Thursday, August 14, 2025

Soil Contamination Town Hall to Feature Erin Brockovich and UCLA, USC Experts in Pasadena

The event will explore post-fire soil health and community action strategies

A coalition including a local law firm will host a town hall Thursday evening to address soil contamination in Altadena following the Eaton Fire, featuring consumer advocate Erin Brockovich and experts from UCLA and USC.

“This is about empowering communities to understand what’s in their soil and what they can do about it,” said Brockovich, who has firsthand experience with wildfire evacuations. “We fight every day to right corporate wrongdoing against innocent victims.”

Speakers will present recent soil testing results, explain contamination risks, and offer practical steps for residents. The program includes interactive Q&A, case studies from affected neighborhoods, and guidance on community mobilization.

Panelists include:

• Joshua West, professor of Earth Sciences and Environmental Studies, University of Southern California.
• Aradhna Tripati, professor and director of UCLA’s Center for Diverse Leadership in Science.
• Christine Lenches-Hinkel, founder of 301 Organics and post-fire soil restoration specialist.

Thursday, August 14, 2025

LA Sheriff’s Department to Host Public Meeting on Military Equipment Use

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will hold a virtual public meeting Aug. 26 to present its 2024 Annual Report on military equipment.

The online meeting runs from 5 to 6 p.m. Community members can ask questions about the department’s acquisition, funding and use of military equipment.

Assembly Bill 481 requires the annual community meeting. Under the law, all law enforcement agencies are mandated to obtain approval from governing bodies before funding, acquiring or using military equipment.

The sheriff’s department must hold the meeting within 30 days of publicly releasing its annual military equipment report.

AB 481 defines military equipment broadly. It includes unmanned aerial vehicles, armored personnel carriers and mine-resistant vehicles.

The definition covers high mobility vehicles like Humvees with breaching apparatus attached. Tracked armored vehicles and weaponized aircraft also qualify as military equipment.

Specialized weapons fall under the definition too. These include firearms over .50 caliber, assault weapons and explosive projectiles.

Less-lethal equipment is also covered.

Thursday, August 14, 2025

LA County Enacts Plan to Boost School Attendance Ahead of New Academic Year

CITY NEWS SERVICE

With the new school year underway in some area schools, the Los Angeles County Office of Education began a coordinated effort Wednesday to boost student attendance and help children thrive in school.

During a news conference at Madison Elementary School in Pomona, County Superintendent of Schools Debra Duardo said the campaign will include a new toolkit to build awareness on the importance of attendance. Additionally, an updated student playbook will be circulated, described as a comprehensive roadmap to address the persistent challenge of chronic absenteeism in schools.

According to the Office of Education, both are extensive resources for districts and schools to promote consistent attendance throughout the year, based on data findings and evidence-backed strategies.

The toolkit includes customizable communication materials, data tracking tips, strategies for engaging families and resources to connect students with health and social services.

“Every day in school matters,” Duardo said. “Ensuring students are present is a community-wide effort.

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

Nationwide Sued for Allegedly Withholding Insurance Payouts to Eaton Fire Victims

The lawsuit claims the insurer withheld payments, forcing a family to pay rent and mortgage after fire contamination

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company is being sued for allegedly denying coverage to a family whose home was contaminated by smoke and toxins from the Eaton Fire, leaving them displaced and covering living expenses out of pocket.

Attorneys at Singleton Schreiber LLP filed the lawsuit on behalf of the Greer family, alleging that Nationwide withheld insurance payouts for damages caused by smoke, ash, and other contaminants, despite extensive evidence. The suit seeks compensation for medical costs, emotional distress, and punitive damages for alleged insurance bad faith.

The Greers had lived in their home for eight years when the fire deposited ash, soot, char, and heavy metals throughout the property. All four family members developed serious respiratory issues requiring emergency medical treatment.

After filing a claim with Nationwide for property damage, personal property losses, and relocation expenses, the family said the insurer delayed payments for more than a month after the fire was contained.

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

California Senator Condemns Trump Immigration Raids as Racial Profiling

Lawmaker cites constitutional violations as case heads to Supreme Court

State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, who represents Pasadena and the 25th Senate District, sharply criticized the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts Monday, calling planned raids in Los Angeles County racially motivated and unconstitutional.

The senator condemned what she described as targeting people based on language, profession or neighborhood. The senator chairs the state Education Committee and represents parts of LA County.

“The notion that anyone who speaks Spanish, works in certain professions like construction, or lives in a particular neighborhood deserves to have militaristic and masked forces unleashed on them is racist,” Pérez said in a statement.

The Trump administration plans to restart roving immigration raids in LA County. A federal court previously granted a temporary restraining order blocking such operations.

Pérez argued the raids violate Fourth and 14th Amendment protections. She said targeting people based on characteristics like ethnicity and occupation constitutes illegal racial profiling.

In her criticism,

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

Altadena Debris Removal Two Days From Completion in Eaton Fire Zone, County Shifts to Rebuilding Phase

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Monday it has completed debris removal on 99% of private properties affected by the Eaton Fire and will conduct its final private-property mission Thursday at 4 p.m. on Fair Oaks Drive. Rep. Judy Chu, FEMA’s regional administrator and local officials are expected to attend.

Remediation work at the Altadena Golf Course is scheduled to begin within seven days and take up to 10 weeks, with mid-November targeted for completion.

As of Monday morning, the Corps reported receiving 5,649 rights-of-entry, clearing 5,619 properties and returning 5,561 to county control. Fewer than 15 properties remain. Special projects are also advancing: the Elliot school rebuild is about 70% complete, and air operations to reach Forest Service cabins in the upper canyon are scheduled to begin Aug. 18 and finish by the first week of September.

County officials framed the update as a pivot to rebuilding.

The Department of Public Works said it has logged 1,385 rebuild applications, cleared 982 zoning reviews,

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

LA County Attorneys Urge Dismissal of Former Probation Chief’s Retaliation Suit

CITY NEWS SERVICE

A lawsuit by the former Los Angeles County Probation Department chief alleging he was terminated for coming forward about staffing shortages should be dismissed because the problems he was hired to fix instead “persisted and metastasized,” county attorneys argue in court papers filed Monday.

Adolfo Gonzales was fired in March 2023. In his Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit brought 11 months later, Gonzales contends he “candidly reported to … (Board of State and Community Corrections) inspectors” that there were staffing shortages in the Probation Department that violated state regulations and mandates.

Thereafter, the BSCC issued an audit report critical of juvenile halls based, in part, on the disclosures Gonzales made to the BSCC, which demanded corrective action to be taken to address violations caused by staffing shortages and which ultimately prompted Gonzales’ firing, the suit states.

However, in court papers filed Monday with Judge Michael Shultz in advance of an Oct. 28 hearing, county attorneys state that during Gonzales’

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

Pasadena Unified Schools to Reopen Monday; Superintendent Urges Families to Prepare

Pasadena Unified School District schools will reopen Monday, Aug. 18, and families are being urged to complete registration, update student records, and review health and safety guidance ahead of the new academic year, according to a district-wide email update sent Monday by Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco.

“Our theme this year, The Power of PUSD: Rising Together, reflects the unity and strength of our students, families, staff, and community. After the Eaton fire, we’ve worked hard to restore school communities and ensure that students return to welcoming campuses,” Blanco wrote.

Blanco outlined key academic priorities for the 2025–2026 school year, including strengthened instruction in literacy and math, expanded college and career readiness, and a continued emphasis on student well-being. The district will offer a range of innovative programs, including:

• Dual language immersion in four languages
• STEM and arts integration
• International Baccalaureate curriculum
• Dual enrollment in college courses
• Advanced Classes and career technical education

A new Immersive Storytelling Academy for middle school students will debut this fall,

Monday, August 11, 2025

After Altadena Fires, TV Producer Puts Youth Voices at Center of New Drama Series

Local television producer transforms wildfire tragedy into groundbreaking storytelling opportunity

From his temporary refuge at the Oak Tree Inn in Monrovia, veteran television producer André Barnwell watched wildfire coverage of his beloved Altadena and noticed something missing: while adults discussed rebuilding, no one was asking the teenagers how they planned to move forward.

Barnwell, a 12-year BET veteran and creator of groundbreaking sketch comedy “The Way We Do It,” is now developing “Altadena,” a high school drama series that centers authentic youth voices in disaster recovery. The project aims to fill a critical gap in media representation by focusing specifically on teenagers’ perspectives during crisis situations.

“When I was sitting there and they were showing some high school students, interviewing them about their losses during this fire, I just triggered,” Barnwell said. “They’re talking to adults about rebuilding… but they never went back to the young person’s perspective.”

The series is more than just a television show. Barnwell plans to shoot entirely in Altadena during summer 2025,

Monday, August 11, 2025

PUSD Says Soil Removal Will Continue Into School Year at Some Campuses

District officials say certain areas will remain fenced off until state approval is granted

Pasadena Unified School District officials acknowledged Thursday that soil removal and follow-up testing will not be completed at some campuses before students return, leaving certain areas fenced off until state regulators approve remediation plans.

Speaking during an Aug. 7 special meeting of the Board of Education, district staff reported that initial testing at 34 district properties cleared 16 for access to exposed dirt areas. However, the remaining 18 sites showed evidence of “impacted soil,” prompting deeper and wider follow-up sampling to determine the extent of contamination.

Some restricted areas are limited to planters and landscaped walkways, while others include outdoor play areas and athletic fields.

“There will be some disruption at the beginning of the school year,” a district staff member told the board.

Chief Business Officer Saman Bravo-Karimi said the summer timeline for completion had proven unrealistic.

“We had hoped to have all testing and soil removal done before school starts,” he said,