WPRA annual meeting will focus on Pasadena's character, future

"The West Pasadena Residents' Association's annual meeting on Wednesday, May 6, will feature John van de Kamp and Mic Hansen, who will speak about what makes Pasadena great as well as the challenges facing the city during this time of monumental change. Mayor Terry Tornek will also speak in his first official event as the newest mayor of Pasadena in 16 years." Pasadena Now

Massive tanker truck fire damages, closes 710 freeway 

"Reconstruction of traffic lanes continues after a massive tanker truck fire Sunday afternoon in the southbound lanes of the 710 Freeway, which was closed for several days between Atlantic Ave. and Florence Ave. in the City of Bell. Workers were busy repairing the 710, including pouring new concrete on the normally heavily traveled freeway. Intense heat from the tanker exploded and destroyed much of the concrete." South Pasadena Now

(Editor's note: Now just imagine this happening in the middle of the proposed 710 tunnel)

Will the fight over the 710 be the death of the freeway?

"While the tunnel would prevent the destruction of houses and other disruptions on the surface, civic leaders in and around South Pasadena remain firmly opposed. They say that a tunnel presents a whole new set of hazards, financial and otherwise. Glendale City Council Member Ara Najarian, who also sits on Metro's 14-member board, says he fears the true cost of a tunnel could be more like $14 billion. And he said that the tunnel's impact on surface street traffic would be negligible. Earlier this month, Pasadena City Council voted to oppose the tunnel and expressed support for a multimodal, public-transit-oriented plan." City Watch LA

Pasadena firefighters head to Nepal to help relief effort

"Three firefighters from Pasadena Station No. 32 are using personal days to fly to Nepal and help victims of the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that has already taken over 2,100 lives. The fire captain Tim Okimura, paramedic Matthew Caffey, and engineer David Marquez are part of an emergency response team preparing to leave for Nepal." Hometown Pasadena

Dozens of layoffs proposed for Pasadena Health Department

"Acting Public Health Director and Assistant City Manager Steve Mermell will submit a budget to the Pasadena City Council next month that calls for eliminating 37 positions from the city's Public Health Department. The current proposal calls for the elimination of 66 positions, 29 of which are already vacant. The remaining 37 people would be laid off. Mermell said that many of those positions were funded by grants. The proposed budget would slash the department's budget from $16 million to $11 million a year. In the process, the department's prenatal care clinic would be transitioned to the Community Health Alliance of Pasadena (CHAP). An outside agency would take over the department's HIV clinic." Pasadena Weekly

Council backs development that expands Old Pasadena

"A million square-foot development that will reshape the northwest portion of Old Pasadena received unanimous support from the City Council on Monday. The 100 West Walnut project will turn 22 acres of land surrounding the Parsons building near Walnut St. and Fair Oaks Ave. into an expansion of the city's downtown with new restaurants, office space and 475 residential units." Pasadena Star-News

More money won't fix transportation infrastructure problems if we don't change how it's spent

"Throwing more money at the problem overlooks the fatal flaw in American transportation infrastructure policy: The system is set up to funnel the vast majority of spending through state departments of transportation, and those agencies have an absolutely terrible track record when it comes to making smart long-term decisions. As long as state DOTs retain unfettered control of the money, potholed roads and decrepit bridges will remain the norm. That's because the sorry state of American transportation infrastructure is mainly the result of wasteful spending choices, not a lack of funding." StreetsBlog USA

City Hall readies itself for changing of the guard at Monday's swearing in ceremony

"With the final vote tally completed Wednesday officially deciding Tyron Hampton as District 1 Councilmember and re-affirming Terry Tornek as Mayor, City Hall now prepares for this Monday's swearing in ceremony and the dawn of a new era in Pasadena government. A new Vice Mayor will also be chosen. This election's 'changing of the guard' seems likely to reshuffle City Hall's political realities swiftly." Pasadena Now

Pasadena firm says its device could end the spread of HIV

"Is the end of HIV near? Findings published this week in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy report that a novel, subdermal implant delivering potent antiretroviral (ARV) drugs shows extreme promise in stopping the spread of HIV. Scientists from the Pasadena-based Oak Crest Institute of Science report that they have developed a matchstick size implant, similar to a contraceptive implant, that successfully delivers a controlled, sustained release of ARV drugs for up to 40 days in dogs with no adverse side effects." Pasadena Now

AIDS Service Center closes

"Pasadena-based AIDS Service Center (ASC), one of Los Angeles County's preeminent non-profits helping people living with HIV/AIDS, announced  Thursday that after 28 years of service it will cease operations." Pasadena Now

Free 'Museums of the Arroyo' day

"Explore great architecture, historical discoveries, family fun and entertainment at six local museums all for free at Museums of the Arroyo (MOTA) Day on May 17, 2015. Learn Victorian dances, make adobe bricks, check out a Civil War encampment, climb into a retired LAPD helicopter, attend a Rancho fashion show and discover what continues to make the Arroyo Seco a bustling, vibrant arts-driven community that crosses neighborhoods and social boundaries. Free shuttles connect all museums so visitors can park their car once to experience the arts, culture and history of the Arroyo. Participating museums include Autry's Historic Southwest Museum, Gamble House, Heritage Square Museum, Los Angeles Police Museum, Lummis Home and Garden, and Pasadena Museum of History." Pasadena Now

South Pasadena's eclectic music festival lives up to its name today

"This is the seventh incarnation of the annual Eclectic Music Festival & Art Walk in South Pasadena, which attracted 2,500 to 3,000 visitors last year. With five official stages clustered around downtown South Pasadena, both outdoors and indoors, plus an unofficial performance space curated by SPARC Gallery, there will certainly be an abundance of music floating in the air throughout the afternoon and evening of Saturday, May 2, with performances by Gardens & Villa, Anenon, Daniel Rosenboom, Benedek, Brad Colerick, Yuval Ron Ensemble, Powdercoat, Aaron Embry, Rick Shea, Elliott Caine, Bones Muhroni, Cathleen Pineda, Zetz Klezmer Ensemble and more. Free and open to the public. For more details, visit eclecticmusicfestival.com." Pasadena Weekly

Proposed valley recreation land increase would make it safer for mountain lions

"An area of the Santa Monica Mountains that sleek mountain lions, fierce bobcats and soaring raptors call home might soon double, thanks to a congressional proposal under consideration by the U.S. National Park Service. A portion of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area known as the Rim of the Valley, mainly a collection of parkland, open space and trails, is a key component of the proposal addressed in a study of the corridor." San Gabriel Valley Tribune

By Darryl Dunn, Rose Bowl General Manager, and Victor Gordo, Rose Bowl Operating Company CEO and Pasadena City Councilmember

"A Rose Bowl Music & Arts Festival (RBMAF) is expected to be held over a two to three-day period on the same weekend each June. The RBMAF would feature a diverse range of musicians and artists on stages both in the Stadium and on the surrounding land. Musical acts would appeal to multiple generations and would fit with the culture and values of Pasadena with the quality the community and world has come to expect. Art would likely include visual and performing arts intertwined with the musical performances. It is our desire to host the Festival beginning in the Spring/Summer of 2016.

As the RBOC and City work through the conceptualization of the event, we have partnered with concert promoter AEG, one of the world's largest event promoters, whose successful festivals include the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, British Summer Time Hyde Park in London, and the Coachella Music & Arts Festival. The RBMAF could incorporate some of the successful elements from these festivals, but would essentially be developed from the ground up, making it unique to Pasadena. With the RBMAF as a long-term tenant, there will be more certainty to the events held annually at the Rose Bowl. Community members could plan well-ahead of the RBMAF as it would be staged on the same June weekend every year.

The event would provide an economic stimulus to local businesses, restaurants and hotels, with the goal of rivaling the upsurge seen only around the Rose Bowl Game. In addition, it is anticipated that the RBOC's annual net revenue from the event would surpass $2 million, with the majority of the revenue going to upkeep of the historic Stadium and Brookside Golf Course, with dedicated revenue for improvements in the Arroyo Seco.

In an effort to more fully engage our community, citywide, we will host a panel discussion and reception on what is envisioned for the Rose Bowl Music & Arts Festival at the Pasadena Convention Center on Thursday, May 14 at 7 p.m. All are invited, but we would request that you call (626) 577-2166 by May 11 if you are planning on attending. More details regarding this event and the RBMAF will be provided on rosebowlstadium.com.

In addition, the process to analyze the environmental effects of the RBMAF has begun. In late March, the Rose Bowl Operating Company approved a non-binding term sheet for the partnership with AEG, and the City Council approved the hiring of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) consultant, Environmental Science Associates (ESA), and is in the process of completing an Initial Study. It is anticipated that the EIR will analyze the potential impacts of a RBMAF on traffic and parking, noise, aesthetics (lighting), public services (police, fire and recreation), and other important community issues that will be identified through the public scoping process described below. In addition, the EIR will address a potential change in the Arroyo Seco Ordinance which would cap the number of displacement events at 15 without requiring further Council approval, excluding the 4th of July. (The current limit is 12 without further Council approval).

Around May 8, the City will release a Notice of Preparation for the EIR, including the Initial Study, which will identify the environmental topic areas that are proposed to be studied in the EIR. The Initial Study will be circulated for a 30-day public review period. During this review period residents, community members and other interested parties can ask questions and provide comments regarding the Initial Study, including identifying additional environmental topic areas that may need to be included in the EIR. In order to solicit input during this review period, the City will hold three scoping meetings tentatively scheduled for May 21 at 6 p.m. at the Rose Bowl, May 23 at 11 a.m. at the Rose Bowl, and May 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the City Planning Commission meeting at City Hall. The exact dates, times and locations will be included in the Notice of Preparation. After the initial review period, a draft EIR will be prepared and another public comment period will ensue including public Commission meetings before being presented to the City Council for a decision.

Questions concerning the Festival can be sent to musicandartsfestival@rosebowlstadium.com, or you may call the dedicated Festival Community Information line at (626) 577-2166. If you have questions or comments regarding the environmental process, please contact David Sanchez, City of Pasadena at 626-744-6707 or at dasanchez@cityofpasadena.net."