Thursday, February 13, 2025

LA County Deploys Unprecedented Storm Runoff Protection System Ahead of Major Storm

Officials brace for most intense rainfall of recent atmospheric river series with unprecedented environmental protective measures

Los Angeles County crews have rushed to implement extensive and unprecedented measures to protect Altadena and Pasadena from flooding, mudslides, and debris flows as the region faces its third and most intense atmospheric river storm this week.

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch through Thursday evening, with the heaviest rainfall expected Thursday afternoon into Friday.

The Eaton Fire burn zone devastation creates a situation fraught with potential dangers and damage.

“This is unusual. We don’t … want any debris to end up in the streets. We do use the streets to drain the area clear flow,” Mark Pestrella, Director of Public Works and Chief Engineer of the Los Angeles County Flood Control District, said at livestreamed meeting early Wednesday morning.

The County has installed thousands of linear miles of K-rails and hundreds of thousands of sandbags in a temporary system across burn scar areas,

Thursday, February 13, 2025

L.A. County ‘One-Stop Rebuilding Shop’ Opens, Serving Eaton Fire Survivors

New Center streamlines recovery services for property owners affected by wildfire

Los Angeles County has launched a comprehensive rebuilding assistance Center that opened its doors this week to help property owners affected by the Eaton Fire navigate the complex recovery process. The new facility, co-located at the Altadena Disaster Recovery Center, consolidates multiple County services to streamline the rebuilding of destroyed houses, businesses, and damaged structures.

“The rebuilding process is complex and can feel overwhelming,” said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger. “This one-stop shop is a helpful hub where property owners can access resources, guidance, and expedited services from multiple County agencies all in one convenient space. I encourage Eaton wildfire survivors to drop by or make an appointment as soon as possible.”

The Center offers no-cost consultations with building and safety officials from Los Angeles County’s Public Works, Fire, and Regional Planning Departments to ensure compliance with building regulations.

Services include assistance with rebuilding permits,

Thursday, February 13, 2025

Love, Sealed and Certified: Same-Day Valentine’s Day Weddings On Offer

Hundreds of couples will say “I do” in same-day ceremonies at county offices

The scent of fresh roses will mixed with the crisp and rainy February air as couples, some clutching marriage license applications and others adjusting last-minute boutonnières, line up outside the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s Norwalk headquarters on Friday.

For one day only, this Valentine’s Day, the county offers same-day marriage licenses and civil ceremonies at four locations—Norwalk, East Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Van Nuys.

While advance appointments are required at other registrar locations, couples can walk in, fill out the necessary paperwork, and be legally wed in the span of an afternoon. Couples were encouraged to complete the online marriage license application beforehand to streamline the process.

The annual same-day Valentine’s Day marriage service, operated by the county clerk’s office, is a streamlined yet intimate process for couples eager to make the date official.

The cost is straightforward: a public marriage license runs $91,

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

LA County: Prepare For And Stay Safe During Rainy Weather

The National Weather Service has issued a high-risk alert for significant road flooding and burn scar debris flows in areas recently affected by fires. During storms, there is increased potential for flash floods, falling rocks and mud and debris flows. Everyone should be aware of the weather forecasts and associated impacts where they live, work, and play and take steps to be prepared and stay safe. Use the resources below to prepare for and stay safe during rainy weather.

Law enforcement personnel are in the field notifying residents of identified at-risk properties in recent burn areas that they are under evacuation order beginning at 7 am on Thursday, February 13, 2025. Please follow all instructions if you are contacted by law enforcement or receive an evacuation order flyer on your door.

Evacuation warnings are likely to be issued in areas that could be cut off from roadway access due to mud and debris flows. Have an emergency plan in place, keep emergency supplies on hand,

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Light Rain Soaks Southland, with Brunt of Storm Expected Thursday — Evacuations Possible

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Light rain fell across most of the Southland Wednesday, but it was only a precursor to what forecasters are calling a potentially dangerous storm expected to arrive by late Thursday, raising fears of flooding, mudslides and debris flows, particularly in the recent burn areas, where evacuations could be ordered.

Los Angeles County and city public works crews have been working for days to prepare for the storm — emptying debris basins, clearing storm drains and distributing sandbags to residents. In the Eaton Fire burn zone, the county Department of Public Works and the sheriff’s department have also been warning residents living in homes that may be at high risk of damage from mudslides or flooding, and advising them to prepare to evacuate.

Sheriff Robert Luna said formal evacuation warnings will likely be issued sometime Wednesday, possibly followed by evacuation orders depending how the storm develops Thursday.

“Please, if evacuation orders are made, … keep your safety in mind,”

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Festival of Hope: Fire-Stricken Pasadena Turns Black History Celebration into Community Lifeline

Resources and cultural celebration merge as historic event adapts to crisis

In response to the devastating Eaton fire, planners of Pasadena’s 2025 Black History Month Festival have decided to abandon its traditional parade format to combine cultural celebration with essential community services.

The reimagined event, organized by the Black History Parade & Festival Planning Committee and the City, will offer comprehensive support services at Robinson Park.

“We are focused on supporting our community through the provision of needed resources for those who are surviving through the Eaton fire experience,” said Pixie Boyden, Co-Chair of the Black History Planning Committee.

The festival will be running from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 1081 N. Fair Oaks Ave., and will feature performances by former parade participants.

The transformed celebration includes an expanded Kids Zone initiative, a “Then and Now” historical exhibit, and local artist performances hosted by James Farr for approximately 1,000 expected attendees.

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Community Rebuilding Event Combines Practical Aid, Small Business Revival and Mental Health Support for Fire Victims

In an uncommon approach to disaster recovery, local organizations are combining practical rebuilding assistance with mental health support and small business revival at an upcoming community event.

The “We’re All in This Together” gathering will feature everything from architectural consultations on affordable building to expert panels with celebrity moderators.

“We hope to give hope — to show everyone that Altadena and Pasadena will rebuild stronger and better than ever, while holding on to the charm, style, diversity, and people that make this community special,” said organizer Caitlin McHugh Stamos of CivicSoul.org.

The all-day event is scheduled for March 1st from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at St. Philip the Apostle School and Parish.

For McHugh Stamos, the initiative hits close to home.

“Half of the block that I grew up on burned,” she shared in a recent interview. “It’s really important to me to see this community held and supported and built back in a way that upholds the beautiful diversity that it has always had.”

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Is The US In A Constitutional Crisis? California’s Attorney General Says Not Yet

By ANA B. IBARRA, CALMATTERS

California Attorney General Rob Bonta sees a constitutional crisis looming as lawsuits play out over the Trump administration’s boundary-testing executive orders, but the Democrat so far believes the country has not passed that threshold.

A crisis would require “a blatant, egregious failure to comply with a clear court order” by the Trump administration, Bonta said Tuesday at a gathering in Los Angeles with five other Democratic attorneys general.

That, Bonta said, hasn’t happened yet.

His opinion was one of the few points of disagreement between him and his counterparts from Arizona, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. They spoke to reporters at a roundtable during their two days of meetings in L.A.

Some of Bonta’s colleagues went further than him in indicating that they believe the nation is already undergoing a constitutional crisis. They spoke a day after news reports showed a federal judge found that the Trump administration continued to withhold some federal funds,

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

How A 1995 California Court Ruling That Restored Immigrant Rights Could Backfire In 2025

By DAN WALTERS, CALMATTERS

California has the nation’s largest population of undocumented immigrants with roughly 1.8 million people. Over the last three decades, Californians’ attitudes about that fact have undergone an astonishing swing.

Hostility reached a peak in the early 1990s, demonstrated by passage of Proposition 187 in 1994 by a 3-2 margin. The measure would have required police to check the legal status of people they encountered and barred public services, including education, to those who could not prove citizenship or legal residency.

It was the centerpiece of Republican Gov. Pete Wilson’s campaign for a second term, contending that undocumented people were overwhelming the state’s budget.

However, support for a crackdown was not confined to GOP voters. Not only did many Democrats — then as now the largest bloc of voters — vote for the measure, but a Legislature dominated by Democrats passed anti-immigrant laws, such banning driver’s licenses.

Soon, however, public sentiment and the political atmosphere began to change.

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Federal Agencies Begin Fire Debris Cleanup on Private Properties, Hailed As Major Milestone

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Efforts to clear debris from residential properties in the Eaton and Palisades burn areas were continuing Wednesday, with the start of such operations hailed as a major milestone achieved in record time.

“Today we take another step toward rebuilding not just homes and businesses, but hope itself,” Federal Emergency Management Agency Regional Administrator Bob Fenton said at a news conference Tuesday at the Eaton Fire burn area in Altadena.

He said the debris-removal process “is about making properties safe, restoring the land and preparing for what comes next.”

FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers, in partnership with L.A. County and impacted municipalities, began debris-clearance work Tuesday on properties of survivors who submitted a form, known as a Right of Entry form, to remove fire-damaged structures such as concrete and metal, ash and hazardous trees.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said the beginning of Phase 2 debris-removal work was occurring with “unprecedented” speed, beginning just 35 days since the fires erupted.