Monday, July 27, 2026

Altadena’s Recovery Beat Moves to Morning Drive on KBLA This Week

James Farr guest hosts First Things First through Friday, closing with Greenline Housing Foundation and singer Jon B. ahead of Saturday’s Chris Holden block party in Pasadena

James Farr has spent more than a year telling Altadena’s story to Los Angeles one Saturday at a time. This week he gets five mornings in a row.

Farr is guest hosting “First Things First,” KBLA Talk 1580’s weekday morning drive program, through Friday, according to a programming advisory posted at kbla1580.com. The advisory lists guests and topics drawn from Pasadena, Altadena and Los Angeles County’s Fifth Supervisorial District: housing and homelessness, civic engagement, public safety and police accountability, technology, journalism and long-term recovery from the Eaton Fire. KBLA calls it the lineup at the time of publication.

The district, represented by Supervisor Kathryn Barger, takes in Pasadena and unincorporated Altadena. KBLA Talk 1580 is Black-owned and bills itself as Southern California’s Black-owned talk radio station. Regular host Dominique DiPrima’s program airs weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., free to hear on 1580 AM and online.

Farr hosts “Conversation Live: Altadena Rising,” which KBLA launched on March 8, 2025, two months after the fire, to chronicle the recovery, rebuilding and resilience of Altadena’s Black community. A former Altadena resident now living in North Pasadena, he contributes to “First Things First” and writes for LA Progressive.

Monday’s program takes up the 2026 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count, released July 24, and what it means for housing affordability and post-fire recovery. Pasadena counts separately from the county Continuum of Care and recorded 577 unhoused residents, 56% unsheltered, according to Pasadena Partnership. Homelessness in the city fell about 1%; countywide it rose 1.2%. Jasmyne Cannick, a journalist, political commentator and Democratic political strategist, is Monday’s guest.

Tuesday turns to civic engagement and political dialogue with John Wood Jr., Braver Angels national ambassador and a former vice chairman of the Los Angeles County Republican Party, on Black Republicans, political diversity and civic participation.

Wednesday brings civil rights attorney Bradley C. Gage with updates on several legal matters, including Pasadena Police Department litigation and officers alleging workplace discrimination. A judge granted the city summary judgment in February 2026 in former officer Taisyn Crutchfield’s case. Esosa Osa, founder and CEO of Onyx Impact, follows on artificial intelligence, journalism, digital equity and how technology can aid disaster recovery.

Thursday covers California’s Racial and Identity Profiling Act, pretextual stops, Flock license plate readers and Pasadena Police Department practices. A March 2026 audit presented to the City Council’s Public Safety Committee found no misuse of the system. Sheila Bates, whom the advisory identifies as public policy director for Black Lives Matter Grassroots, examines the implications for Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley.

Friday belongs to housing. Jasmin Shupper, founder and executive director of the Pasadena-based Greenline Housing Foundation, joins Jon B. to discuss the group’s work with Altadena fire survivors and the partnerships helping families rebuild. Greenline says it has deployed more than $4.4 million in Eaton Fire relief, including $1.1 million in rental assistance to 34 families.

Jon B., born Jonathan Buck and raised in Pasadena, earned a 1996 Grammy nomination for “Someone to Love,” his duet with Babyface. He performs Saturday at Chris Holden’s 27th Annual Community Resource Fair and Block Party, 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on the 500 block of East Jackson Street. LA Fire Justice hosts; Holden, its chief executive, is a former Pasadena mayor, city councilmember and Assemblymember. Details are at lafirejustice.com/events; the broadcast streams at kbla1580.com.

The Eaton Fire crossed into Altadena on a January night in 2025. More than 18 months later, the rebuilding is still morning-drive news — and this week, five days of it.