Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Hispanic Retailer Curacao Unveils Free Relief Program for Families Facing Hardship

The outreach initiative provides essential household items and groceries with free home delivery to families in need

Curacao, one of the largest Hispanic community retailers on the West Coast, on Wednesday announced the launch of its Essential Assistance Program, a free outreach initiative aimed at supporting families struggling with basic needs.

Through the program, Curacao will provide essential household items — such as microwaves, compact refrigerators, TVs and other small appliances — completely free of charge, alongside limited grocery supplies and complimentary home delivery for those unable to leave their homes or facing urgent hardship.

Relief will be granted on a case-by-case basis after careful review, the company stated.

“This new program reaffirms Curacao’s pledge to stand by its customers not only as a retailer, but as a neighbor, providing hope, dignity and real help when it matters most,” the retailer stated.

The effort responds to rising challenges — including economic instability, fear and limited mobility — faced by many in Curacao’s core communities.

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

LA County Launches eCheck AI Pilot to Accelerate Fire Recovery for Altadena Residents

Homeowners whose single-family properties were damaged or destroyed by the Eaton Fire can now benefit from faster rebuilding approvals after Los Angeles County launched a free eCheck AI Pilot program online Tuesday.

The initiative, part of the County’s “Express Lane” recovery strategy, is available to residents in unincorporated Altadena whose homes are or were located in R-1 single-family residential zones.

The eCheck AI Pilot is an automated tool that uses artificial intelligence to review architectural plans for zoning compliance. Residents can participate as Early Adopters by signing up at start.archistar.ai/us/lacounty, entering their property address, and uploading architectural drawings in PDF format.

Participants may choose either a like-for-like or non-like-for-like rebuild project.

During the pilot phase, results may take up to 10 business days, though faster turnaround times are possible. Once complete, homeowners can download the AI-generated report and include it in their County Disaster Recovery Permit – Rebuild Project application.

The pilot complements additional Express Lane options,

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Village Post Office to Open at Webster’s Pharmacy in Altadena

Supervisor Kathryn Barger will join local leaders and federal officials Wednesday to celebrate the grand opening of a new Village Post Office at Webster’s Pharmacy in Altadena, marking a new step in restoring essential services to the community.

The event, scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. on July 16, will unveil a new postal hub created in partnership with the Altadena Recovery and Rebuild Corporation (ARRC) and the United States Postal Service.

The Village Post Office will offer mail and package drop-off services and sell forever stamps.

The previous post office was destroyed in January in the Eaton Fire which decimated Altadena and killed 18 people. Returning postal service to the area is a major milestone in the effort to rebuild the community.

“This new site will serve as a vital hub for the community,” officials said, highlighting its role in meeting ongoing service needs in the region.

In addition to Supervisor Barger, speakers at the event will include Cipriano Corona,

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

L.A. County Board Approves Streamlining Film Permits, Eyes $100 Million Innovation Fund

The initiative seeks to boost entertainment industry recovery and support tech innovation in film production.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously passed a motion to overhaul film permitting procedures and explore a proposed $100 million public-private investment fund, aiming to strengthen the region’s entertainment industry amid ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the dual Hollywood strikes of 2023.

The initiative, co-authored by Supervisors Kathryn Barger and Lindsey P. Horvath, directs the Department of Economic Opportunity’s LA County Film Office to collaborate with several County departments—including the Department of Regional Planning, Fire Department, Department of Public Works, Department of Beaches and Harbors, Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Sheriff’s Department—to evaluate current permitting policies and identify improvements. Officials hope to make filming in the County more efficient, affordable and competitive compared to other production centers such as Georgia, New York and Texas.

“Our region is the heart of entertainment,” Board Chair Barger said. “We’re taking action today to cut through outdated bureaucracy,

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

East West Bank Launches $100,000 Matching Grant for Sunday’s WalkUnitedLA Event at Rose Bowl

The grant will double donations to support wildfire recovery, housing, and educational programs in Los Angeles County

Pasadena-headquartered East West Bank has pledged a $100,000 matching grant to support WalkUnitedLA, doubling individual contributions made during the fundraising campaign in an effort to expand recovery and resilience programs across Los Angeles County.

Sunday’s annual walk/run fundraiser — organized by United Way of Greater Los Angeles in partnership with the Los Angeles Rams — will take place at the Rose Bowl Stadium.

East West Bank’s grant will match every donation to United Way of Greater Los Angeles dollar-for-dollar up to $100,000, effectively turning $25 into $50 and $500 into $1,000. The initiative aims to mobilize community support and maximize funding for critical services, including wildfire recovery, housing stability, financial security, community resilience, education and job training.

This year’s event holds special significance as it comes just six months after the destructive Eaton and Palisades wildfires. Funds raised will help rebuild fire-affected communities and sustain local programs such as Pasadena City College’s Summer Construction Trades Academy,

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Pasadena Private Lending Backs Local Business Recovery Through ‘Build Back Dena’ Initiative

The coordinated campaign was created to strengthen small businesses in Pasadena and Altadena following the Eaton Fire

On Tuesday, Pasadena Private Lending Inc. announced its financial contribution to, and strategic partnership with, Build Back Dena: The Business Resilience Project, a coordinated campaign to help small businesses in Pasadena and Altadena recover from the devastating Eaton Fire earlier this year.

Pasadena Private Lending is a non-bank lender affiliated with Pasadena Private Financial Group. It joined forces with Hope Ventures to offer targeted financial resources and business advisory services tailored to entrepreneurs navigating the path to recovery.

“We’re not just here to lend capital—we’re here to lend strength,” said Iain A. Whyte, founder and CEO of Pasadena Private Lending.

“Our roots are in this community, and we believe in showing up when it matters most. Rebuilding from a disaster like the Eaton Fire will take years, and we are committed to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the businesses, families, and leaders shaping that future.”

According to the partners,

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Housing Crisis Deepens for Many Black Families After Eaton Fire

Study finds steep disparities in damage, foreclosure risk among Altadena homeowners

Six months after the Eaton Fire tore through Los Angeles County, Black homeowners in Altadena are facing a deepening crisis of foreclosure and displacement, a new study reports.

According to a study from UCLA’s Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, 61 percent of Black households were located within the fire perimeter, compared to 50 percent of non-Black households. Nearly 48 percent of Black homes were severely damaged or destroyed, and at least 2,800 families were forced to evacuate within 24 hours of the fire’s January 7 outbreak.

The same study, led by Lorrie Frasure, revealed stark disparities in financial resilience: 45 percent of Black homeowners in Altadena are cost-burdened, while 28 percent spend more than half their income on housing—both significantly higher than non-Black homeowners.

Additionally, 57 percent of Black homeowners are older than 65, and 81 percent have mortgages, underscoring heightened vulnerability to foreclosure and financial exploitation.

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Los Angeles County Launches Record $58 Million Grant Program to Expand Parks and Trails

The Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District on Tuesday announced a landmark $58 million competitive grant program — the largest in its history — to accelerate the development of parks, trails and green infrastructure across the region.

The 2025 Competitive Grant Program targets shovel-ready, climate-smart projects rooted in community priorities. At least 30 percent of funding is reserved for areas designated as having High or Very High Park Need, based on the County’s 2016 Park Needs Assessment. Rural and historically underrepresented communities will also receive added consideration.

“This is more than a grant program—it’s a commitment to creating parks and open space in the communities that need them most,” said Norma E. García-González, director of Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation and director of the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District. “This $58 million investment has the power to deliver on the promises made to voters—transforming neglected spaces into vibrant parks, trails, and green infrastructure that will serve generations to come.”

Funds will be distributed across three categories:

• Planning &

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Federal Government Seek Stay of LA Judge’s Ruling on Immigration Raids

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The Trump administration filed court papers Monday seeking a stay of a Los Angeles federal judge’s orders barring federal agents from detain people without reasonable suspicion beyond their race, ethnicity or occupation.

There was no immediate ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on the government’s request for the stay. Attorneys for the federal government on Sunday filed a formal notice of appeal, announcing its intention to challenge the Friday ruling by U.S. District Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong. A stay would put Frimpong’s ruling on hold pending the appeal.

It was unclear when the government would file its actual appeal and when — or if — the 9th Circuit might hear the case.

“No federal judge has the authority to dictate immigration policy — that authority rests with Congress and the president,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told City News Service in an email Sunday.

“Enforcement operations require careful planning and execution;

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

LA Region Experiences Decline in Homelessness for Second Consecutive Year

By JOSE HERRERA, City News Service

County and city’s figures mirror Pasadena’s 4.5% annual drop released earlier

The Greater Los Angeles region experienced a second consecutive year-over-year decline in people experiencing homelessness, according to figures released Monday, but authorities warned that more housing will be needed to continue the downward trend.

The LA County annual point-in-time homeless count showed there was a 4% decrease in homeless people across the county, while in the city of Los Angeles, there was a 3.4% drop, according to data released by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, which was created as a joint city-county organization overseeing funding and programming to address the homelessness crisis. Los Angeles County has since opted to pull funding from the agency and create its own homelessness department.

“Homelessness has gone down two years in a row because we chose to act with urgency and reject the broken status quote of leaving people on the street until housing was built,”