Friday, October 24, 2025

Eaton Fire Survivors Face Budget Cuts, Class Size Spikes at Pasadena Unified Schools

Nearly ten months after the Eaton Fire destroyed thousands of homes in Altadena, displaced families are confronting a second crisis: teacher transfers that have ballooned some class sizes and affected the staffing of specialized programs at the very schools serving fire survivors.

A coalition of parents from five Northwest Pasadena schools submitted a resolution Thursday night demanding a three-year moratorium on involuntary teacher reassignments and class size increases. But their plea collided with harsh fiscal reality — the district must cut $30-35 million from its budget, and Los Angeles County Office of Education officials warned the school board that any action restricting staffing flexibility could trigger a state takeover.

“9,000 homes vanished overnight, and every day I take my kids a different way to school so I don’t have to drive down Lincoln and look at the shell of what used to be in our neighborhood,” said Matt Schneider, a Jackson Elementary parent representing the coalition. “The last thing we should be doing as a public school district is talking about what we can do to get away with less for our kids.”

Friday, October 24, 2025

Deshmukh Named New General Manager of Metropolitan Water District

By ANDRÉ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

The board of directors for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has selected Shivaji Deshmukh as the agency’s next general manager.

Deshmukh, who currently serves as general manager for Inland Empire Utilities Agency, one of Metropolitan’s 26 member agencies, will officially assume leadership of Metropolitan Water District on Jan. 1. He is set to begin a transition period with outgoing General Manager Adel Hagekhalil Upadhyay on Nov. 3, to ensure a smooth change in leadership.

A longtime figure in Southern California water policy, Deshmukh has been an active participant in the Member Agency Managers Group, which advises Metropolitan Water District’s board on regional water issues.

Metropolitan Water District serves as a water wholesaler, and about two-thirds of Pasadena’s water comes from it. This is a supplemental supply, as Pasadena also relies on its own local sources.

The City, one of Metropolitan’s founding member agencies, congratulated Deshmukh on his appointment, stating that it “looks forward to meeting him in the future.”

Friday, October 24, 2025

Voting Centers Now Open for Nov. 4 Special Election

By ANDRÉ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

Local voters can now cast their ballots early in the Nov. 4 statewide special election.

Vote by Mail ballots can either be returned by mail, no postage required, or deposited in any of the eight ballot drop box locations currently open across Pasadena, including one in front of City Hall. In addition, four in-person vote center sites — at Rosemont Pavilion, Villa-Parke Community Center, First United Methodist Church on Colorado Boulevard, and Armenian Cilicia Evangelical Church — will open for four days beginning on Saturday, November 1.

Voters will decide on Proposition 50, a legislative constitutional amendment that would authorize temporary changes to California’s congressional district maps in response to Texas’s mid-cycle partisan redistricting.

Governor Gavin Newsom and state Democratic leaders say the measure is intended to counter Republican efforts in other states that redrew congressional maps to gain additional U.S. House seats. Newsom has framed Proposition 50 as a defense of national democracy and California’s role in it,

Friday, October 24, 2025

Altadena Cookie Co. Marks Grand Reopening With Ribbon Cutting

Community bakery celebrates resilience and renewal with public event in Altadena

Altadena Cookie Co. will celebrate its grand reopening on Tuesday, Oct. 28, with a ribbon cutting ceremony and press preview aimed at highlighting community recovery following the Eaton Fire. The event marks the debut of the bakery’s first brick-and-mortar location, providing a new gathering space in an historically underserved and recently fire-ravaged neighborhood.

“Everyone in the broad and diverse community of Altadena deserves a bit of joy. We are here to continue bringing it, one cookie at a time,” said owners, Jessica Christopher and Michelle Taylor, both of whom suffered personal loss in the fire.

The reopening is the culmination of more than two years of planning, dedication, and commitment to their town, they said.

The ribbon cutting, scheduled for 11:15 a.m., will include participation by local students from a neighborhood school and brief remarks from the owners.

Following the ceremony, attendees will be invited to tour the bakery’s kitchen and dining room while enjoying light refreshments.

Friday, October 24, 2025

Attorneys: Altadena Resident Detained and Held by ICE Denied Critical Medication

By EDDIE RIVERA

Masuma Khan, who has lived in Altadena for nearly three decades, was taken into custody at a scheduled check-in and is now being held without access to needed medication, her attorneys say

Masuma Khan, a longtime Altadena resident who has lived in the United States for nearly three decades, is facing imminent deportation after she was detained by federal immigration authorities during what her family and attorneys say was a routine check-in earlier this month. Khan—who is married to a US citizen, entered the country legally, and has no criminal record—is being held at the California City Detention Facility, where her advocates say she has been denied access to critical medication for multiple chronic health conditions.

Khan, 60, who holds a Bangladeshi passport, had appeared on October 6 for a scheduled passport and reporting appointment with immigration officials when she was unexpectedly taken into custody and told she would be removed from the country. Her legal team,

Friday, October 24, 2025

TEDxAltadena Event to Spotlight Post-Fire Resilience, Organizers Say

Local speakers and performers expected at Oct. 26 Altadena Library gathering, per event organizers

A TEDx event scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 26, at the Altadena Main Library is planned that will feature speakers and performers focused on themes of resilience and recovery following the Eaton Fire, according to organizers Dr. Brent Musson and Dawn Musson (McClendon).

The event, formally titled “TEDxAltadena: Reclaim. Rebuild. Reimagine. — October 26 | Altadena Main Library,” is set to run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will include a free but ticketed overflow livestream experience and refreshments at Bob Lucas Library, organizers stated in a press release. Main-event tickets are sold out, according to the release.

Musson, a real-estate developer and TEDx licensee, and McClendon, a public servant, both described the event as a community response to the challenges Altadena residents faced after the fire. Both organizers are native to Altadena and Pasadena, according to the press release.

“After the fire, there was only so much we could do physically and financially,” McClendon said.

Thursday, October 23, 2025

Williams Rebuild to Host Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Honoring Family’s Recovery After Eaton Fires

A local family’s journey to rebuild after the devastating Eaton Fires will be honored Thursday, Oct. 24, at a ribbon-cutting celebration hosted by Williams Rebuild, a post-disaster recovery firm with deep roots in Southern California’s wildfire recovery efforts. 

The event begins at 2 p.m. at 3508 N. Marengo Ave. in Altadena, where community members are invited to meet the family, hear their story of resilience, and celebrate the completion of their new home. 

Williams Rebuild, which offers a One-Stop Concierge Service designed to simplify the rebuilding process for families affected by wildfire loss, emphasizes compassion, transparency and commitment throughout the recovery journey. 

“The community is warmly invited to celebrate this inspiring story of recovery. Come meet the family, hear their story of resilience, and learn how we can support others as we honor their new beginning,” the company said in its event announcement. 

Founded by experienced homebuilders, Williams Rebuild specializes in guiding families through insurance complexities and delivering fire-resilient homes.

Thursday, October 23, 2025

County Supervisors to Consider Major Housing, Health, and Infrastructure Actions

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to review a range of fiscal and policy items Tuesday designed to strengthen social programs, housing protections, and public safety while advancing major infrastructure projects across the region.

A motion from Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath proposes extending emergency housing price protections through November 28 in response to increased reports of rent and hotel price gouging. The measure would maintain enforcement of state and county ordinances designed to prevent excessive rent and eviction during high-demand periods.

Supervisor Hilda L. Solis is expected to introduce a plan directing County departments to coordinate efforts ensuring Medi-Cal and CalFresh beneficiaries remain enrolled during eligibility verification transitions. The proposal emphasizes cooperation among Health Services, Public Social Services, and community organizations to expand work programs and streamline the verification process.

Infrastructure and recovery planning dominate the docket. Supervisors are slated to establish the Altadena Wildfire Recovery Infrastructure Financing District to support rebuilding in affected areas. They will also consider continuing 10 local emergency declarations while ending two related to the 2023 winter storms and Tropical Storm Hilary.

Thursday, October 23, 2025

PUSD Trustee Scott Harden to Host Special Education Forum in Early November

The event will feature Pasadena Unified School District’s special education director and a panel of caregivers and experts

Pasadena Unified School District Board Trustee Scott Harden will host a community forum titled “Special Education: Supporting Every Learner” on Monday, Nov. 3 at 6:30 p.m. at James Madison Elementary School Auditorium, 515 E. Ashtabula St. in Pasadena. 

The event is scheduled to feature Pasadena Unified School District Special Education Director Ingrid Jaimes and a panel of caregivers and experts. Spanish interpretation and refreshments will be provided. 

Harden said District 4 residents are invited to attend to hear about how special education programs operate, how they’re funded, and how families can find support or advocate for change. Attendees are encouraged to reserve a seat or accept the invitation at hardenforpusd.com/forum. 

“One of the things I care about as a Pasadena Unified School District Board member is how we serve all our students, especially those with special needs,” Harden wrote in the invitation. 

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

County LGBTQ+ Commission Issues First Annual Report

A new report issued Wednesday examines ongoing efforts in Los Angeles County to support LGBTQ+ individuals and organizations.

The first annual report from the Los Angeles County LGBTQ+ Commission provides “an in-depth analysis of key accomplishments, obstacles faced and ongoing long-term projects,” to support the community, according to a news release from the L.A. County Board of Supervisors’ Executive Office.

“This first annual report is a significant step forward in ensuring the County of Los Angeles delivers on its commitment to supporting our LGBTQ+ residents and safeguarding vital resources that help meet the needs of Angelenos across our communities,” said First District Supervisor Hilda Solis, the board’s chair pro tem, in a statement.

The report summarizes the work of the commission from June 2024 to June 2025.

Among the highlighted successes cited are the adoption of the commission’s first strategic plan, its work with over 55 community-based organizations serving the LGBTQ+ community and the provision of advice and recommendations in more than 100 meetings with county departments on LGBTQ+ issues.