WPRA
West Pasadena Residents' Association 
Neighborhood Update
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2015
Published weekly since 2000

Welcome

Founded in 1962, the WPRA is dedicated to maintaining the character of our neighborhoods and enhancing the quality of life in southwest Pasadena. 

   
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Send comments to update@wpra.net 

Chuck Hudson
Co-Editor 

 

View the latest and past issues of the WPRA's quarterly magazine, The News, which is mailed to nearly 8,000 homes in west Pasadena.
Neighborhood Update
View past issues of this weekly WPRA eNewsletter, which is emailed each Saturday morning to more than 1,500 residents of Pasadena (and beyond).
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Important community meetings
>CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION<

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 (Labor Day)

City Council - cancelled

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8

6 p.m.
100 N. Garfield Ave.
Basement Training Room (S018)
On the agenda: New two-story, 120-bed (77,000 square feet) psychiatric hospital on Las Encinas Hospital Campus, 2900 E. Del Mar

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

5:30 p.m.
175 N. Garfield Ave.
Hearing Room
 
6 p.m.
233 W. Mountain St.
Second Floor
On the agenda: tree removals in Brookside Park, City Yards and at 1001 Rose Bowl Drive and 1150 S. El Molino Ave.
 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10

6 p.m.
Elbie J. Hickabottom Board Room 236
351 S. Hudson Ave.
"Quote" of the week
  
"The SGVCOG's action confirms what we've always known. The [SR-710] tunnel project is deeply flawed, politically unpopular, and presents so many environmental, health, legal, engineering, and economic concerns that it cannot be funded, let alone actually built." 
 
- Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek, in response to the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments' decision to exclude funding for the SR-710 tunnel project from the transportation priority list
WPRA in motion
>CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION<
 
Join District 6 Councilmember Steve Madison, City officials and the San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity at the Desiderio Army Reserve Center demolition kickoff event at 4 p.m. Thursday, September 10, at 655 Westminster Dr. The event highlights the pending demolition and transformation of the former 5.17-acre U.S. Army Reserve Center into nine single-family bungalow homes by the San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity and a 3.87-acre City park. Demolition is expected to be completed in December 2015.


Since June 1, the City has been under its Level 2 water-supply-shortage plan to reduce water use across the city by 28%. Report water waste to the City by:
  1. Calling Pasadena's Citizen Service Center, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at (626) 744-7311. Be prepared to provide the location and nature of the issue.
  2. Completing a short form on the City's Citizen Service Center
  3. Using the FREE app for smart phones and tablets: 
Neighborhoods 
in motion
>CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION<

ROSE BOWL TRAFFIC/CROWD ALERT: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5

Est. Attendance: 60,000+
6:30 a.m.: Rose Bowl Parking Lots Open                    
8:30 a.m.: UCLA Fan Zone Opens in Area H
11 a.m.: Gates open for all patrons
12:30 p.m.: Kickoff
3:30-5:30 p.m.: Outbound traffic

Recreational activity will be closed eight (8) hours prior to kickoff, beginning at 4:30 a.m. The Equestrian Loop will remain open at all times. There will be a brief use of pyrotechnics 30 minutes prior to Kickoff as well as when the team runs onto the field and during the National Anthem. (Total pyrotechnics display may be heard for under 20 seconds)
 
Note: If any issues arise during either of these events, please contact the Resident Hotline at (626) 397-4141. Please report any issues or concerns as soon as possible (especially during the event) so that they can be addressed immediately. For more information about these events, please visit the Rose Bowl Stadium website.

City Hall will be closed and many City services unavailable on Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day.
 
  • Linda Vista Associates are hosting an open house on Saturday, September 12 at 10:30 a.m. at the Linda Vista Branch Library, 1281 Bryant St. The public and in particular the Linda Vista community is invited to attend and learn more about the Associates, who are reinvigorating their library support group which has a long history of fundraising and planning fun events to benefit the Linda Vista community.
  • The Pasadena Public Library is offering three new library card designs complete with keycard in celebration of National Library Card Sign-up Month. Library cards are free to any California resident. Stop by any Pasadena Public Library location to choose yours.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works on Tuesday, September 8 is preparing to begin removing approximately 1,000 cubic yards of sediment from behind the Devil's Gate Dam. The interim project is expected to last four weeks. The City of Pasadena is allowing sediment to again be temporarily placed at Johnson Field. Green waste (dead tree branches and other vegetative matter) will also be removed from the area immediately in front of the dam. The green waste will be hauled to Scholl Canyon Landfill at a rate of no more than 10 trucks per day to avoid impacts to the neighborhood along the haul route on Windsor Avenue. Public Works has obtained all of the necessary permits and has received clearance from our biologist, who will be onsite during the interim measures to oversee work activities. No live trees will be removed during this operation.

Maranatha High School is rounding out a year of celebration with a big finale: the 50th Anniversary Weekend Celebration on September 10-12.

The public review period for the Pasadena Non-Potable Water Draft EIR is extended by two weeks until September 14. A hard copy of the EIR is available for public review during normal business hours at each of the following locations: 
  • Pasadena Water and Power, 150 S. Los Robles Ave., Suite 200
  • Pasadena Central Library, 285 E. Walnut St.
  • Linda Vista Library, 1281 Bryant St.
  • La Pintoresca Library, 1355 N. Raymond Ave.
Join Pasadena Heritage for its 2015 September workshop, "Case studies: energy efficiency in historic homes!" On Saturday, September 19, PH's exploration of energy efficiency in historic homes will continue. Using actual projects as case studies, our presenters (homeowners and professionals) will illustrate how energy costs can be reduced and comfort levels increased in typical Craftsman, Mediterranean and Mid-Century houses. The seminar will begin with highlights from last year's session, including the value of an energy audit, available incentives, energy usage, and system upgrade options. Case studies will then focus on the unique attributes, advantages and challenges in Craftsman, Mediterranean and Mid-Century homes. General questions will be addressed by the export panel, followed by round-table discussions with our presenters.
Editor's top news picks
>CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION

"City Manager Michael J. Beck today announced the appointment of Michael Johnson as the new Director for the Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD). As the Public Health Director, Mr. Johnson is responsible for the overall planning, administration and operation of the PPHD. He is expected to begin his duties effective September 14." Pasadena Now

"A joyous celebration Saturday that drew hundreds marked the 55th anniversary of the Pasadena Senior Center, a center servicing the fastest growing segment of this country's population and which now offers 71 class offerings per week." Pasadena Now
"The men in orange who pick up Pasadena's garbage with a smile came to Monday's (8/31/2015) City Council meeting to ask for a bigger raise. Made up of 27 employees, the department said the 25 cent raise they have received in the past seven years is simply not enough to sustain living." Pasadena Now
 
"Assembly Majority Leader Chris Holden's bill to provide property tax relief for California seniors was approved today in the state Senate on a vote of 36 to 0. It now goes to the Governor's desk for signature. AB 1378 would allow those over age 55 or the disabled to transfer the base value of their property to a new residence as long as the new house cost less than the old residence's sale price." Pasadena Now
 
"Pasadena's new financial management system, launched in July to replace an outdated system that is said to be partly to blame for a $6.4 million embezzlement scandal announced last year, is now causing its own controversy - delayed payments to the city's vendors that have led to some of them pulling out of contracted city projects." Pasadena Now
 
"At its August meeting, the Board of Directors of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, without objection, voted to strongly oppose increasing the minimum wage in Pasadena." Pasadena Now
Leisure
- CLICK ON HEADLINES FOR MORE INFORMATION -

 

Looking for other ways to entertain or educate yourself and your family? 

For current events around the area, we encourage you to visit our local news outlets. Click on the publication title to visit that publication's events section (alphabetical order).

Attend WPRA board meetings each month 

Monthly WPRA board meeting dates and locations are on the WPRA website. Click on the headline above or visit our website and look under "Meetings and Events."


The WPRA needs you ... 

... to serve your community and do it with a group of your neighbors who are equally dedicated. If you live within our service area, we'd welcome your help.

  • Got the local news bug? Just curious about your city (and would like to share news with 1,000 or so of your closest friends), consider serving as a co-editor of Neighborhood Update. It will only take a few hours a week (on your own schedule) in the month or two a year in which you'd serve. We'll train you.  
  • We have lots of opportunities to serve on one of our many committees:
    • Land use and planning
      If you care about how we use our land  
    • Education
      If you want to help save public education for West Pasadena  
    • Open space & conservation
      If you care about preserving open space and conservation of land and resources 
    • Membership
      If you'd like to help us continue to build our membership so we can do more  
If you'd like to chat about ways we could help you become more involved or, more likely, more effective (by helping us), send an email to WPRA President. Tell him about your interests.   
To learn more

Visit wpra.net and "like" our Facebook page  

To submit information for the Neighborhood Update, send it to update@wpra.net. 

 

Joseph Stoddard's watercolors: The WPRA is grateful to local artist Joseph Stoddard, who has generously allowed us to display his watercolors in our quarterly newsletter, The (WPRA) News; on the WPRA website; and in this publication. To explore Mr. Stoddard's work, visit josephstoddard.com.