Friday, March 7, 2025

LA Homeless Mortality Rate Plateaus for Second Year

Preventative work must continue despite slowing death rate

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health released its sixth annual report on homeless mortality, revealing that death rates among the unhoused population have plateaued for a second consecutive year. In 2023, 2,508 people experiencing homelessness died in Los Angeles County, with the mortality rate remaining high at 3,326 deaths per 100,000 people. This represents just a 1% increase from 2022, following a 2% increase the previous year and a devastating 56% surge from 2019 to 2021.

“As the County continues to grapple with the worst overdose crisis in its history, the plateau in the mortality rate among people experiencing homelessness is a clear reminder of the challenges we continue to face in tackling this crisis,” said Hilda L. Solis, Los Angeles County Chair Pro Tem and Supervisor for the First District.

The stabilization is largely attributed to a leveling of drug overdose mortality from 2022 to 2023, supported by a three-fold increase in naloxone distribution during that period.

Friday, March 7, 2025

Free Community Farmers’ Market Launches Today For Altadena Fire Victims

The Food for Health program aims to address food insecurity following devastating wildfire

A new free weekly Community Farmers’ Market is opening in Altadena to provide essential nutrition to residents affected by the devastating Eaton Wildfire. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s Food for Health program established the market to address food insecurity among those who lost homes, jobs, and stability in January’s wildfires. 

“When the Eaton and Palisades Fires first broke out, AHF’s Food for Health program was there the very next day, providing free hot meals to evacuees at the Pasadena Convention Center and to first responders on the front lines in the Palisades. Over several weeks, Food for Health provided more than 75,000 free hot meals to individuals affected by or fighting the fires, including 60,000 hot meals to evacuees at the Convention Center,” said Carlos Marroquin, National Director for Food for Health Programs. 

The grand opening is scheduled for Friday, March 7, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Friday, March 7, 2025

Black-owned Radio Station Launches Show to Chronicle Altadena Fire Recovery

The new program, “Conversation Live: Altadena Rising,” will be hosted by James Farr

KBLA Talk 1580 will launch a new weekly radio program Saturday focused on tracking the recovery efforts of Black Altadena following the devastating Eaton Canyon Fire.

“Conversation Live: Altadena Rising,” hosted by James Farr, debuts Saturday, March 8 at 10 a.m., with rebroadcasts Sundays at noon. The one-hour program aims to become a valuable source for documenting Altadena’s recovery, amplifying survivor voices and holding officials accountable.

“We will use this Black-owned media platform to ensure that California, the nation, and the world hear the stories of those impacted in Altadena,” said Tavis Smiley, founder of SmileyAudioMedia, Inc. and Chief Visionary Officer for KBLA Talk 1580. “People have short attention spans, and many will forget the fire and its aftermath in the coming weeks and months. We intend to keep the focus on the families in Altadena and amplify their voices.”

For Farr, the Eaton Fire is personal.

Friday, March 7, 2025

FEMA Wildfire Disaster Assistance March 10 Deadline Fast Approaching

Residents affected by fires have until Monday to apply for FEMA federal aid

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is urging residents affected by the Eaton Fire to apply for disaster assistance before the approaching deadline. With applications closing on March 10, FEMA officials are working to ensure all eligible individuals know they can still seek federal aid for fire-damaged homes.

“With four days left, we are hearing that there may be some people that need to hear our message that they too can apply for disaster assistance and should do so,” said La-Tanga Hopes, Media Relations Specialist with FEMA’s Disaster Operations Division.

FEMA’s disaster assistance is available to anyone who incurred damages where their home is no longer safe, sanitary, or functional compared to what it was prior to the fire. This typically includes homeowners without insurance or within inadequate coverage, renters, independent students, and self-employed people who were affected by the wildfire.

Residents can apply through different methods.

Friday, March 7, 2025

Army Corps of Engineers Expands Tree Marking System for Wildfire Recovery

New color codes aim to improve transparency and simplify waiver process for property owners

The United States Army Corps of Engineers has updated its hazardous tree marking system and clarified the waiver process for property owners affected by Southern California wildfires.

These changes, announced Thursday, March 6, are intended to enhance transparency and address community concerns about tree removal procedures in wildfire recovery areas, according to the USACE.

“We are committed to listening to the community and improving our processes,” said United States Army Col. Eric Swenson, commander of the USACE Los Angeles Wildfires Recovery Field Office. “Our goal is to provide a clear, fair, and transparent system that respects property owners’ choices while prioritizing safety. The new tree markings and flexibility in how information is received reflect our commitment to making this process as accessible and efficient as possible.”

The Corps has introduced two new color markings to complement the existing blue dot system. Trees marked with a blue dot at the base and a barcode have been determined to be hazardous and are scheduled for removal.

Friday, March 7, 2025

Eaton Fire Shelter Closed Late Last Month

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

Less than two weeks after transferring occupants from an emergency shelter at the Pasadena Convention Center to a new location in Duarte, the Red Cross has closed that location.

The Red Cross moved the occupants to the shelter on Feb. 15 from Pasadena. The nonprofit took control of the Pasadena shelter days after the City used a portion of the convention center to house reportedly more than 1,000 people.

“Pamela Park shelter closed on Feb. 26, 2025. According to the American Red Cross, all individuals who were sheltered there transition into a housing accommodation, in collaboration with LAHSA,” Helen Chavez, spokesperson for Supervisor Kathryn Barger told Pasadena Now on Thursday. “Eaton fire survivors that were staying at the Double Tree hotel all moved to the Westin and Hilton hotel properties, leaving no one at the Double Tree hotel.”

Chavez said currently, the American Red Cross is working with 211LA to do care coordination for the 24 families that remain in those hotels,

Friday, March 7, 2025

What I Learned About Earth After a Year on “Mars”

By Elise Cutts (BS ’19), CALTECH

Ross Brockwell (MS ’01) had plenty of time to mull over what he wanted for his first meal back on Earth.

On June 25, 2023, the Caltech alum and three crewmates sealed the door of their 3D-printed habitat at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The door would stay shut for 378 days. During this year-plus, the crew inside resided, for all practical purposes, on Mars, eating astronaut rations and living just like a crew on the Red Planet would.

Brockwell served as the flight engineer on this, NASA’s first CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) mission, a simulated journey to Mars carried out on Earth under the watchful eyes of NASA scientists and engineers. The idea was to study how astronauts cope with isolation and other challenges so that mission planners can set up future space pioneers for success on other worlds. It is an increasingly practical problem, given plans to establish a long-term human presence on the Moon and the eventual goal of putting astronaut boots on the Red Planet’s rusty ground.

Thursday, March 6, 2025

Rebuilding Loma Alta Park: A Community’s Renewal After the Eaton Fire

By EDDIE RIVERA

As a steady rain fell Wednesday afternoon, the community room at Loma Alta Park was filled with residents, tribal leaders, and county officials for the announcement of plans to rebuild Loma Alta Park following the Eaton Fire.

Loma Alta Park will reopen on May 10, serving once again as a community hub. The project’s restoration was made possible by a substantial $2.4 million donation from the January 30 Fire Aid benefit concert held to support wildfire recovery efforts.

The park, though damaged, was the only LA County park in Altadena to survive the fire.

Chief Red Anthony Morales of the Gabrielino-Tongva tribe, his son Andrew “Young Cloud” Morales, and fellow tribal member Samuel Lopez led the announcement with a prayer and ceremonial song.

“This is a beginning,” said Chief Morales. “Today starts the Lenten season, a time for prayer, family, and healing. And that’s exactly what needs to be done in these areas that were so devastated by these fires.”

Samuel Lopez,

Thursday, March 6, 2025

LA County Officials Urge Residents to Meet March 31 Debris Removal Deadline

New hazardous tree removal waiver gives local homeowners control over which trees stay during cleanup process

Los Angeles County officials are pressing remaining Altadena fire victims to opt into the Army Corps of Engineers debris removal program before the March 31 deadline. At a Wednesday press conference marking the two-month anniversary of the Los Angeles County wildfires, officials announced a new hazardous tree removal waiver while reporting that over 75% of Altadena residents have already submitted their forms.

“Residents deserve a sense of ownership over the entire debris removal process,” said the County Board Chair Kathryn Barger at the press conference. “I want Altadena residents to know that when the debris is removed from your property, you’ll be able to have full control over what trees are taken out and which you want to stay.”

The newly introduced hazardous tree removal waiver allows property owners to specify exactly which trees they want to keep, even those identified as hazardous. The form is now available at recovery.lacounty.gov,

Thursday, March 6, 2025

California’s List Of Failed Tech Projects Just Added An Agency

By Dan Walters, CALMATTERS

While twiddling his thumbs in the powerless office of lieutenant governor 12 years ago, Gavin Newsom wrote a book titled “Citizenville,” touting information technology to improve governance.

California would seem to be the perfect place for governmental technology to be employed, given its seminal role in the global technological revolution.

When the book was published, the state had already launched several major programs to upgrade early generation technology and create new applications. Newsom inherited them when he became governor in 2019.

Sadly, the state’s efforts to incorporate cutting-edge technology have seen mediocre success at best, and in some cases outright failure.

The state’s most ambitious effort, the Financial Information System for California, or FI$Cal for short, has been a poster child for very expensive, much delayed and only partially implemented technology.

Launched in 2005, FI$Cal was to replace multiple outdated systems and become a one-stop application for managing state government finances.