Sunday, August 3, 2025

Altadena Rebuilds: Trade Show Sunday Offers Hope After Devastating Wildfire

The Altadena Rebuild Trade Show aims to support families devastated by the region’s most destructive wildfire in recent history.

Scheduled for Sunday, August 3, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., the free event at Loma Alta Park will offer residents practical solutions for recovering from the catastrophic Eaton Fire.

Organized by Day One, a 35-year Pasadena nonprofit organization, will provide hands-on rebuilding resources to help community members navigate long-term recovery.

Attendees will experience a unique approach to disaster recovery, with the ability to “touch and see physical rebuilding solutions rather than just read about them.”

The event will showcase affordable rebuilding options, fire-hardening techniques, and provide expert guidance for long-term community restoration.

The trade show brings together multiple community partners, including the Altadena Rotary Club, Altadena Town Council, Altadena Builds Back Foundation, and United Policyholders.

These organizations represent a collaborative effort to support families in their journey to rebuild.

For those interested in attending,

Sunday, August 3, 2025

San Gabriel Valley Deploys Sterile Mosquito Army to Combat Disease-Carrying Insects

District’s groundbreaking SGV Mosquito Match program targets invasive ankle-biter mosquitoes as disease concerns continue

The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District is launching a groundbreaking biological warfare campaign against disease-carrying mosquitoes, deploying sterile male insects to infiltrate and collapse wild mosquito populations. The SGV Mosquito Match initiative marks the district’s first deployment of Sterile Insect Technique against invasive Aedes mosquitoes, commonly known as ‘ankle biters,’ which transmit dangerous diseases including dengue fever.

“The San Gabriel Valley Mosquito & Vector Control District is proud to launch a new sustainable initiative: SGV Mosquito Match! This innovative program uses Sterile Insect Technique to help control populations of invasive Aedes mosquitoes (commonly known as ankle biters),” the district declared in its July 31 Short Bites monthly newsletter.

The program arrives as mosquito-borne diseases surge across the region. Baldwin Park recorded five locally acquired dengue fever cases during 2024, according to the LA County Department of Public Health. West Nile virus returned to the San Gabriel Valley in 2025,

Saturday, August 2, 2025

Appeals Court Ruling Friday Upholds Temporary Restrictions on SoCal Immigration Arrests

CITY NEWS SERVICE WITH PASADENA NOW

A federal appeals court on Friday upheld an order temporarily blocking U.S. immigration authorities from conducting arrests in the Los Angeles area without establishing probable cause.

The ruling keeps a temporary restraining order in effect while the broader legal challenge continues.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of a lower court’s decision, which found that federal enforcement actions likely targeted individuals based on race and other indicators, such as speaking Spanish or seeking work at home building centers.

“If, as Defendants suggest, they are not conducting stops that lack reasonable suspicion, they can hardly claim to be irreparably harmed by an injunction aimed at preventing a subset of stops not supported by reasonable suspicion ,” the panel wrote.

The temporary restraining order prohibits immigration agents from stopping individuals without reasonable suspicion and from relying solely on four factors: (1) apparent race or ethnicity; (2) speaking Spanish or English with an accent;

Friday, August 1, 2025

Guest Opinion | Joy Chen: State Farm Shouldn’t Get a Rate Hike If They’re Breaking the Law

By JOY CHEN

Insurance has gone from being a safety net to a roadblock. A new report from the Department of Angels finds that 70% of insured Eaton and Palisades fire survivors are experiencing claim delays, denials, or underpayments. Among State Farm policyholders, it’s 82%.

And the official charged with fixing this—California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara—is actively making it worse.

Originally, the State Farm rate proceeding wasn’t set to start until October.

But on July 18, under cover of darkness, Commissioner Lara quietly filed a legal proposal to bifurcate the upcoming State Farm rate proceeding.

If approved by the judge, this maneuver would fast-track a billion-dollar rate hike, while indefinitely postponing or altogether avoiding any scrutiny of State Farm’s misconduct.

This is not procedural housekeeping. It’s regulatory failure with life-altering consequences.

Lara has publicly admitted receiving more complaints about State Farm than any other private insurer. And yet now, he’s shielding the company doing the greatest harm.

Friday, August 1, 2025

Protest Organized by Indivisible Group Set for Saturday in Sierra Madre

The gathering will spotlight immigration, civil rights and dignity concerns

A peaceful protest against injustice and authoritarian policies is planned for Saturday in Sierra Madre, organized by the Indivisible group Rooted in Resistance, SGV.

The event is set to take place Aug. 2 from 10 a.m. to noon, according to a media report.

Protesters will gather near Kersting Court and expand toward the corners of Sierra Madre Boulevard and Baldwin Avenue as the crowd grows, according to the report.

Organizers are asking participants to bring signs that highlight immigration, civil rights and broader human dignity issues. In addition, attendees are encouraged to donate non-perishable food items to support individuals at risk of detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Friday, August 1, 2025

Newsom Seeks $18 Billion to Replenish California Wildfire Fund

Governor proposes ambitious funding plan to address mounting wildfire costs and protect utility consumers

Governor Gavin Newsom is preparing draft legislation to inject $18 billion into California’s struggling wildfire fund, addressing critical financial challenges posed by recent catastrophic fires.

The proposed funding would be equally split, with $9 billion coming from electricity ratepayers through monthly fees and the remaining $9 billion from utility shareholders.

“We continue to work with the legislature on policy that will stabilize California’s Wildfire Fund to support the recovery of wildfire survivors and to protect California utility consumers,” said a spokesperson from Newsom’s office.

The proposed legislation comes at a critical time, with the existing wildfire fund facing potential depletion.

The Eaton Fire alone has resulted in estimated insured property losses of $15 million, threatening to exhaust the fund’s resources.

Currently, California ratepayers already contribute approximately $902,400 annually through non-bypassable charges on utility bills to fund half of the existing wildfire fund.

Friday, August 1, 2025

What Unionization Could Mean For California Uber And Lyft Drivers — And Riders

By Levi Sumagaysay, CALMATTERS

Uber and Lyft drivers in California have been fighting for years for higher wages and better working conditions — in the streets, before state lawmakers, in court and at the ballot.

Now, a bill making its way through the state Legislature would allow ride-hailing drivers to unionize.

If Assembly Bill 1340 passes, California would become the second state to give ride-hailing drivers the right to collectively bargain. Massachusetts was the first to do so after voters there approved a ballot measure last year.

The ride-hailing companies oppose the California legislation, saying it goes against the “spirit” of Proposition 22, the ballot initiative they bankrolled that voters approved in 2020. It cemented gig workers’ status as independent contractors in the state. The law also limited state lawmakers’ ability to establish collective-bargaining rights for gig workers, but an appeals court struck down that provision.

Drivers and other gig workers gained some benefits when Prop.

Friday, August 1, 2025

L.A. County Launches August Outreach to Connect Residents With Wide Range of Available Public Aid Programs

Monthlong campaign spotlights food, healthcare, employment support and civil rights resources

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services has launched “August Essential Services Month,” a digital outreach campaign designed to connect residents with critical programs and show them how to apply for support during hardship.

Targeting residents who may be unaware of available benefits, the department will use its weekly Essential DPSS newsletter, social media platforms and hundreds of poster ads donated by LA Metro to spotlight core services and simplify access. Outreach materials will be offered in multiple languages and feature direct links to websites and video guides with step-by-step instructions.

DPSS is one of 58 county-level social service agencies in California. It provides assistance with food and nutrition, health care, cash aid, employment services and in-home care for elderly, blind and disabled individuals.

Additional services promoted during the campaign include job opportunities, homeless support, civil rights and appeals, business-related resources, customer service and other community offerings.

Friday, August 1, 2025

Pasadena Schools To Recover $1.2 Million After Release Of Frozen Federal Education Funds

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

State officials announced California secured nearly $1 billion in previously frozen Trump administration funds

Pasadena schools are set to recover more than $1.2 million in federal education funding after California secured the release of nearly $1 billion that the Trump administration had previously frozen, state officials announced last week.

The Pasadena Unified School District projected a potential loss of $1,202,482 for the Fiscal Year 2025—26 during the freeze, with funds earmarked for professional development, English learners and immigrant students, and academic enrichment programs.

The breakdown included $604,612 from Title II Part A grants, $211,452 from Title III, $47,782 from Title III Immigrant and $338,635 from Title IV Part A. Title I-C funds were not applicable to the district.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said the California Department of Education received confirmation July 25 that the U.S. Department of Education will release the funds following weeks of delays.

Friday, August 1, 2025

In Altadena, Deputies Invite Residents to Park Saturday for Community Camaraderie and Crime Prevention

The Altadena sheriff’s station will host its annual National Night Out celebration on Saturday, Aug. 2, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Lower Loma Alta Park, 3330 N. Lincoln Ave., welcoming families for a community-building evening with local deputies, California Highway Patrol officers and county firefighters.

The event, part of the National Night Out nationwide campaign to foster police-community partnerships and strengthen neighborhood camaraderie, features music, games and other family-friendly activities.

The Pasadena Police Department will follow suit on Tuesday, Aug. 5 in front of its headquarters at 207 N. Garfield Ave. in Pasadena from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 PM.
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The Altadena station opted for a Saturday observance—rather than the official National Night Out date of Tuesday, Aug. 5—to better accommodate working families and encourage broader turnout. Officials say past weekend celebrations have helped “bring back a true sense of community” and created more opportunities for local engagement.

The timing comes amid rising crime concerns: residential burglaries in Altadena surged more than 240% from January through May compared with the same period in 2024,