Monday, May 26, 2025

Juneteenth Event in Pasadena to Support Fire-Affected Families, Promote Wellness and Community Healing

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

My TRIBE Rise will hold its annual Juneteenth event from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 14 at Metropolitan Baptist Church, 2283 N. Fair Oaks Ave.

Event organizers say they hope to foster resilience and healing following the devastating Eaton Canyon fire which destroyed large parts of the community, while celebrating Juneteenth through education, wellness, and local empowerment.

The gathering will focus on unity through community connections, healing practices, and support for families and students impacted by the blaze.

A centerpiece of the event is the My TRIBE Rise Academic Scholarship Program, which will distribute $50,000 in scholarships to Pasadena Unified School District high school seniors who were impacted by the fire. Eligible graduates, and students earning a GED, are encouraged to apply.

The celebration will also include peace and wellness programming, performances by local artists, resources for small businesses, and intergenerational connections that promote healing, healthy living, and community partnerships.

Monday, May 26, 2025

Lake Avenue Church Opens Registration for Summer Vacation Bible School

‘True North’ program aims to give children foundation in faith amid uncertain world

Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena is accepting registrations for its VBS (Vacation Bible School) 2025 program, a week-long summer camp designed to teach children about biblical principles and Christian faith.

The program, themed “True North: Trusting Jesus in a Wild World,” will run June 16-20 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. daily at the church’s Pasadena location.

According to a church announcement, the half-day camp aims to provide children with “a rock-solid foundation” by pointing them toward Jesus as their “unmovable, unshakable friend forever.” The program targets the challenge of helping young people navigate what organizers describe as “a world gone wild.”

VBS serves children ages 3 years old by June 1 through current fifth-graders as of spring 2025. The program combines music, skits, games, stories and activities to create what organizers call a comprehensive religious education experience.

“Through music, skits, games, stories and activities,

Saturday, May 24, 2025

Church Hosts Community Recovery Programs Following Eaton Fire

Pasadena congregation offers free youth restoration services and therapeutic music events for wildfire-affected residents

All Saints Church in Pasadena will host comprehensive community healing programs on Sunday, May 25, designed to support residents, both young and older, who are recovering from the devastating Eaton Fire.

The church’s Children, Youth and Families Ministry will offer a free Youth Restoration Day alongside therapeutic music programming to address ongoing community trauma and recovery needs.

“I see music as the common bond having potential to bring all people together in peace and harmony,” said two-time Grammy Award winner Ernie Watts, who will perform at the church’s Jazz Vespers that evening. “I believe music is God singing through us, an energy to be used for good.”

The Youth Restoration Day runs 1-4 p.m. in Regas House, providing free self-care services specifically for students in grades 5-12 who were affected by the Eaton Fire. Young people from throughout the Altadena and Pasadena communities can access professional hair styling and makeup services provided by Paul Mitchell School,

Saturday, May 24, 2025

California Lawmakers Reject Hundreds of Bills in Rapid-Fire Hearings

By Jeanne Kuang and Yue Stella Yu, CALMATTERS

Tax credits for the parents of young children. A state-funded scientific research institute. Exempting service workers’ tips from state income tax.

Those are among the hundreds of proposals California lawmakers swiftly rejected Friday under the banner of cost savings, as they cited the state’s $12 billion budget deficit — a worsening figure due to the threat of unprecedented federal funding cuts and California’s ballooning spending on health care for low-income residents.

“We are in (a) very difficult budget environment this year, so consequently many good bills are going to fall by the wayside today,” said Assembly Appropriations Committee Chair Buffy Wicks, an Oakland Democrat, before beginning that chamber’s hearing.

“We are not in a year where we can be expanding programs, developing new offices, new agencies, new departments, and expanding our footprints.”

The Friday procedure is known as the “suspense file” — the state Legislature’s most secretive and fast-paced biannual hearing,

Saturday, May 24, 2025

Altadena Historical Society To Host Annual Juneteenth Celebration

Local organization continues tradition of commemorating freedom while supporting students affected by Eaton fire

The Altadena Historical Society announced it will hold its annual Juneteenth celebration and scholarship awards on June 19 at Loma Alta Park in Altadena. The noon event will honor the historical significance of Juneteenth while awarding scholarships to local students impacted by the Eaton fire through the Ellen Garrison Clark Fund.

“We are thrilled to continue this important tradition of celebrating Juneteenth and supporting our local students,” said Veronica Jones, President of the Altadena Historical Society. “This event not only commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans but also showcases the resilience and strength of the Altadena community.”

The celebration will feature a luncheon, a photo exhibit by local photographer Alfred Haymond, and a short program highlighting the significance of Juneteenth and the accomplishments of Ellen Garrison Clark.

Attendees will also preview oral recordings from residents affected by the Eaton fire, providing insights into the experiences and perspectives of Altadena’s African-American community.

Saturday, May 24, 2025

Eaton Canyon Closed Indefinitely Due to Post-Fire Hazards; Trespassers Could be Fined $5,000

By EDDIE RIVERA

Hundreds of miles of hiking trails remain available throughout LA County, say officials

Citing unstable hillsides, destroyed infrastructure, and fragile regrowth following the Eaton Fire, Los Angeles County and U.S. Forest Service officials announced Thursday that Eaton Canyon Natural Area will remain closed indefinitely — at least through the end of this year, and likely longer.

Speaking at the Henninger Trailhead, officials warned the public that returning to the area too soon could lead to their serious injury and the area’s long-term environmental damage.

To prevent unauthorized access and further harm, officials also stressed that trespassing in the closed areas will be met with enforcement. LA County Park Sheriff Bureau officers will issue fines up to $5,000. On Angeles National Forest lands, violations carry even steeper penalties—fines of up to $5,000 for individuals or $10,000 for organizations, plus potential imprisonment for up to six months, according to City News Service.

The closure affects both hiking and equestrian trails throughout the fire-damaged areas.

Saturday, May 24, 2025

SoCal Edison Agrees to Pay $82.5 Million to Settle Claims From 2020 Bobcat Fire

CITY NEWS SERVICE with PASADENA NOW

Southern California Edison has reached a record $82.5 million settlement with the United States to resolve claims stemming from the 2020 Bobcat Fire that threatened Pasadena’s foothill communities and came within 50 feet of the historic Mt. Wilson Observatory, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday.

The U.S. government sued SoCal Edison in September 2023, alleging in Los Angeles federal court that the Bobcat Fire — one of the largest wildfires ever in Los Angeles County — was caused by the failure of the utility and its tree maintenance contractor to properly maintain trees that came into contact with power lines and caused the blaze.

The Bobcat Fire ignited in September 2020 and scorched more than 114,000 acres — nearly 175 square miles — of which nearly 100,000 acres were in the Angeles National Forest.

The 82-day blaze forced Pasadena to issue evacuation warnings on Sept. 8, 2020, for residents north of Sierra Madre Boulevard.

Saturday, May 24, 2025

CHP, Local Law Enforcement Begin Memorial Weekend Enforcement

CITY NEWS SERVICE

California Highway Patrol officers began a maximum enforcement period Friday evening in an attempt to crack down on drunken and unsafe driving across Southern California as part of a statewide push to keep roads safe through Memorial Day.

The effort began at 6 p.m. Friday and will run through 11:59 p.m. Monday, with all available officers deployed to monitor for impaired drivers and other traffic violations.

“Our top priority is keeping the public safe, not just during the holidays but daily,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said. “Buckling up is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect yourself and your passengers in a crash. Our officers will be out in force to help everyone arrive at their destination safely.”

During last year’s Memorial Day weekend enforcement operations, the CHP arrested roughly 1,100 motorists on suspicion of drunken or drug-impaired driving, a figure similar to 2023. Forty-two vehicle occupants were killed in collisions investigated by the CHP and other agencies during the 2024 effort —

Friday, May 23, 2025

Pasadena Teachers Union: End of Contract Talks In Sight

Teachers say they seek fair pay and better conditions as the district faces financial and wildfire damage challenges

The United Teachers of Pasadena is preparing for its final scheduled bargaining session, aiming to resolve key contract issues that have remained unresolved since September, officials said during Thursday night’s Pasadena School Board meeting.

The negotiations come amid significant district challenges, including recent wildfire damage and tightening financial constraints.

“We’ve gone the entire school year working under an expired contract despite our efforts to get an early start back in September,” said UTP bargaining chairperson Bethel Lira, a Marshall Fundamental Secondary School history teacher. “UTP has brought several proposals to the table, and we are hopeful that during your closed session tonight, you will guide and authorize your bargaining team to collaborate with UTP in finding common ground that would move us toward reaching an agreement.”

The union said key outstanding issues include:

• Aligning child development teacher salaries with promised degree advancements
• Transitioning from staffing ratios to class size caps
• Establishing clear planning time for elementary teachers
• Resolving special education contract language
• Implementing cost-sharing for the UTP president’s position

UTP President Jonathan Gardner highlighted the breadth of educators’

Friday, May 23, 2025

US Senate Blocks California’s Electric Car Mandate in Historic Vote

By Alejandro Lazo and Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, CALMATTERS

The U.S. Senate voted today to block California’s landmark mandate phasing out gas-powered cars, dealing a substantial blow to the state’s aggressive transition to electric vehicles.

The decision to revoke three waivers that the Biden administration granted to California could upend the state’s decades-long efforts and authority to clean up its air pollution — the worst in the nation — and reduce greenhouse gases that cause climate change.

Today’s move by the Senate — following a vote in the House last month — sets the stage for what is likely to become a high-stakes legal and political battle between California and the Trump administration.

Republicans in the Senate and some Democrats in the House who voted in favor of blocking California’s electric car mandate — along with two rules cleaning up diesel trucks — said they’re costly and impractical, and prevent consumers and businesses from making their own choices.

But Democrats in the Senate who voted against them,