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Mountain View News Saturday, April 26, 2025


PWP CELEBRATES WATER 
AWARENESS MONTH IN MAY

ASSEMBLYMEMBER HARABEDIAN 
APPOINTED TO CO-CHAIR THE 

NEWLY FORMED SELECT COMMITTEE 
ON HOUSING FINANCE

(Sacramento, CA) — In 
a significant step toward 
addressing California’s 
housing affordability 
crisis, Assemblymember 
John Harabedian 
(D-Pasadena) has been 
appointed by Speaker 
Robert Rivas to Co-
Chair the newly formed 
Select Committee on 
Housing Finance. Harabedian 
will lead the 
effort alongside Assemblymember 
Avila Farias 
as part of a broader 
Assembly initiative 
to tackle affordability 
through focused, forward-
thinking action.

“Housing is not just about shelter—it’s about dignity, stability, and opportunity. I’m proud 
to Co-Chair the Select Committee on Housing Finance, which will explore bold, forward-
thinking strategies to address the structural barriers driving California’s housing crisis. I thank 
Speaker Rivas for his bold leadership in creating space for this work. We have a chance to reimagine 
what’s possible, and to build a future where every Californian has a place to call home,” 
said Assemblymember John Harabedian (D-Pasadena).

“We can’t afford to leave any housing solutions on the sidelines,” Assembly Speaker Robert 
Rivas said. “This Select Committee will take a hard look at how we finance affordable housing 
in California, and identify essential, scalable strategies that reflect today’s economic reality.”

The Select Committee on Housing and Finance will focus on identifying practical, innovative 
ways to improve how California finances affordable housing. From exploring new models like 
public-private partnerships to evaluating existing tools such as tax credits and housing bonds, 
the committee will work to shape policy solutions that expand access to housing and ensure 
long-term affordability across the state.

The committee is expected to engage with housing experts, lenders, developers and advocates 
to shape its recommendations.

Assemblymember John Harabedian represents the 41st District composed of the cities of La Cañada 
Flintridge, Pasadena, Altadena, Sierra Madre, Monrovia, Bradbury, San Dimas, La Verne, 
Claremont, Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Oak Hills, Piñon Hills and Phelan.

 

 During the month of May, Pasadena 
Water and Power (“PWP”) joins utilities 
nationwide in celebrating Water Awareness 
Month, an annual outreach campaign to 
raise awareness about the value of one 
of Southern California’s most precious 
natural resources: water. Throughout May, 
PWP is highlighting water sustainability 
and resilience in the community with 
educational events, tours, and contests. 
All events are free and open to the public 
and can be found at PWPweb.com/
TheRippleEffect.

 Water Awareness Month is also part of 
PWP’s The Ripple Effect campaign, which 
invites the community to embrace their role 
as local water stewards for Pasadena and the 
surrounding region.

Garden Show and Tell

Monday, April 28 through Friday, June 13

Community members are encouraged to 
share photos and information on their 
garden’s transformations from thirsty turf 
to drought-tolerant beauty. Every week, 
a garden will be selected and featured on 
PWP’s website and social media channels 
as the Garden of the Week. Must be a 
PWP customer to enter. Participants will 
receive a free native plant, while supplies 
last. To participate, visit PWPweb.com/
TheRippleEffect and click “Garden Show 
and Tell” tile. 

Pop-In to Win at Pasadena Farmers 
Markets

Saturday, May 3, from 8 a.m.to Noon

Victory Park Farmers Market, 2900 Block 
of North Sierra Madre Blvd

Tuesday, May 6, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Villa Parke Farmers Market, 363 E Villa 
Street

Join PWP staff for a chance to learn about 
water-saving tools and resources.

Water Town Hall (virtual) Via Zoom

Wednesday, May 7, from 6 p.m. to7:30 p.m.

Learn about your water: where it comes 
from, what it takes to deliver it, and how we 
ensure sustainable and reliable delivery of 
safe, high-quality water into the future.

This is a virtual event. Visit PWPweb.com/
Events for more information.

Monk Hill Water Facility Tour

Saturday, May 10, from 9 a.m. to11 a.m.

Address provided upon RSVP

Join PWP for a tour of the Monk Hill 
Water Facility. Participants will have an 
opportunity to learn about the history of 
Monk Hill and its role in Pasadena’s water 
supply. PWP staff will provide a guided tour 
of the facility, giving the community an 
opportunity to learn about water treatment, 
storage, and delivery. RSVP required. Visit 
PWPweb.com/Events to register

Preschool Storytime with a Water 
Treatment Operator

Tuesday, May 13, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Jefferson Branch Library,1500 E Villa St

Join us for a water-themed story time 
filled with stories, songs, crafts, and fun 
with our PWP crew! For ages 3 to 5 and 
their caregivers. See a water distribution 
demonstration and enjoy a water wise craft.

“Being Water Wise Is…” Art Contest

Submissions due Friday, May 30

All K-12 students who reside in PWP’s 
service territory are encouraged to submit 
artwork for the annual “Being Water Wise 
Is…” contest, sponsored by PWP and the 
Metropolitan Water District of Southern 
California. Each year, participating students 
submit artwork portraying a water-wise 
theme, along with a short message about 
water conservation. All entries must be 
submitted with the required forms by May 30, 
2025, via email to PWPCommunications@
CityOfPasadena.net. Visit PWPweb.com/
ArtContest for complete details.

Self-Guided Walking Tour of PWP-
Sponsored Community Demonstration 
Gardens

Follow a self-guided tour map of unique 
gardens that demonstrate the beauty and 
diversity of drought-tolerant, native plant 
landscapes. Learn about water efficient 
landscaping and water capture features 
like hügels, berms and swales, dry streams, 
and rain barrels. A digital map is available 
online at PWPweb.com/TheRippleEffect.

 For more information about Water 
Awareness Month events, Pasadena’s water 
supply, infrastructure, and conservation 
resources and programs, visit PWPweb.
com/TheRippleEffect.


ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN 
TO ADDRESS WOMEN 
OF EAGLE SCOUTS 
AT TWENTY-FIFTH ANNUAL 
SILVER JUBILEE 
LUNCHEON

Guests at the twenty-fifth annual Silver Jubilee 
Women of Eagle Scout Brunch, Wind Under 
Their Wings, will be treated to an elegant 
and motivating event on Saturday, May 17, 
2025 at a private location in Pasadena. A reception 
will be held at 10:30 a.m. followed by 
a brunch and the program at 11:15 a.m. The 
celebration will conclude at 1:30 p.m.

 

Local Boy Scouts will greet guests during the 
hosted reception and will usher them into the 
venue for a delicious brunch. Scouts from 
Troops from the San Gabriel Valley will lead 
the pledge of allegiance. Mimi Bernstein, a 
Junior at San Marino High School will sing 
songs from The Great American Songbook. 
She is a chorister at the Grammy award winning 
Los Angeles Children’s Chorus (LACC) 
and has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic 
under Maestro Gustavo Dudamel. 
She has performed in numerous musical theatre 
productions and dreams of being either 
a vocal performer or a music therapist, as she 
wants to spread comfort and support through 
her love of music. Mimi will be accompanied 
on the piano by her vocal coach, Wendy Pylko. 
Pylko earned her M.M. in vocal arts at 
USC and is a former professor at Cal Poly Pomona, 
has taught artist in the LA Opera, and 
has performed in numerous musical theatre 
roles and voice over recordings.

Tyler S. Young who earned the rank of Eagle 
Scout with Troop 359 San Marino, Rosebowl 
District, Greater Los Angeles Area Council, 
will present the Scout message. For his Eagle 
Project, he chose City of Hope Hospital as a 
way of giving back for their care of his mother. 
Tyler lead the troop in assembling 700+ 
patient information resource kits for breast 
cancer patients, distributed 500 QR codes to 
expand the AYA (Adolescent Young Adult) 
Community Toolkits' digital reach, and fundraised 
$3,600 for the AYA Community. A 
high school senior, Tyler plans to study aerospace 
engineering. He is active in student 
government, clubs, choir, school plays and 
musical, badminton team, and volunteers at 
Huntington Hospital. Tyler also enjoys collecting 
Funko Pops, Transformers, traveled 
to France and sung with his choir group at 
Eiffel Tower, Meaux Cathedral and Vaux Le 
Vicomte in 2023.

 

The Invocation will be presented by Mona 
Mapel, a San Marino resident, philanthropist, 
devoted volunteer, and the founding chairman 
of the Wind Under Their Wings Brunch. 

The Silver Jubilee will recognize founding 
chairman Mona Mapel along with founding 
members Jeanine Cushman, Judy Davis, 
Sallie Determan, Joan Dietrick, Gwen Krogen, 
Sue Newton, Janet Orswell, and Valerie 
Gumbiner Weiss. Tinker Bayle and Jean 
Simpson will be recognized in memoriam. 

Capping the brunch will be a motivating 
talk presented by Andrew D. Bernstein. His 
company, Andrew D. Bernstein Associates 
Photography, Inc. has served as the official 
photographer for most of Los Angeles's professional 
sports teams. He is in his 33rd consecutive 
season and is the longest tenured 
NBA league photographer and official team 
photographer for the Lakers and Clippers. 
He has been the official team photographer 
for the Kings for the past twenty-two years. 
Bernstein is the director of photography for 
Crypto.com Arena and Nokia Theater LA 
Live and has been since the ribbon was cut in 
both buildings in 1999 and 2007, respectively. 
Previously, he was the team photographer at 
the Dodgers from 1983 to 1994. 

Bernstein has been the photographer for the 
United States Olympic national basketball 
team since the 1992 "Dream Team". He has 
since extensively covered all USA gold medal-
winning teams. He has worked commercially 
on advertising campaigns for Shaquille 
O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Mia Hamm, LeBron 
James, and others for brands including Nike, 
Reebok, Adidas, Pepsi, Coca-Cola and Icy 
Hot.

His work has been showcased in many exhibitions 
over the years. He is one of only four 
photographers whose work is on permanent 
display at the Naismith Memorial Basketball 
Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. 
He was inducted into the National Jewish 
Sports Hall of Fame in 2013. He is the host 
of Through The Lens, a regular feature on the 
Lakers channel, which features a unique perspective 
of Lakers history through his photos 
which Bernstein hosts with a famous guest. 

This year’s committee under the leadership 
of Co-Chairmen, Vicki Elliott of San Marino 
and Suko Gutoh of Glendale, includes Avery 
Barth, Janice Conzonire, Mary Falkenbury, 
Wendy Greenleaf, Ann Kunitake, Mona Mapel, 
Patricia Tom Mar, Valerie Gumbiner 
Weiss, Karen Wicke, and Julie Wong Tam 
of San Marino; Judith Din, Julie Foong, Jane 
Laudeman, Rhea Gonzaga, and Robin Puri 
of Pasadena; Ellen Chiechi, of Arcadia; Vivian 
Chan of San Gabriel; and Cindy Sercel of 
Lakeview Terrace. 

The committee welcomes the community 
to attend and honor the Women Behind the 
Eagle Scouts. The cost is $75 per person for 
brunch, mementos, an Opportunity Drawing, 
and supports Scout Troop 1 affected by the 
recent fires in Eaton Canyon/Altadena. Reservations, 
sponsorships, and underwriting 
opportunities are being taken at HTTPS://
KEEPONSCOUTING.ORG/WUTW/. 

Additional information may be obtained 
by contacting committee member Robin at 
(626) 673-7874.


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