Thursday, July 4, 2024

2024 California Ballot Measures: What You Need to Know

By CALMATTERS

Voting stickers are given to voters at the Alexander Hamilton Middle School voting center in Fresno on Nov. 8, 2022. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

Much is expected of the California voter.

In any given election year, we may be asked to dust off our labor lawyer hats, brush up on oil and gas regulations, reacquaint ourselves with decades of tax policy, or analyze infrastructure funding. We may have to weigh the moral pros and cons of capital punishment, marriage equality or pig protection and — over and over again — oversee all things dialysis clinic.

This November, voters will decide the fate of 10 thorny policy proposals, including crime, health care, rent control and taxes. This year, there were far more last-minute changes than usual.

Wednesday, July 3, 2024

Construction Starts on Affordable Housing Project in Altadena

[Courtesy photo: Jonathan Ramirez, ArchLenz Photograph.]

New development aims to address growing need for affordable and special needs housing in LA County

Nonprofit housing organization EAH Housing has begun construction on Agave, a 58-unit affordable housing development in Altadena. The project, in partnership with Union Station Homeless Services, is aimed at providing permanent supportive housing for formerly unhoused individuals.

“As many cities in LA County, Altadena is dealing with a rapidly growing need for not only affordable housing but special needs and permanent supportive housing,” Laura Hall, EAH Housing CEO and President, said in a statement.

The four-story building, located at 2052 Lake Ave., will offer a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments for formerly unhoused individuals making 30% of the local Area Median Income. Residents will have access to various amenities, including a central courtyard, common spaces, bicycle parking, 18 parking spaces for residents and staff, and on-site laundry facilities.

All units will feature 100% energy-efficient appliances,

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Aveson Schools in Altadena Receive $650,000 EPA Grant for Electric Buses

Clean energy initiative aims to reduce emissions and improve air quality in San Gabriel Valley

Aveson Schools in Altadena has been awarded a $650,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to purchase electric buses and build supporting infrastructure. The funding, announced on Monday, is part of the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program.

The grant marks a significant step in Aveson’s commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship, according to a statement from Aveson Schools. It will enable the school to replace older, gas-powered buses with cleaner, more efficient electric models.

“Replacing our gas-powered buses with electric models will greatly benefit our community and the environment,” Ian McFeat, Executive Director for Aveson Schools, said. “These new buses are easier to use and less prone to breakdowns.”

McFeat added that the transition would eliminate the need for fossil fuels, reducing the school’s carbon footprint. The initiative aligns with Aveson’s dedication to outdoor learning and environmental care.

The EPA’s Clean School Bus Program,

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

LA County Superior Courts to Offer $35,000 to Full-Time Workers to Leave Jobs

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Los Angeles County’s Superior Court system announced Monday that it will offer a one-time payment of $35,000 to current full-time employees with five or more years of continuous service to resign from their jobs due to cutbacks in state funding.

The court’s Voluntary Separation Incentive Program enables eligible regular-status employees to apply for the voluntary program and resign on or before Oct. 1 if approved, according to the court.

The vacated positions will be eliminated, and employees who leave their jobs under the program will not be eligible for employment within the court for a year, officials said.

“We are never happy to say goodbye to our dedicated and talented staff. However, given the difficult financial circumstances the court finds itself in due to the cuts, we are hopeful that a sufficient number of court employees will take the incentive to voluntarily separate from court service, which will provide significant savings heading into the next fiscal year,”

Monday, July 1, 2024

Average Gasoline Prices in LA County Drop Ahead of July 4 Holiday

CITY NEWS SERVICE

A record 60 million travelers forecast to hit the road for the July 4th holiday

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County dropped Monday three-tenths of a cent to $4.779, a day after it was unchanged.

The average price is 1.4 cents less than one week ago, 23.7 cents less than one month ago and 12.1 cents less than one year ago, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. It has dropped $1.715 since rising to a record $6.494 on Oct. 5, 2022.

The national average price dropped one-tenth of a cent to $3.491. It is 4.3 cents more than one week ago, but 5.3 cents less than one month ago and 4.7 cents less than one year ago.

It has dropped $1.525 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.

“Summer got off to a slow start last week with low gas demand,”

Friday, June 28, 2024

Altadena Sheriff’s Station Urges Hikers to File Safety Plans

The Altadena Sheriff’s Station is reminding hikers in Los Angeles County to prioritize safety by completing a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue Hiking Plan worksheet before embarking on their outdoor adventures. This recommendation comes as part of an effort to enhance emergency preparedness in the region’s wilderness areas.

According to an announcement posted on the Altadena Sheriff’s Station Facebook page, the completed form should be given to a responsible person who can provide the information to law enforcement or search and rescue teams if hikers fail to return as scheduled. The station emphasized that this precaution is crucial for all hiking groups, regardless of weather conditions.

The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue Hiking Plan worksheet is available for download on the Los Angeles County website. 

To download the worksheet, visit http://file.lacounty.gov/lasd/cms1_163961.pdf. 

The worksheet would assist emergency responders in locating lost or injured hikers more efficiently.

The Altadena Sheriff’s Station,

Thursday, June 27, 2024

Average LA County Gas Prices Drop

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County dropped Thursday a half-cent to $4.794, a day after it decreased two-tenths of a cent.

The average price is one-tenth of a cent less than one week ago, 28.8 cents lower than one month ago and 10.3 cents below what it was one year ago, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. The average price has dropped $1.70 since rising to a record $6.494 on Oct. 5, 2022.

The national average price rose nine-tenths of a cent to $3.503. a day after increased 2.5 cents. It is 4.8 cents more than one week ago but 8.9 cents less than one month ago and 6.1 cents lower than one year ago.

The national average price has dropped $1.531 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

LA County Launches ‘Lets Play Outside’ Campaign and Free Programming for July

CITY NEWS SERVICE

In celebration of 80 years of connecting residents to parks and nature, Los Angeles County officials launched the “Let’s Play Outside” campaign on Tuesday. The campaign offers free programming to kids during the month of July.

Various elements of the program will be available in Altadena at the Eaton Canyon Nature Center, at 1750 N Altadena Dr, Pasadena; at Charles Farnsworth Park 568 East Mount Curve Avenue, Altadena; and at the Loma Alta Park Pool, 3330 N. Lincoln Ave., Altadena.

At a news conference Tuesday morning, representatives of the Department of Parks and Recreation and Supervisors Lindsey Horvath and Hilda Solis highlighted the campaign, and what they dubbed the “Outdoor Children’s Bill of Rights,” 10 activities that children can participate in this summer at county facilities and programs.

The effort is intended to show the county’s commitment to providing all children — regardless of race, income, gender identity, ability, geographic location or type of home —

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

LA County Calls for Enhanced Efforts on Hepatitis C Testing, Treatments

By ANUSHA SHANKAR, City News Service

The Board of Supervisors directed its Departments of Public Health and Health Services Tuesday to provide Hepatitis C testing to patients in primary care settings, including pregnant women and other people considered at high risk.

Hepatitis C is a liver infection that spreads through contact with blood from an infected person. Introduced by Supervisor Hilda Solis, the motion approved Tuesday states that two-thirds of individuals exposed to HCV develop a long-term infection, which can lead to cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer, making it a leading infectious disease cause of death.

The motion also notes that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently updated its guidance to recommend universal HCV screening for all adults 18 and older, all pregnant people during each pregnancy, and more frequent testing of people in certain high-risk groups.

“Only one in three residents in the county with Hepatitis C are treated,” Solis said.

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

LA County Board Places Homelessness Measure on November Ballot

By ANUSHA SHANKAR, City News Service

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to place on the November ballot an initiative that would repeal the county’s quarter-cent sales tax for homelessness-prevention measures and replace it with an indefinite half-cent sales tax to be used for the same purpose.

The county Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Office announced last week that backers of the Affordable Housing, Homelessness Solutions and Prevention Now measure had collected enough valid signatures to get the initiative on the ballot.

Supporters of the measure said they submitted more than 410,000 petition signatures, well above the required 238,922.

The ballot measure would repeal Measure H, a quarter-cent sales tax approved by county voters in 2017, and replace it with a half-cent sales tax to create a dedicated stream of revenue to address homelessness. Measure H had a 10-year lifespan, meaning it is set to expire in 2027.

The new proposed measure, if approved by voters,