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Mountain View News Saturday, May 10, 2025

Pasadena 
Veterans Day 
Ceremony

Release of Draft Historic Context Statement

Pasadena Announces New 
PWP General Manager

 
Event: Our History, 
Our Places: Celebrating 
Pasadena’s Cultural 
Heritage

 

 

 

 The Planning and Community 
Development Department 
announced Tuesday the released, 
for public review and comment, 
the draft Citywide Historic 
Context Statement, which was 
produced during phase 1 of 
the Historic Places Pasadena: 
Completing Our Story project. 

 The Historic Context Statement 
is a narrative history of the 
development of the City that 
establishes a framework 
for evaluating properties 
for historical significance 
and designation. The draft 
document includes contexts 
related to Native American 
Settlement, Colonization 
and American Expansion; 
Residential Development; 
Commercial Development; Civic 
& Institutional Development; 
Industrial Development; 
Social, Cultural & Political 
Development and Architecture 
& Design and explores a wide 
variety of themes within each 
context. The document provides 
information about the history 
of the diverse communities 
that make up the City. Public 
comments will be accepted 
throughout the duration of 
phase 2 of the project, which is 
expected to take approximately 
one year to complete. 

 The Department also invites the 
public to attend the upcoming 
event “Our History, Our Places: 
Celebrating Pasadena’s Cultural 
Heritage” on Saturday May 24 
from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Jackie 
Robinson Community Center, 
1020 N. Fair Oaks Ave.

The event will celebrate the 
release of the Historic Context 
Statement and will include:

- Performances by local artists 

- Children’s activities

- Pasadena history scavenger 
hunt, with prizes for the first 150 
completed

- Panel discussion about 
Pasadena’s multi-cultural 
history with noted community 
historians

- Premiere of a short 
documentary about the project

- Opportunities to share stories 
about living in Pasadena

- Ability to find out some of what 
we learned about the places the 
community told us matter to 
them

- Overview of the city’s 
development history as outlined 
in the historic context statement

- Free refreshments

- Live Spanish translation 
available

 For more information, 
visit cityofpasadena.net/
historicplaces or contact 
kevinjohnson@cityofpasadena.
net.

 
Pasadena City Manager 
Miguel Márquez announced 
Monday that he has appointed 
David Reyes as the new General 
Manager of Pasadena Water 
and Power (PWP),effective 
immediately. Reyes will oversee 
a department with an annual 
operating and capital budget 
of approximately $450 million 
and approximately 430 full-time 
equivalent (FTE) employees.

 “David has consistently 
demonstrated resilience, 
strategic foresight, and a 
strong commitment to both 
the technical and community 
service aspects critical to 
Pasadena Water and Power’s 
success,” Márquez said. “His 
proven leadership during 
complex events and his 
investment in building a high-
performing team have laid a 
very strong foundation for his 
continued success.”

 According to Márquez Reyes 
brings over two decades of public 
sector leadership experience, 
including the last 12 years 
serving the City of Pasadena in 
several key executive roles. Most 
recently, Reyes served as Interim 
General Manager of PWP since 
February 2024, and previously 
as Assistant City Manager 
and Director of Planning and 
Community Development. 
During his interim tenure at 
PWP, he successfully led the 
department through major 
initiatives and emergency 
events such as the Eaton Fire, 
while fostering a culture of 
transparency, collaboration, and 
operational excellence.

 “The City of Pasadena welcomes 
Reyes to his new permanent 
role and looks forward to 
his continued leadership in 
advancing the department’s 
mission of delivering reliable, 
sustainable utility services to the 
community,” city staff said.

 Reyes holds a Bachelor of 
Science degree in Urban Studies 
and Planning from California 
State University, Northridge. He 
is known for his collaborative 
leadership style, strategic 
thinking, and deep commitment 
to public service. “I’m humbled 
and excited to continue to serve 
the city of Pasadena in this new 
role and to strive to uphold the 
community’s expectations of 
excellence. I would like to thank 
City Manager Marquez for this 
opportunity, my family for their 
continued support, and the 
talented team of professionals at 
PWP, without whom, the Utility 
could not function,” said Reyes. 

 In his spare time, he finds 
balance and fulfillment through 
two of his greatest passions—
boxing and family. Whether he’s 
throwing punches in the gym 
or shadowboxing in the garage, 
the discipline and strength he 
builds in the ring mirrors the 
dedication he brings to his home 
life. David lives in Northridge, 
has been married for 25 years, 
and cherishes the deep bond 
he shares with his wife and 
her unwavering support. His 
greatest pride, however, comes 
from being a father to three 
wonderful children, each of 
whom brings joy and purpose 
to his everyday life.

 The City of Pasadena and 
the Pasadena Veterans Day 
Committee will honor the 
sacrifice of our fallen heroes at 
the Pasadena Memorial Day 
Commemoration on Monday, 
May 26, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at 
Memorial Park, 85 E. Holly St.

 The ceremony will include 
the reading of 320 names 
of the men and women 
from Pasadena who lost 
their lives during World 
War I, World War II, the 
Korean War, the Vietnam 
War, and other conflicts. 
The Condor Squadron will 
perform a missing man 
formation flyover, paying 
tribute to those who did not 
return from the battle. The 
invocation and benediction 
will be delivered by Chaplain 
Pedro M. Trinidad Lieutenant 
Commander (LCDR), USNR. 
The event is open to the 
public, and all community 
members are invited to join in 
remembrance and reflection 
during this solemn ceremony.

 The tradition of holding 
tributes to the fallen began 
in the aftermath of the Civil 
War, where families and 
communities grieved the loss 
of more than 620,000 killed in 
action. The City of Pasadena 
will carry on in this tradition 
to commemorate the sons and 
daughters of Pasadena who 
gave the ultimate sacrifice.

 This event is sponsored by 
the City of Pasadena Parks, 
Recreation and Community 
Services (PRCS) Department, 
Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena 
Management Association, 
Vietnam Veterans of America, 
Daughters of the American 
Revolution, and the American 
Legion.

 To request materials in 
alternative formats or other 
accommodations, please 
contact (626) 744-7311. 
Providing at least 72 hours 
advance notice will help 
ensure availability. 

History of 
Winemaking 
at the 

Senior Center 

Jet Propulsion Laboratory 
Names Their Next Director

 David Gallagher (pictured), 
who has been serving as Jet 
Propulsion Laboratory's associate 
director for Strategic Integration, 
has been selected by Caltech to 
lead the federally funded research 
and development center. Caltech 
manages JPL for NASA. Former 
JPL Director Laurie Leshin 
has decided to step down as 
director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory on Sunday, June 1.

 A distinguished geochemist, 
Leshin was named by Caltech 
to lead the lab in early 2022. Her 
career has spanned academia 
and senior positions at NASA. 
Several NASA missions managed 
by JPL have launched under 
her leadership, including EMIT, 
SWOT, Psyche, PREFIRE, Europa 
Clipper, and SPHEREx, with the 
NASA-Indian Earth satellite 
NISAR set for a June launch. In 
addition, JPL has advanced the 
development of NASA’s asteroid-
hunting NEO Surveyor mission 
as well as the trio of CADRE 
lunar rovers, and it delivered 
the Coronagraph Instrument, a 
technology demonstration with 
NASA’s forthcoming Roman 
Space Telescope.

 “I am proud of the many things 
JPL has accomplished over the 
past three years,” said Leshin. 
“In addition to the long list of 
missions that have launched or 
moved toward launch during 
that time, we saved Voyager more 
than once and flew into history 
on Mars with Ingenuity. We have 
made more amazing scientific 
discoveries than I can name, 
including finding potential 
ancient Martian biomarkers with 
Perseverance. And we’ve driven 
the forefront of technology on 
Earth and in space. I know those 
achievements will continue 
under Dave’s capable leadership.”

 Leshin, who has also served 
as Caltech vice president, is 
stepping down for personal 
reasons and will remain a Bren 
Professor of Geochemistry and 
Planetary Science at Caltech.

 “While we respect Laurie’s 
decision to step away from her 
leadership position at JPL, we will 
miss her drive, compassion, and 
dedication,” Caltech President 
Thomas Rosenbaum said. “At the 
same time, we are grateful to Dave 
Gallagher for his devotion to JPL 
and his continuing leadership 
and partnership going forward. 
Dave’s experience working across 
multiple government and private 
sector entities will help secure 
ongoing support for America’s 
agenda in space, with JPL 
continuing to play an essential 
role.”

 Gallagher will draw on his deep 
experience at JPL to lead the lab 
into the future. He arrived at JPL 
36 years ago, in 1989, and went 
on to hold numerous leadership 
positions. Along with having 
served as the director and deputy 
director for Astronomy, Physics, 
and Space Technology, he was 
manager of JPL’s Advanced 
Optical Systems Program Office. 
An electrical engineer, Gallagher 
also managed the Spitzer Space 
Telescope and, among other 
roles, led the team that built and 
tested the Wide Field/Planetary 
Camera 2 (WF/PC-2) — a 
critical instrument that corrected 
the spherical aberration on 
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.

 “Laurie has made a significant 
impact on energizing and 
focusing the lab, guiding it back 
on track after the Covid-19 
pandemic. I wish her great 
success in this next chapter of 
her career, and I look forward to 
a very smooth transition at the 
lab,” said Gallagher. “We have 
exciting opportunities ahead 
helping to advance our nation’s 
space agenda and a fantastic 
team to help realize them.”

 
Learn about the little-known 
history of early wine-making 
in Los Angeles from Los 
Angeles native and food and 
culture historian Tom Sanchez 
in a Cultural Thursday 
presentation on Thursday, 
May 22 at 2 p.m. onsite at the 
Pasadena Senior Center (PSC) 
during PSC’s 65th Anniversary 
Day.

 Sanchez, also known for his 
local ‘MrLA’ walking tours 
of Los Angeles, will share 
the little-known history of 
winemaking in Los Angeles, 
including how the city became 
the birthplace of the modern 
American wine industry and 
a wine capital. He will also 
discuss how one LA winery, 
still in operation today, 
managed to stay open during 
prohibition when other local 
wineries closed.

 The ‘History of Winemaking 
in Los Angeles’ event is a 
special presentation as part 
of PSC’s 65th Anniversary 
Day, which will celebrate the 
Center’s long-standing place 
in the San Gabriel Valley 
where older adults can age 
well while aging in place.

 “I’m looking forward to seeing 
the community as we begin 
our anniversary celebration,” 
said Akila Gibbs, executive 
director of the Pasadena Senior 
Center. “I feel privileged to 
be part of an organization 
providing abundant services 
to older adults over the past 
65 years. With the leadership 
of the Board, commitment of 
staff, and dedication of our 
volunteers, we continue to 
learn about aging and improve 
our services. It is our intention 
that like a fine wine we are 
getting better with age.”

 The event is free for Pasadena 
Senior Center members, and 
$5 for non-members and 
reservations are suggested. 
To register or for more 
information, visit www.
pasadenaseniorcenter.org 

Increases Fines for Fireworks

Altadena 
Revealed 
Lecture Series

 

 As Independence Day 
approaches, Pasadena 
Fire Chief Chad Augustin 
announced to residents and 
visitors that all fireworks—
including “safe and sane” 
varieties and sparklers—are 
strictly prohibited within city 
limits. The Pasadena City 
Council approved increased 
fines, going in effect June 5.

 This policy is in place to 
protect our community from 
fires, injuries, and property 
damage during the high-
risk summer months. The 
Pasadena City Council had 
approved increased fines 
effective June 5.

- Possession of “Safe & Sane” 
fireworks: $250–$750

- Possession of Dangerous 
fireworks: $300–$800

- Discharge of Safe & Sane 
fireworks: $500–$1,000

- Discharge of Dangerous 
fireworks: $650–$1,000

 Pasadena Fire and Police 
Departments begin 
enforcement patrols in 
June, including vegetation 
inspections and high-risk 
area monitoring. Instead of 
risking safety with personal 
fireworks, residents are 
urged to attend professional 
displays or choose festive 
alternatives like glow 
sticks, noisemakers, or 
LED balloons. Let us work 
together to keep Pasadena 
safe and fire-free this 
summer.

 To report illegal fireworks, 
please call the Pasadena 
Police Department at (626) 
744-4241.

Altadena’s Trees: 
Saving Our Past for 
Our Future

 Pasadena Heritage 
announced Thrusday the third 
installment of the Altadena 
Revealed Lecture Series at the 
historic Blinn House to be 
held May 30 starting at 7 p.m.

 The lecture, with Stephanie 
Landregan, will explore 
the historical significance 
and future of Altadena’s 
landscape—its vulnerabilities 
and its potential to connect 
and protect generations. 

 Landregan is a nationally 
recognized landscape 
architect and Director of the 
Landscape Architecture and 
Horticulture & Gardening 
Programs at UCLA Extension. 

 “Landregan will present 
a timely and insightful 
lecture on the role of trees 
in fire recovery, climate 
resilience, and cultural 
memory—critical topics for 
Altadena and surrounding 
foothill communities facing 
increasing wildfire threats,” 
event organizers said. 

 Landregan is also Chief 
Landscape Architect for the 
Mountains Recreation and 
Conservation Authority and 
co-founder of the grassroots 
fire response group Altadena 
Green, The Blinn House 
is located 160 N. Oakland 
Avenue. For more information 
visit: pasadenaheritage.org.


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