Thursday, October 30, 2025

Altadena’s Town Council Election Begins Saturday. Here’s What to Know.

STAFF REPORT

The tract-by-tract vote unfolds over three days at libraries and neighborhood sites. Any Altadena resident 18 or older may cast a ballot; citizenship isn’t required.

Altadena will open polls Saturday at libraries and neighborhood gathering places for the first of three voting days in its Town Council election, a local contest designed to give each census tract a direct voice in county-facing issues.

“It truly is a pivotal moment for our community,” said Isis Moulden, the election chair.

The council’s role is straightforward but influential: members are elected by—and represent—specific census tracts, helping residents navigate Los Angeles County departments and services. Terms last two years.

This election arrives with a record field of 21 candidates, an unusually large slate.

“A successful election isn’t just about numbers — it’s about trust, inclusion, and continuity,” said Isis Moulden, the election chair. “The record number of candidates already signals that Altadenans are ready to step up,

Thursday, October 30, 2025

Lawsuit: UCLA Officials Said School No Longer Wants to Play in the Rose Bowl

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

According to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by Pasadena Now, UCLA told city officials it was leaving the Rose Bowl, ending a century-old partnership and setting off a high-profile legal battle over one of college football’s most storied venues.

In the lawsuit, the City of Pasadena and the Rose Bowl Operating Company (RBOC) accuse The Regents of the University of California, acting on behalf of UCLA, of breaching multiple long-term agreements requiring the Bruins to play home football games at the Rose Bowl through 2044.

The complaint alleges UCLA has now “chosen to disregard previous promises,” informing Pasadena officials that it was “moving on” nearly two decades before its contractual commitment expires.

The suit argues that monetary damages alone would be insufficient to repair the harm, instead asking the court to compel UCLA to honor the contract and continue playing at the city-owned stadium.

Filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court,

Thursday, October 30, 2025

Gavin Newsom’s Biggest Political Test Yet Is On The Ballot Next Tuesday

By Jeanne Kuang, CALMATTERS

As President Donald Trump prepared to send a phalanx of federal immigration agents into the Bay Area, Gov. Gavin Newsom bemoaned the lack of outrage about Trump’s actions and ramped up his own warnings about election manipulation.

“He is going to try to rig this election,” he told reporters last week, referring to Trump’s pursuit of Republican gerrymandering in red states to ensure the party holds onto its slim majority in Congress next year.

He called the potential deployment of immigration agents — later called off by Trump — a dictator’s move to suppress the vote. Repeatedly, he’s told the story of Border Patrol agents showing up to his ballot measure kickoff event and said he expects federal agents and troops to monitor polling places next week.

As the campaign for Proposition 50, the anti-Trump Democratic gerrymandering effort California voters are deciding on, reaches a fever pitch, so too has the rhetoric of Newsom,

Thursday, October 30, 2025

Día de los Muertos Protest Planned at Pasadena Home Depot After Immigration-Linked Deaths

Community organizers are planning to hold a Día de los Muertos protest outside the Home Depot on Walnut Street in Pasadena on Saturday at 10 a.m., honoring three laborers who died in separate incidents linked to immigration enforcement across the country and calling for corporate accountability following what they say was a recent ICE operation at the Pasadena store.

The memorial, part of the National Day Labor Organizing Network’s “Disappeared in America” campaign, will feature an altar, music, and speakers outside the store at 2881 E. Walnut St. in East Pasadena.

Organizers say the event responds to a Sept. 23 incident in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents reportedly detained two customers at the location.

Sharon Nicholls, a local organizer who witnessed the incident, said, “I showed up and they detained two customers, two people that had just finished with their shopping, and they took them.”

The altar is planned to commemorate Carlos Roberto Montoya Valdés, Jaime Alanis Garcia, and Silverio Villegas González.

Thursday, October 30, 2025

‘Heartbreaking and Sobering’: Pasadena Unified Faces a Crisis Decades in the Making

By EDDIE RIVERA

In the Great Room at PUSD headquarters Wednesday night, the mood was grim. Words like “heartbreaking” and “sobering” hung in the air as members of Pasadena Unified School District’s (PUSD) Superintendent’s Budget Advisory Committee met for the final time. The mission before them was monumental — to recommend tens of millions in cuts that could determine whether the district survives in its current form.

The district, which serves roughly 15,000 students, is staring down a projected deficit of $71 million by 2027-28. To avert insolvency, officials say $30 million to $35 million in reductions must be identified for 2026-27.

Without decisive action, PUSD could face an extraordinary outcome—a state takeover through the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) as soon as January 2026.

LACOE will make this determination based on PUSD’s First Interim Report, due December 15, 2025—a date LACOE officials called ‘critical’ to the district’s fate.

In an October letter, LACOE Director of Business Advisory Services Octavio Castelo warned that the district faces a “tough—if not impossible—financial conundrum” and must issue reduction-in-force notices by spring.

Thursday, October 30, 2025

Edison Says Its Equipment Likely Started Fire

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

The parent company of Southern California Edison acknowledged in a quarterly earnings report that its equipment may have caused the Eaton Fire, the devastating blaze that tore through the foothills above Altadena last year, destroying thousands of structures and killing at least 19 people.

In a statement released Tuesday, Pedro Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International, said the utility believes it is “likely” that Southern California Edison’s equipment could be found to have been associated with the ignition of the fire.

“SCE is not aware of evidence pointing to another possible source of ignition,” Pizarro said. “Absent additional evidence, SCE believes that it is likely that its equipment could be found to have been associated with the ignition.”

The admission came as part of Edison International’s third-quarter earnings filing, marking the company’s first public acknowledgment that its equipment could be tied to the fire’s origin.

The Eaton Fire, which erupted in the San Gabriel Mountains and swept through Altadena and neighboring communities,

Thursday, October 30, 2025

Union Station’s Weeklong ‘Dinner in the Park’ to Feed Thousands in Pasadena Next Month

Union Station Homeless Services is calling on Pasadena residents to donate 750 frozen turkeys, thousands of pies and rolls, and volunteer time for its annual “Dinner in the Park,” a weeklong Thanksgiving campaign expected to feed thousands of neighbors in need.

The effort culminates in a community meal Nov. 26 at the nonprofit’s Adult Center on South Raymond Avenue.

According Union Station, the event unfolds in three phases:

• Turkey Drive (Nov. 17–18, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.) — Donors may drop off frozen turkeys and holiday staples at 412 S. Raymond Ave. Requested items include stuffing mix, instant mashed potatoes, canned green beans, whole-kernel corn, cranberry sauce, gravy packets, mac & cheese, cream of mushroom soup, and desserts.
• Meal-Kit Distribution (Nov. 19, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.) — Community members in need may receive a Thanksgiving box at the same location. Kits are slated to include a turkey, pie, rolls, stuffing mix, instant potatoes, green beans, corn, gravy mix, and crispy onions.
• Thanksgiving Meal Service (Nov.

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

LA County Launches Bilingual Campaign to Combat Overdose Stigma

Los Angeles County has unveiled “Rewriting LA County’s Story,” a bilingual public awareness campaign aimed at reducing stigma around drug use and expanding access to overdose prevention services.

The initiative seeks to build trust with communities affected by substance use, promote life-saving resources, and support ongoing efforts to curb overdose deaths. Officials say the campaign is designed to reach both English- and Spanish-speaking residents across the county.

Overdose remains the leading cause of death for adults under 50 in Los Angeles County, surpassing fatalities from gun violence and car crashes. Public health officials describe it as the county’s largest preventable cause of death.

The campaign is part of a broader strategy to address the opioid crisis and other substance-related harms through education, outreach, and community engagement.

Christina Ghaly, director of the Department of Health Services, said, “We invite the public to learn more about the comprehensive services available across Los Angeles County — and to join us in rewriting LA County’s story.

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

LA County Mobilizes $10 Million Food Assistance Amid Federal Shutdown

The county rapidly expands food programs to serve 1.5 million residents losing CalFresh benefits

Los Angeles County is taking swift action to address food insecurity as the federal shutdown leaves more than 1.5 million residents at risk of losing CalFresh benefits. Officials have allocated $10 million to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, expanding purchasing capacity and opening new pop-up and drive-through pantry sites across the county. L.A. Care Health Plan has also committed up to $5.4 million, partnering with local organizations to distribute grocery gift cards and fresh food to those in need.

“Our County is coming together to make sure no one goes hungry,” said Kathryn Barger, chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. She highlighted the urgent need for rapid mobilization and cooperation among local agencies and nonprofits. The Departments of Public Social Services and Children and Family Services provided an additional $2 million each, while Parks and Recreation and the Department of Mental Health rolled out temporary food programs.

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

LA County Overdose Deaths Drop 22% Amid Intensified Fentanyl Crackdown

Overdose and poisoning deaths in Los Angeles County fell by 22% in 2024, marking the sharpest single-year decline ever recorded, according to public health officials. The drop—from 3,137 deaths in 2023 to 2,438—coincides with an aggressive campaign led by District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman targeting fentanyl and other controlled substances.

The decline includes a 37% reduction in fentanyl-related fatalities and a 20% drop in methamphetamine deaths, the first time fentanyl deaths have fallen below those linked to methamphetamine. Officials attribute the progress to coordinated efforts among law enforcement, educators and community advocates aimed at curbing drug distribution and raising public awareness, particularly ahead of Halloween.

“This isn’t someone else’s problem. The problem is all of ours,” Hochman said in a statement. “Seven out of every 10 illicit pills are laced with a lethal dose of fentanyl. Those odds put every person, every student and every family at risk. One pill can kill. Fentanyl doesn’t give second chances. It is an indiscriminate assassin killing on average eight people in our community every single day.”

Fentanyl,