The South Pasadena Fire Department is proud to continue our long-held charitable partnership with ABC7, fellow Southern California Firefighters and newcomers, the U.S. Marine Corp Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation.

 

Reaching a pinnacle 25th season, the Spark of Love Toy Drive Fund continues to be a vital pillar to our communities in need during the holidays. Share in the spirit of giving by donating a new, unwrapped toy and/or sports equipment for a child or teen in need.

 

Donations can be dropped off at various locations in South Pasadena starting Monday, November 27, 2017.

City of South Pasadena residents did an exceptional  job in  meeting the  water  conservation requirements mandated by the State of California. However, the prolonged drought in southern California has seriously impacted the water supply. This is especially true of ground water from where South Pasadena obtains the majority of its water. These sources are at historically low levels. The City is proposing to increase the water and sewer rates to generate sufficient revenues to ensure reliable water and sewer services.

At a Public Hearing on November 1, 2017, the City Council approved establishing new water and sewer rates.  These new rates will be effective January 1, 2018.  Global Water will continue to bill customers on a bi-monthly basis for water and sewer services.  Residents will see the new water and sewer rates for January 2018 service on their bills around March 2018.  While the water rates for the residential customers are increasing, the sewer rates will be slightly lower than the what the current residential customers are currently paying.  The sewer bills for the commercial customers will be based on actual water consumption instead of a fixed monthly charge.  Small businesses using less water will see a slight decrease in their sewer bills, however businesses  using more water will see an increase in their sewer bills.    

 

The proposed water rates will still include an Efficiency Fee for water conservation projects throughout the City as well as Water Conservation Rebates for South Pasadena residents. Click here for information on the City Water Conservation Programs and Rebates.

 

If you have any questions regarding the proposed rates please contact the Finance Department at 626-403-7250.  More information on the proposed rates can also be found here on the City's website.

Billing for rubbish (solid waste) services will transition from the City of South Pasadena to Athens Services as of January 1, 2018.  Athens currently bills commercial accounts for rubbish services and will be streamlining the  city's utility billing  process by also administering residential billing.  The transition will result in multiple bills to residential customers during January and February of 2018.

The transition will result in customers receiving a bill from the City for November and December rubbish services as part of their regular city billing period during the months of January and February 2018.  Customers will also receive a bill from Athens in February for rubbish services for January, February and March of 2018.  There will be no overlap of service periods and customers are not being double-billed for the same service.  The next quarterly bill for rubbish service will be sent in April for rubbish services for the months of April, May and June.

In order to assist with the transition in billing, both Global Water and Athens Services offer payment plans. Customers may contact both companies directly for more information on available options.  Over the next several months, the City will make every effort to ensure residents continue to be informed about the transition and the changes that will be reflected on their utility bills.

A list of  Frequently Asked Questions regarding the transition can be found on the City's  website. You may also contact the City via email:    utilities@southpasadenaca.gov or call the Finance Department (626) 403-7250;

Athens Services (888) 336-6100 ; Global Water (855) 518-4012.

Santa is coming to town! Our annual Breakfast with Santa event will be held on Saturday, December 9th from 9:00-11:30 a.m. at the War Memorial Building. This event is fun for the whole family! We will have crafts, music, and a tasty hot breakfast. Parents, make sure to have your camera ready, Santa will be available for photos! Please plan to arrive early; doors will close at 9:30 a.m.

 

Tickets are $15 per person, children under 2 are free. Everyone in attendance must have a ticket. Pre-registration will begin Wednesday, November 1, 2017, spaces are limited, you can register at the Recreation Division office at 815 Mission Street, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. You can also visit our website www.southpasadenaca.gov/events  to register on-line.

Join us for ChamberCoffeeChat on Thursday, December 14  at 8:00 am and get a sneak peek at the 2018 SPTOR Float "Booster Club". Meet us at the float building site at the War Memorial Building (435 Fair Oaks Avenue) for coffee and pastries, and the SPTOR volunteer team will talk about the float! 

 

South Pasadena has the oldest self-built float in the Rose Parade - supported entirely by volunteers!  Want to sign up to decorate this year's float?  Visit www.sptor.org/volunteer.html for more information.

 

ChamberCoffeeChat is sponsored by the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce.

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The public is invited to attend the December 20, 2017 City Council Meeting, as the City Council will reorganize and elect a Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem for the upcoming year, with terms commencing immediately thereafter. The new Mayor will then lead the remainder of the meeting. The City Council and community will recognize outgoing Mayor Michael A. Cacciotti, for his past year of service. A presentation highlighting the year's accomplishments and events will be made by Mayor Cacciotti.

 

The City Council Meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Amedee O. "Dick" Richards, Jr., Council Chamber, located at 1424 Mission Street, South Pasadena. The reorganization will be broadcast live on Time-Warner Cable Channel 19 and AT&T Channel 99 and also be streamed live via the Internet from the City's website.

For more information, contact the City Clerk's Office at (626) 403-7230.

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The City Council seeks qualified applicants for its various Boards, Committees, and Commissions on an ongoing basis.

 

Applications are available at:

For more information contact the City Clerk's Division at (626) 403-7230.

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It isn't too early to start preparing for the spring SAT test dates. Start early, stress less!

 

The Library is partnering with IvyMax, a leading education service provider, to offer two free SAT prep workshops in January. The first one-hour workshop on Sunday, January 14th, at 1:00 p.m. the focus will be on test-taking strategies. In the second workshop on Sunday, January 28th, 1:00-5:00 p.m., IvyMax will administer a practice test. The practice tests will be evaluated and students will receive feedback on their test scores.

 

The IvyMax Foundation is a leading education service provider and a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and participant in the President's Volunteer Service Award (PVSA). Instructors are fully credentialed.

 

Reservations for workshops are required. Please sign up here: https://southpasadena.evanced.info/signup/calendar

 

Visit the South Pasadena Public Library website for information about library services and programs and to access ebooks and online resources, or come see us in person, 7 days a week! www.southpasadenaca.gov/library.

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"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now." 

-Chinese Proverb

In order to preserve our  urban forest, it is important to act now! South Pasadena Beautiful is hosting a tree planting drive with the goal to plant 75 trees by Arbor Day, March 2018.  You can help by funding the planting of a tree through the South Pasadena Tree Dedication Program.  Donors can work with the City Arborist to pick a location and specie of tree close to their business, residence, or where the need is the greatest.

All tree donations made through South Pasadena Beautiful are tax deductible. For current price and more information, visit the South Pasadena Beautiful website at   www.southpasbeautiful.org.  

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The holidays are just around the corner and the Library has books and downloadable ebooks to help you plan and prepare for your holiday festivities!

 

Cooking and Entertaining

We have dozens of cookbooks to help you prepare memorable feasts. Some of our favorites include

Thanksgiving: How to Cook it Well

and   The New Thanksgiving Table: An American Celebration of Family Friends and Food, which offers traditional recipes with a modern twist. If you prefer ebooks to paper books we recommend Vegan Holiday Cooking from Candle Cafe , The Great Holiday Slow Cooker Book, and   Cooking with Pumpkin: Recipes that Go Beyond the Pie. 

 

Crafts and Homemade Gifts with Kids (and Without!)

Make it a hands-on holiday season and get inspired by titles like The Holiday Wreath Book, Crafts for Hanukkah , and Holiday Crafts: Year-Round Projects Kids Can Make. Exciting new ebook titles include Homemade Holiday, Handmade Gifts from the Kitchen, and Holiday Crafting and Baking with Kids .

 

Plus, JOIN US FOR A FREE GIFT-MAKING WORKSHOP for families in the Library Community Room (1115 El Centro Street) on Tuesday, December 5th, at 7:15 p.m. Learn about different winter holiday customs and make gifts in this season of giving. There will be a wide variety of gift projects to choose from and all supplies are included-all you need to bring are your hands and heart!

 

Visit the South Pasadena Public Library website for information about library services and programs and to access ebooks and online resources, or come see us in person, 7 days a week! www.southpasadenaca.gov/library .

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If you have been looking for ways to save more water around your property there are several new rebates being offered to help you do just that: 

 

1) High efficiency toilets (1.28 gallons per flush or less)	$100/toilet + up to $100 for installation ($50 for additional toilets)
2) Drought tolerant plants maximum	$400
3) Drip conversion maximum	$150
4) Shower heads (2.5 gallons per minute or less)	$25 each (3 max)

 

In addition to all these great rebates, the City now offers a Turf Removal Rebate program ($1 per square foot up to 1,500 square feet). Pre-inspection is required so download the application from the City's website for full details.

 

Not sure where to start? Contact us today to schedule a free water audit to help determine where improvements can be made.

 

All other rebates are still being offered. For more information on these and other rebate devices, visit the City website or SoCalWaterSmart.com, or contact the Environmental Division at (626) 403-7311 or  jshimmin@southpasadenaca.gov .

Did you know:

For more information on recycling, please visit the City's website or Calrecyle.

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Overnight parking restriction will not be enforced from Thursday, December 24, 2017 at 2 am through Wednesday, January 4, 2017 at 6 am. All other parking restrictions will be enforced including preferential parking districts, timed-restrictions and parking a vehicle continuously for 72 hours. 

The Mission-Meridian Parking Garage is open to the public from 6 pm to 2 am daily and from 4 am to 2 am on weekends and holidays. This year the holidays fall on the weekends but the Rose Parade is on Monday, January 1, 2018, and parking will be free in the parking garage that day.  

Please click here for additional information on parking regulations or call the Police Department at (626) 403-7270.

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During the Winter Break, the Recreation Division will offer half-day specialty camps. Morning camps are held from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and afternoon camps will be from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

Perfect your magic skills in this interactive, creative, spell-binding class! Find out which house you belong to and learn how to make potions, use your wand, identify creatures, and more! Witches and wizards of all ages will graduate the Academy with the supplies and skills to use their magic for good.  Ages: 5-13

: Chemistry is amazing! Conduct physical and chemical experiments and learn what makes them work. Make your own desiccators and Elephant Toothpaste, grow copper sulfate crystals, and get ready for an instant snowstorm! All reactions are done outdoors and students wear protective goggles.  Ages: 5-13

Have a blast with Stop Motion Animation using clay, Legos, whiteboards, cutouts and more! Storyboard ideas, develop plots, and create unique characters as you bring inanimate objects to life! Each student receives a copy of the collaborative class work at the end of the session. Ages: 6-13

Students learn how to make figurines, mosaics, multi-media sculptures and more while they learn about famous sculptors like Jeffrey Koons, Kenneth Price and Walter Furlan! We teach the principles of sculpture, and allow students to explore with various media. Come join the fun! Ages: 5-13

 

2018 Winter Recreation Class Online Registration - Now Open!  Classes for all ages and interests are available, giving unique opportunities to discover a new skill, passion, or experience! Click here for more information.