Saturday, January 18, 2020
Published on Saturdays since 2000
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AVRAM GOLD
Co-editor
Neighborhood Update - This weekly WPRA eNewsletter is emailed each Saturday morning to nearly 1,500 residents of Pasadena and beyond.

The News - The WPRA's quarterly magazine is mailed to nearly 8,000 homes in west Pasadena and beyond.
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Community meetings
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NOTE : The following meeting dates, times and agenda items are accurate as of Saturday morning. 
Click on the appropriate  blue  headline to ensure the meeting hasn't been cancelled or rescheduled.

MONDAY, JANUARY 20


TUESDAY, JANUARY 21



WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22

4 p.m.
300 E. Green St.
On the agenda:  FY 2019 Financial Audit; reports from: Ad Hoc Budget & Finance Committee, Directors, Chief Executive Officer and the RBOC

6:30 P.M.
Council Chambers, City Hall, 100 N. Garfield St.
On the agenda:  Not available at press time

THURSDAY,  JANUARY 23

4:00 p.m.
Fair Oaks or Grand Conference Room (Basement)
City Hall, 100 N. Garfield Avenue
On the agenda: Not available at press time

Click for the latest Pasadena City Commission   Facts and Vacancies
Announcements / Events
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SAVE THE DATE

ATTEND   the Mayoral and District 6 City Council Candidates’ Forum
January 23  at the Maranatha High School Student Center , hosted by the West Pasadena Residents’ Association, in cooperation with the Linda Vista-Annandale Association and the Madison Heights Neighborhood Association. The program will begin promptly at 6:15 p.m. 

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Sunday, January 19 from 6:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
A public access map listing road closures and alternative routes has been posted on the City of Pasadena’s website: https://bit.ly/2uGQ9bj . For questions regarding street closures or towed vehicles on the day of the event, please call (213) 542-3000. Pasadena Now

Saturday, January 18 at 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Concerned about neighborhood coyotes and how to help keep them away? Then join one of Pasadena Humane Society's upcoming Coyote Safety Workshops with PHS's expert Wildlife Manager who will share information about the urban coyote and demonstrate humane hazing techniques so that you can peacefully and safely coexist with coyotes. Sign up for this free workshop by clicking on the heading link. For more information, call: 626-792-7151. Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA, 361 S. Raymond Ave.

Saturday, January 18 at 2:00 p.m.
Attend Pasadena Museum of History’s event featuring film historian and musicologist Galen Wilkes exploring the development of motion pictures from silent films to the first talkies. He will also demonstrate equipment of the period and show rare and unique films and videos from his collection. TICKETS: Members $10; General $12. Pre-paid reservations required (tickets include admission to the exhibition  Starting Anew: Transforming Pasadena, 1890-1930 ). Reservations are available online at  https://galenwilkes.bpt.me  or by calling 1-800-838-3006 - 470 W. Walnut St . Free parking.

Tuesday, January 21 at 12:30 p.m.
Hal Slavkin, Professor and Dean Emeritus from USC, returns to Crowell Library on two Tuesdays, January 21st and January 28th, with two free lectures on the advances in healthcare based on new understanding of the human genome. Dr. Slavkin is Member of National Academy of Medicine. He published 570 scientific papers, edited 11 books, authored two texts, one novel, and wrote and produced the PBS program, A Lifetime of Change. For more information, call: 626-300-0777. Crowell Public Library, 1890 Huntington Dr., San Marino

January 22 at 7:30 p.m.
A free lecture requiring tickets. The Chinese have been a part of California's history since the time of the gold rush, but they are not always visible in historical records. Mae Ngai, professor of history at Columbia University, explores The Huntington's collections on the history of the American West, which include some scattered references and trace notices of Chinese. How can we best research the social history of the Chinese in these collections? Rothenberg Hall, 1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino

Thursday, January 23 and Friday, January 24 at 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Two free lectures: The Spitzer Space Telescope has been observing the universe in infrared light for over 16 years. As the mission comes to a close... "we’ll take a look at some of the amazing highlights and the lasting legacy of this incredible observatory." Speakers: Varoujan Gorjian, Spitzer Research Scientist, JPL; Robert Hurt, Spitzer Visualization Scientist, Caltech/IPAC; Suzanne Dodd, Former Spitzer Project Manager (2010-2016), JPL; Joseph Hunt, Spitzer Project Manager (Current), JPL. Host: Brian White. Thursday: 818-354-4321 - The von Karman Auditorium at JPL - 4800 Oak Grove Dr., La Canada Flintridge – Friday: 626-396-4652 - Caltech's Beckman Auditorium - 332 S. Michigan Ave., Pasadena

SATURDAY, JANUARY 25 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Come meet the neighbors. Enjoy pancakes, sausages, eggs, coffee and orange juice. Sponsored by Council Member Steve Madison – $10 per adult; $5 per child (5 to 12 years old); no charge for children under 5. At Fire Station #38, 1150 Linda Vista Ave

Saturday, January 25 at 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
If you enjoy learning about Pasadena history and architecture and sharing that knowledge with others - Pasadena Heritage needs you! Join Pasadena Heritage for its 2020 Docent Training Classes and you can give much needed support by volunteering to lead tours throughout the year. Docent training will focus on Pasadena’s early history, Pasadena Heritage’s role in the community, the architectural development of Pasadena, and general docent guidelines and strategies. Whether you are interested in being a docent for walking tours, bus tours or house tours, this training will be extremely beneficial. For more information, call 626-441-6333 ext. 18. Pasadena Heritage Madison House, 651 So. Saint John Ave.

Saturday, February 1 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The Summer Opportunities Fair (SOF) is a community service event that provides a venue for parents and children to learn about local, national, international camp, and summer study opportunities for boys and girls of all ages in academic and cultural enrichment, outdoor adventure, sports, travel, day and board, community service and volunteer programs, and programs for children with special needs. This free fair, held on the Westridge campus in Pasadena, has earned the reputation as one of the premiere camp fairs in the nation. For questions or more information, email us at  SOF@westridge.org . Westridge School – 324 Madeline Dr. Pasadena
Editor's news picks
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“A hearing on a modified version of a controversial Los Robles Avenue development was postponed by Mayor Terry Tornek, when he learned that Monday’s meeting would be short two members—Tyron Hampton and John J. Kennedy. Five members of the Council are enough to hold an official meeting, but Mayor Terry Tornek wanted a full Council to hear and vote on the development.” Pasadena Now

“California State Senator Scott Wiener launched his third legislative attempt last Monday at boosting California’s housing supply. The clock is now ticking on SB 50 in 2020. Under legislative rules, the bill must pass the full Senate by the end of this month — and first make it out of Sen. Portantino’s committee. So Sen. Wiener is trying again…” Colorado Boulevard

“In response to more than a year of security and maintenance complaints about local Metro Gold Line stations, the City Council heard a lengthy presentation from a top L.A. County Metro security official Monday, on overall Gold Line security and maintenance operations, including law enforcement, station maintenance, and homeless outreach and engagement.” Pasadena Now

(May require a subscription) “ A newly proposed 281,000-square-foot development with a medical office and an assisted living facility could replace an entire city block along Pasadena’s South Arroyo Parkway.
The project is still in the very early phases because officials would have to change the city’s zoning codes to allow such a large development. Even with the decision years away, some neighborhood groups are already speaking out against it”.
Pasadena Star-News

“As he has in his previous addresses, the mayor, a former city planner, unabashedly reveled in his favorite subject—the City’s budget. Framing the discussion by reminding the audience of last year’s successful passage of Measure I and J, which added revenues to both the City and the PUSD, the mayor noted that the city’s current General Fund revenues are approximately $275 million, up from last year’s $245 million figure.” Pasadena Now

(May require a subscription) “A wave of fraud attempts hit Pasadena residents during the holiday season, with a scammer pretending to be a representative from the Pasadena Department of Water and Power. The scammer would call residents, saying they were late on their payment and that the bill needed to be paid immediately — or else their power would be turned off, according to the city. However, Pasadena wants Water and Power customers to know it does not update customers’ account status via phone call.” Pasadena Star-News 
WPRA's point of view
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The public is invited to attend the regular WPRA board meetings held at 6:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the month ( except for August and December) in the Westridge School Community Room (unless otherwise noted), 324 Madeline Dr. Park in the State Street lot and walk north across campus to the Community Room. NEXT MEETING: JANUARY 8TH

Would you like to help the WPRA share important information with your neighbors? Send an email to update@wpra.net to volunteer to serve as a co-editor of WPRA's weekly Neighborhood Update email newsletter. It will only take a few hours a week (within your own schedule) in the month or two each year in which you'd serve.

WPRA seeks grant application writing expertise 
Do you have experience writing grant proposals? WPRA is exploring assisting city departments in applying for public and private grant funding. Please send email to president@wpra.net .
Your donations and membership allow us to continue our efforts to maintain the character and enhance the quality of life in our west Pasadena neighborhoods.
We can't do it without your support!

Questions? Please email membership@wpra.net.
... to serve our community by joining neighbors who are equally dedicated. If you live within WPRA service area we'd welcome your help.

Got the local news bug? Just curious about your city (and would like to share news with over 1.500 of your closest friends)? Consider serving as a co-editor of the Neighborhood Update . It will only take a few hours a week (on your own schedule) in the one or two months a year in which you'd serve. We'll train you. 

We also have opportunities to serve on one of our many committees:
  • Land use and planning for those interested in land use and zoning
  • Education to improve public education in west Pasadena 
  • Open space & conservation focuses on parks, open space and our environment
  • Membership to help us build membership and serve our members

If you'd like to chat about ways we could help you become more involved or more effective (by working with us), send an email to WPRA President , indicating your interests.
Leisure
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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 below to visit that publication's events section (alphabetical order).


Monthly WPRA board meeting dates and locations are on the WPRA website. Click on the headline immediately above or visit our website and look under "Meetings and Events."
To learn more visit wpra.net
Information to be considered for the Neighborhood Update should be submitted 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 this publication, on our website and in The News , our quarterly newsletter. To explore Mr. Stoddard's work, visit josephstoddard.com .