Thursday, March 20, 2025

Eaton Fire Collaborative Focused on Recovery and Rebuilding Local Community

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

Members of the Eaton Fire Collaborative held a press conference at the Rose Bowl to talk about efforts to rebuild homes and community in the wake of the destructive Eaton Fire which destroyed homes in Altadena and Pasadena.

The destructive fire burned more than 9,000 structures, left 17 people dead and scorched 14,000 acres.

Former Pasadena Police Deputy Chief Darryl Qualls said the collaborative was born shortly after a fire. Qualls received calls from Muir Alumni Jill Hawkins and Muir Principal Lawton Gray and Phil Knapp, who told him they were doing a distribution center at Pasadena City College.

“I went out there and, man, we had all this stuff coming in,” Qualls to Pasadena Now. “I mean, from all over the place. So we started putting it together, starting sorting it and started getting the word out.”

Days later, the center was closed because many of the people in need had left the area,

Thursday, March 20, 2025

Day One Hosts Community Event Offering Housing Resources and Local Market for Eaton Fire Recovery

Monthly gathering aims to support those affected while fostering neighborhood connections

The DENA Home Market, a monthly Eaton Fire Recovery event, will return to Pasadena on Sunday, March 30, offering a combination of vital resources, support, and connection for area residents. The event, organized by Day One, will run from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at their location at 175 North Euclid Ave. in Pasadena.

The event specifically targets residents of Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre, bringing together these neighboring communities for resources, support, and connection.

Designed as a monthly gathering to support those impacted by the fires, the market divides its offerings into two distinct sections. The Housing Fair, situated in the Day One Yard, will provide essential assistance to those impacted by the fires during the three-hour event.

Resources available at the Housing Fair include free essential goods, financial assistance, and information on lot sales. Attendees can also access guidance on reverse mortgages, permits, contractors, architects,

Thursday, March 20, 2025

Walk MS Event To Go Ahead On March 30

Annual fundraiser for multiple sclerosis research will take place on March 30 at Rose Bowl

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society announced that its annual Walk MS: Greater Los Angeles fundraiser will proceed as scheduled on Sunday, March 30, starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena.

Despite recent devastating California wildfires, organizers decided to move forward with the event after consulting with local officials and community partners.

“We are holding all of those affected by the devastating California wildfires in our hearts,” said a statement from Walk MS organizers. “After speaking with local officials, community partners and many of our dedicated Walk MS fundraisers and volunteers, we’ve made the decision to proceed with Walk MS: Greater Los Angeles on March 30.”

The statement emphasized the importance of community gathering during difficult times: “We are confident we can host this event safely, and we heard loud and clear from our Walk MS community that coming together is more important than ever.”

Thursday, March 20, 2025

Community Radio Program Examines Federal Response to Eaton Fire Disaster

FEMA Deadline looms for Altadena fire victims, radio program zeroes in on current recovery progress

A radio program dedicated to tracking recovery efforts in Altadena’s Black community following the devastating Eaton Fire will focus on FEMA’s disaster response as victims face a critical March 31 application deadline.

“Conversation Live: Altadena Rising,” hosted by local James Farr, enters its third weekend with an episode titled “Fighting for Justice: Altadena’s Fire Victims Confront FEMA Deadlines and Fading Hope.”

The program airs Saturdays at 10 a.m. on KBLA Talk 1580, with rebroadcasts Sundays at noon.

“As the March 31st deadline looms, can Altadena trust FEMA to deliver, or will the community be abandoned?” Farr asks in the episode preview. He promises to “cut through the government talking points to get to the truth.”

This week’s program will feature FEMA spokesperson La-Tanga Hopes returning with critical updates for fire victims facing what the show describes as “an overwhelming maze of red tape”

Thursday, March 20, 2025

College Access Plan Launches ‘Strong Futures’ Initiative to Support Students Affected by Eaton Fire

Organization welcomes new Board members as it responds to community crisis

College Access Plan (CAP) has launched a new initiative to support students and families affected by the Eaton Fire that has displaced approximately 82% of its current students and alumni. The Pasadena-based organization announced its Strong Futures Initiative on March 12, alongside the addition of two new Board members to help guide its response to the crisis.

“Our community has changed fundamentally and we are so pleased to welcome Kelly and Greg to our Board at this critical juncture. Approximately 82% of CAP’s current PUSD students and alumni have lost their homes or have been displaced. As the District’s college readiness collaborator, CAP is resolute in our desire to stand by our community as we grieve, rebuild, and plan for an equitable future,” says Dominick Correy, CAP’s Board Chair. “We created the Strong Futures Initiative in order to seek substantial funding to aid in maintaining educational opportunities as our community faces long-term economic- and health-related challenges.”

Thursday, March 20, 2025

Caltech Team Launches Air Quality Monitor Network in Altadena to Monitor Dust, Ash Levels

Community-based sensors track particulate matter during Altadena recovery efforts

In response to the Eaton fire that destroyed air quality monitoring equipment in Altadena, Caltech researchers have established a new PHOENIX network of particulate air quality sensors to provide residents and officials with real-time data on airborne dust levels as debris removal and rebuilding continue in the affected areas.

“With phase-2 debris removal underway, we wanted to give the community a source of independent air-quality measurements,” says Haroula Baliaka, a graduate student in environmental science and engineering at Caltech who has been working to install the PHOENIX sensors.

“At the same time,” Baliaka said, “the data can be used by agencies such as Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Army Corps of Engineers to gauge how well dust-mitigation efforts are working.”

The network — whose name stands for Post-fire airborne Hazard Observation Environmental Network for Integrated Xposure-monitoring — consists of 19 sensors strategically placed across Altadena, including one at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Thursday, March 20, 2025

Political Gumbo: It’s Only a Matter of Time

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

Hard to believe in a few weeks, it will be 90 days since the deadly fire on the mountain and a once in a lifetime wind event combined to decimate Altadena and do serious damage to some homes in Pasadena.

Yes, let’s not forget the losses suffered in Pasadena as the rebuild effort in Altadena continues.

I got the first call this week, the Army Corp. of Engineers is going in to knock down my living room wall, which is about the only thing standing at my place.

They have to do it to make the property safe before the debris removal can proceed.

No shock there.

Truth to tell I’m surprised anything was left standing based on the devastation left in the wake of the fire.

Still, things are moving forward. Plans for the new house are all but done.

No insurance issues, knock on … well knock on debris.

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Report: Records Show Edison Towers in Altadena Fire Zone Had ‘Ignition’ Risk

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Some Southern California Edison power lines near the suspected origin of the Eaton Fire were flagged as fire hazards and overdue for maintenance, raising questions about the utility’s role in the catastrophic Jan. 7 blaze, according to company records cited Wednesday by the Los Angeles Times.

As investigations continue and lawsuits mount, the utility insists it took all necessary precautions to prevent a wildfire. However, company records filed with the state and uncovered by the Times reveal that Edison was aware some of its towers near the suspected ignition point posed fire hazards, the newspaper reported.

According to the Times, two power lines remained active until after the fire started, while a third line, decommissioned in 1971, had not carried electricity for decades. Yet some investigators and attorneys suing the utility believe the Mesa-Sylmar transmission line may have somehow become energized on Jan. 7.

Records show that 94 open work orders along these lines were still pending as of Dec.

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

First Wave of Financial Aid Reaches Altadena Fire Victims, Larger Distribution Coming Soon

Altadena residents impacted by the recent wildfires have begun receiving critical financial assistance, with officials announcing that the first $2.7 million in grant funds has been distributed to businesses, nonprofits, and individual workers affected by the disaster.

During the March 17 Altadena Community Meeting, Supervisor Kathryn Barger reported that these initial funds were awarded to 82 businesses and nonprofits, with each organization receiving grants of $25,000. Additionally, 324 workers received individual grants of $2,000 each.

“I’m committed to getting these public dollars into your hand as quickly as possible to meet your needs,” Supervisor Barger said during the meeting.

The first round of grants prioritized those who suffered the greatest impacts from the fires and those who submitted their applications most promptly. However, applicants not selected for the first phase will have another opportunity soon, as officials announced that an additional $15.9 million in grants will be released this week of March 31st. Any applicant not selected for phase one will automatically be considered for phase two.

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Newsom’s New California Homelessness Plan Leaves Out Some Important Details

By Dan Walters, CALMATTERS

Let’s assume that there’s a theoretical problem that needs to be addressed with a plan of action. Logically, such a plan would define the problem, declare what goals must be reached, list actions to reach the goals and, most importantly, identify the necessary logistical and financial tools required.

Humankind’s many armed conflicts have proven that plans lacking all of those elements often fail.

The allied invasion to end Nazi domination of Europe on D-Day, June 6, 1944, is a spectacular example of a meticulously detailed action plan that worked brilliantly. Conversely, the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union ultimately failed because its planners underestimated the opposition and failed to account for how the German army could be supplied, particularly during the harsh Russian winter.

California’s most stubborn crisis, one that looms large in the minds of taxpayers and voters, is the state’s worst-in-the-nation level of homelessness. Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislators have spent many billions of dollars on homelessness,