Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Memorial Diamonds to be Created from LA Wildfire Home Ashes

A Texas-based memorial diamond company and well-known motivational speaker and philanthropist Tony Robbins have launched a program to help Los Angeles wildfire victims preserve memories of their destroyed homes.

The initiative, called “Ashes to Diamonds: A Piece of Home,” will transform carbon from home ashes into memorial diamonds for three selected families affected by the recent Los Angeles wildfires, according to the company.

“Our homes are the places where we build our lives—where we share laughter, milestones, and our deepest moments of joy,” said Adelle Archer, CEO of the diamond creation company Eterneva. “When you lose a home, you lose so much more than just a structure—you lose the anchor to your past, your sense of belonging, and the memories that define you. With this initiative, we aim to help these families hold onto that sacred space, and preserve a tangible connection to their past while finding hope for the future.”

The program aims to help families maintain a connection to their lost homes through the creation of these memorial diamonds,

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Local Teachers Urged to Apply for $500 Grants for Class Projects

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Teachers with innovative ideas for class projects are being encouraged Wednesday to apply for grants through the California Credit Union Foundation’s spring Teacher Grant program.

Ten grants of $500 each will be awarded to area teachers in April.

The grant program is available to full-time teachers in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, or credit union members teaching in California, looking to fund special learning opportunities for their students.

Projects must have clearly defined learning objectives tied to students’ academic needs, display creativity and benefit a significant number of students.

“Providing resources to help teachers and schools thrive and support students is an important aspect of the Foundation’s work,” California Credit Union Foundation President Marvel Ford said. “Our long-time teacher grant program provides those extra funds that enable our dedicated educators to bring creative new projects to their students. We encourage all our teachers to submit their ideas so we can support their great work.”

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

LA County Supervisors Approve Anti-Eviction Resolution for Fire Victims

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved a resolution to provide eviction protections for renters and small business owners financially impacted by the January wildfires.

In last week’s meeting, the board directed the County Counsel’s Office to draft the resolution, which was approved Tuesday in a 4-0 vote, with Supervisor Kathryn Barger abstaining her vote.

The resolution covers tenants throughout Los Angeles County who are financially impacted by the January wildfires, who have signed up for relief programs, unemployment insurance or emergency benefits, owing to a loss of at least 10% monthly income.

Landlords will be prohibited from imposing late fees, interest, or other charges on rental debt, but allowed to challenge a tenant’s eligibility for free of charge.

The resolution will remain in effect until July 31. The initial proposal was to remain in effect until Jan. 31, 2026.

The board also directed the CEO and Department of Consumer and Business Affairs at last week’s meeting to report back on developing financial parameters of a fund,

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

LA County Ratifies Local Emergency for Winter Storm

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Tuesday ratified a local emergency proclamation for this month’s winter storm, which caused damage in areas made vulnerable by January’s wildfires.

The board voted 4-0 Tuesday to proclaim a local emergency to allow for faster access to resources and aid.

Supervisor Lindsey Horvath was away from the meeting during the vote.

“As a result of the winter storm, the County has been impacted by high winds, substantial precipitation, closure and damage to highways and roads, evacuation warnings and orders in areas impacted by burn scars, debris flows, and significant river and urban flooding, land movement incidents, widespread power outages, and other significant damage,” Tuesday’s motion said.

The proclamation of a local emergency enables first responders and county departments accelerated procurement of vital supplies. An emergency status can potentially lead to reimbursement and assistance from the state and federal government.

Heavy rainfall caused debris and mudslides in coastal areas decimated by the Palisades Fire,

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

California Lacks the Capacity to Store Water that Atmospheric Rivers Dump on the State

By Dan Walters, CALMATTERS

President Donald Trump is obsessed with how California manages its water supply, demanding changes as one price of giving the state billions of dollars in aid to cope with Southern California’s deadly and destructive wildfires.

However, Trump’s specific complaints are not grounded in hydrologic or managerial reality — such as his insistence that a lack of water from Northern California was a factor in either the fires’ eruption or the firefighting efforts. Hydrants dried up largely because systems were designed to deal with individual structure fires, not widespread wildfires involving thousands of buildings.

That said, there’s much to criticize in how California, once a global leader in large-scale water management, has faltered. Population growth and evolving agricultural practices have increased demand, while federal and state environmental laws, judicial decisions, political foot-dragging and climate change have restricted supply.

One major failing has been a slow response to an obvious need for more water storage — either in reservoirs or underground aquifers — to capture winter rains and spring snowmelts as a buffer for dry years.

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Application Deadline Approaches for LA County Wildfire Relief Funds

Los Angeles County officials are urgently reminding residents affected by January’s wildfires that the deadline to apply for critical financial assistance is rapidly approaching. Business owners, nonprofit organizations, and workers impacted by the January 2025 wildfires, including the Eaton Fire, have until March 2 at 5:00 p.m. PST to apply for emergency relief through the LA Region Small Business Relief Fund and the LA Region Worker Relief Fund.

“I urge all eligible businesses and workers impacted by the January wildfires to apply for this critical financial relief before the March 2 deadline,” said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger. “These funds are designed to provide immediate support as our communities work toward long-term recovery. I want every bit of relief that’s available to wildfire survivors to be accessed. If you need assistance, help is available—don’t wait to apply.”

The Worker Relief Fund offers $2,000 cash grants to workers who lost income or employment as a direct result of the disaster.

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Church and Community Groups to Host Eaton Fire Recovery Events

Day of support planned for Pasadena and Altadena residents affected by January wildfire

New Revelation Baptist Church and community organizations will host a day of recovery events on Saturday, March 8 to support residents impacted by the devastating Eaton Fire. The events include a gas giveaway, a resource festival, and a free comedy show, aimed at providing both practical assistance and emotional relief to a community still rebuilding after the January disaster.

The initiative will come two months after the devastating Eaton Fire.

The day will begin with a gas giveaway from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at Mobil Gas Station on Woodbury Road in Altadena, where the first 150 vehicles will receive $50 worth of free gas.

Following the gas giveaway, a “Festival of Fun & Resources” will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at New Revelation Baptist Church in Pasadena. The festival will feature car and laptop giveaways, a game truck, free food, and additional resources for fire-affected residents.

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Altadena Water Agencies Report Progress Toward Drinking Water Restoration

Multiple agencies face ongoing testing hurdles before lifting “do not drink” orders

Representatives from four Altadena-area water agencies provided updates on their progress toward restoring potable water service during an Altadena community meeting on Monday. While water service has been restored to all areas affected by the Eaton Fire, residents still face “do not drink” orders as agencies work through extensive testing requirements.

“We are very close to restoring potable drinking water,” said General Manager Lisa Yamashita-Lopez with Rubio Canyon Land and Water Association. “We are two samples away from asking the division of drinking water to clear and lift the do not drink order.”

The Rubio Canyon Water Association has reportedly collected over 150 water samples, with seven showing detections of contaminants. Those locations have been flushed and resampled, with final results expected by the end of the week. However, Yamashita-Lopez emphasized that lifting the order depends entirely on the State Water Board’s timeline.

“I cannot rush that.

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Even In Wet Years, Wells Are Still Dry. Why Replenishing California’s Groundwater Is Painfully Slow

By Alastair Bland, CALMATTERS

After abundant rain and moderate snowfall this year in the northern half of the state, California’s largest reservoirs are holding more than 120% of their historical average. But underground, the state’s supply of water for drinking and irrigating crops remains depleted.

Even after multiple wet winters, and despite a state law that’s supposed to protect and restore the state’s precious groundwater, thousands of wells — mostly in rural, low-income communities in the San Joaquin Valley — have gone dry because of over-pumping by growers.

So why hasn’t the recent bounty of rain and snow replenished the state’s underground supplies?

The Newsom administration has been pushing for more groundwater storage and investing hundreds of millions of dollars in solutions, but most stormwater flows into the ocean. Some of this is intentional — the water has to be routed quickly away from communities to prevent flooding,

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Clarifies Tree Removal Procedures for Eaton Fire Cleanup

Altadena property owners assured of consultation rights before any trees are removed

The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has established clear guidelines for tree removal during the Eaton Fire debris cleanup in Altadena, prioritizing both public safety and tree preservation. Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger secured these clarifications and announced them during her weekly Monday community briefing on Monday.

Col. Sonny Avichal confirmed that only hazardous trees posing threats to public safety will be considered for removal, as directed by Federal Emergency Management Agency orders.

“We recognize the value trees have in the Altadena community and that we must take a balanced approach that errs on the side of preserving trees as much as possible,” said Col. Sonny Avichal, commander of the USACE’s field operations for the cleanup.

The USACE currently has 16 crews working in the area with more expected to join in coming days, according to a federal source.

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