Friday, March 11, 2022

Transformative Altadena Library Renovation Projects Underway with Anderson Brulé Architects

STAFF REPORT

The Altadena Library District said Thursday that planning and design are underway for a multi-year project to modernize and improve its Main Library and Bob Lucas Memorial Library buildings.

The District is working with capital project manager Rachlin Partners and Anderson Brulé Architects (ABA), an architecture firm that specializes in the creation of thriving community resources, and libraries in particular, to lead these efforts.

“We are so excited to be working with ABA to reimagine our libraries for future Altadenans,” says Altadena Library District Director Nikki Winslow. “We will be able to offer more public-facing spaces with study spaces and meeting rooms, making these facilities true community hubs.”

“Our libraries have served as a key resource for Altadena for almost 55 years,” says Altadena Library District Trustee and Chair of the Facilities Committee Jason Capell. “Through these renovations, our library facilities will become more accessible, more sustainable and more flexible. We look forward to being able to address the future needs of the community for the next 55 years.”

ABA established its commitment to the Altadena libraries and community two years ago when Design Principal Mark Schoeman,

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Supervisor Barger Resolves Altadena Schools’ Traffic Safety Concerns

In an effort to ensure the safety of students before and after school, Supervisor Kathryn Barger today championed a motion directing crossing guards to serve the busiest intersections outside Altadena Arts Magnet and Eliot Arts Magnet Academy. Her motion was unanimously approved during the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors meeting.

“As students navigate busy streets when they arrive and leave from school, their protection and safety are the absolute top priority,” Supervisor Barger said. “I thank the leadership from both schools and the Altadena Town Council for speaking up about this urgent need. Advocacy and collaboration are key to resolving community safety concerns.”

Barger’s motion ensures there will be professional traffic supervision during arrival and dismissal times to prevent students from being struck by vehicles when children are being dropped off and picked up from school.

As a result, the crossing guard currently stationed at the intersection of Calaveras Street and Catherine Road will be reassigned to the intersection of Calaveras Street and El Molino Avenue adjacent to Altadena Arts Magnet.

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

CA School Mask Mandate Remains for Now, but Could Lift at Month’s End

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Despite indications the state was on the verge of lifting its mask-wearing requirement in schools, California’s Health and Human Services secretary said Monday the requirement will remain in place for now, pending a Feb. 28 reassessment of COVID-19 case rates and other pandemic metrics.

Dr. Mark Ghaly said a lifting of the mandate is inevitable, saying it is just “a question of when.” He expressed confidence that the mandate would be lifted sometime after that Feb. 28 reassessment, barring another sudden spike in virus infection rates and hospitalizations.

He noted that if the Feb. 28 assessment supports lifting the mandate, it would not happen immediately on March 1. He said the state would set a date that gives school districts, staff and parents time to prepare for the change.

Ghaly gave a lengthy presentation noting significant downward trends over the past month statewide in COVID case rates, hospitalizations and testing positivity rates. But he said as far as schools are concerned,

Friday, February 11, 2022

Focus Group Finds Voters Have No Faith In LA County’s Response To Homelessness

CITY NEWS SERVICE

According to a voter focus group conducted Pasadena, Encino, and the Westside of Los Angeles, homelessness is L.A. County voters’ most important issue.

With local elections coming up in June and November of this year, a coalition of civic leaders released the results of a focus group study Thursday that found that Los Angeles County voters have a complete lack of faith in the city and county of L.A. to address the homelessness crisis.

The Committee for Greater L.A. conducted six focus groups with 39 people between Dec. 13 and 16 and found that homelessness is L.A. County voters’ most important issue.

“There is an absolute, total, complete, without exception, lack of faith in city and county government to address homelessness,” said public policy consultant Darry Sragow during a briefing of the focus group by the Committee for Greater L.A. Wednesday.

“In all the years that I’ve watched focus groups or conducted focus groups — it’s in the hundreds,

Friday, February 11, 2022

Criminal, Civil Trials Set to Fully Resume Feb. 14 in LA County

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Criminal and civil jury trials will resume fully in Los Angeles County’s courthouses beginning this coming Monday, Feb. 14, the court’s presiding judge announced Wednesday, citing subsiding COVID-19 cases.

“The court is working with its justice partners and members of the civil bar to resume full trial operations now that COVID trends are improving in LA County after the Omicron surge,” Presiding Judge Eric C. Taylor said in a statement.

“Throughout the pandemic, we have prioritized safe access to justice – – and will continue to do so. I remain in close contact with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health to assess any emerging virus threats. However, while virus spread and hospitalizations are declining, it is time to restore full operations.”

The decision follows three emergency orders issued last month that authorized temporary delays in criminal jury trials and preliminary hearings amid the COVID surge. Preliminary hearings are also set to resume fully on Monday.

Friday, February 11, 2022

LA County Moves to Enforce COVID Vaccine Mandate in Sheriff’s Department

Supervisor Barger, who represents Pasadena, abstained from vote
CITY NEWS SERVICE

With Sheriff Alex Villanueva declining to enforce the county’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate among his deputies, the Board of Supervisors Tuesday gave preliminary approval to a proposal that would give the county personnel director overriding authority to discipline any employees who fail to comply with the requirement.

Villanueva condemned the proposal, calling it a “death blow to public safety” that would result in the firing 4,000 members of his department.

Supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Holly Mitchell introduced the motion, saying countywide compliance with the employee vaccine mandate “remains a challenge four months after its issuance.” They noted that as of Feb. 1, 81.5% of the county’s 100,000 employees were fully vaccinated as required by the mandate.

But in the sheriff’s department, less than 60% of employees were in compliance with the vaccine mandate.

“Unsurprisingly, approximately 74% of the more than 5,000 COVID-19- related workers’ compensation claims filed by county employees as of Jan.

Friday, February 11, 2022

Supervisor Barger Champions Net-Zero Sustainable Housing Developments

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a motion on Tuesday by Supervisor Kathryn Barger that will help large-scale housing and other major development projects in unincorporated communities embrace and incorporate environmentally friendly net-zero energy solutions.

“Our board is serious about finding pathways to building new housing,” Barger said. “In unincorporated communities, more than 90,000 additional housing units must be accommodated in our land use plans to meet statewide housing demand. Large scale development and sustainability shouldn’t be mutually exclusive. My motion helps future housing development projects evolve by analyzing what it takes to achieve zero-net energy development standards in those communities.”

The heart of the motion is a call for county subject matter experts to develop a net-zero feasibility analysis, based on input and insights from both private industry and labor partners, that can help developers overcome challenges.

The county’s Fifth District is home to some of the largest new developments in the region, including the FivePoint Valencia and Tejon Ranch Centennial projects.

Monday, January 31, 2022

Barger Releases Statement Seeking Re-Evaluation of COVID-19 Masking Policy in LA County

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger wants the county to re-evaluate its masking policy.

“Masking rules set by the state and county weren’t followed consistently by everyone at yesterday’s NFC Championship,” Barger said in a statement Monday.

“Instead, we saw individuals choosing to mask up based on calculated personal risk. Modern stadiums like SoFi Stadium have strong air circulation and all attendees of the game were required to show proof of vaccination or a negative test. Some fans evidently felt this was enough to protect them against COVID-19.”

Last week, Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said every fan attending next month’s Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood will be given a KN95 mask, and extensive outreach will be done to remind attendees to wear their masks at all times during the game, except when eating or drinking.

The County is currently battling the more contagious Omicron variant. County health officials reported high numbers over the past two months that led to the cancellation of some events.

Friday, January 28, 2022

Convicted Felon Who Allegedly Fired BB Guns at Pasadena Planned Parenthood Facility Arrested

An Altadena man who allegedly fired BB guns at the Planned Parenthood facility in Pasadena on multiple occasions was arrested Friday on federal charges of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm for reportedly carrying a loaded handgun during one of the attacks on the women’s reproductive health clinic.

Richard Royden Chamberlin, 53, who currently resides in Altadena, but also maintains a residence in Ontario, was arrested this morning by FBI special agents.

The arrest was made pursuant to a one-count criminal complaint filed on January 21 that charges Chamberlin with the illegal possession of a .22-caliber handgun.

Chamberlin is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

According to the affidavit in support of the complaint, on multiple occasions in 2020 and 2021, Planned Parenthood Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley reported to the police that it had been fired upon by the occupant of a moving vehicle.

Monday, January 24, 2022

Lawmaker Announces Bill to Close “Personal Belief Exemptions” for Student Vaccinations

CITY NEWS SERVICE

A state lawmaker said he wants to ensure that all school students in Los Angeles and throughout the state are vaccinated against COVID-19, and to do that, he announced a proposal Monday to eliminate personal belief exemptions and expand upon a state vaccine mandate.

“We have an opportunity here to keep kids safe,” Sen. Richard Pan (D- Sacramento) said during a California Medical Association news conference at Arleta High School in the San Fernando Valley, where the legislator and pediatrician announced details of the Keep Schools Open and Safe Act.

“As a pediatrician, parent and legislator, I am committed to giving the public confidence and certainty that we are working to prevent or slow down the next coronavirus surge,” Pan said. “Legislators have the ability to pass laws to make our communities safe, including increasing vaccination rates to keep schools open and safe.”

Under state law, personal belief exemptions must be allowed for any newly required childhood vaccine unless the legislature passes a law banning them.