Bike Lane Project.

 Zebreda is also an avid sports 
enthusiast and member of 
the SoCal Vaqueros Power 
Soccer Club. She encourages 
others throughout Southern 
California to compete in 
adaptive sports. 

Manuel Carmona Named 
Interim CIty Health Director

 Interim City Manager Cynthia Liaisons (PEDAL) Committee. 
Kurtz has appointed Public “I am honored to have 
Health Deputy Director Manuel the opportunity to serve as 
Carmona to serve as Pasadena the interim director for the 
Public Health Department public health department and 
Director interim public health lead such a committed and 
director. The move came after talented public health team. I 
the recent announcement that am confident in our ability to 
current Health Officer Dr. continue our work preserving 
Ying-Ying Goh is taking a one-and protecting public health in 
year leave of absence. the Pasadena community,” says 

 Carmona has served as Carmona. 
deputy public health director Carmona joined Pasadena 
since January 2020 and Public Health Department 
has directed non-clinical in 2014 as a management 
department operations and analyst, where he managed 
provided administrative and the Administration and 
fiscal management guidance Finance Division. Carmona 
in support of the health is an alumnus of Health Equity 
department’s COVID-19 Awakened and Leadership 
pandemic response. He Pasadena. In 2020, he 
developed and maintained participated in the National 
critical community programs Leadership Academy for the 
in the areas of violence Public’s Health (NLAPH). He 
prevention; health equity; currently sits on the board 
and maternal, adolescent and of directors of Leadership 
child health. Carmona has Pasadena and Central Altadena 
also led special initiatives, Little League. 
including strategic planning For more information 
and reaccreditation, and served about Pasadena Public 
as co-chair for the Pasadena Health Department visit: 
Elderly and Dependent Adult cityofpasadena.net. 


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