Monday, February 15, 2021

County Reports 82 COVID-19 Deaths on Sunday

Lower COVID-19 Case Numbers Reported Over Holiday Weekend
CITY NEWS SERVICE

The county reported 1,936 new cases of COVID-19 and 82 additional deaths today, as officials said the lower case numbers may reflect reporting delays over the weekend.

The number of coronavirus patients in county hospitals continues to fall, dropping from 3,426 Saturday to 3,270, with 30% of those people in intensive care units.

The Los Angeles Department of Public Health said Saturday that the county’s hospitalization rate has declined 37% since Feb. 1.

The seven-day average for the county’s daily test positivity rate, which has also been steadily declining, dropped to 5.1% Sunday from 5.3% Saturday.

County Health Department officials continued to urge everyone to celebrate this weekend’s Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day holidays without mingling with people from other households. They say being around people who don’t live in the same household creates a greater risk for COVID-19 because people can be infected with the virus and not yet know it.

Friday, February 12, 2021

Supervisor Barger Sends Letter to Governor Urging the Reopening of All L.A. County Schools

Supervisor Kathryn Barger on Friday sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom asking for the immediate reopening of schools, grades TK-12, in Los Angeles County.

“It has been 11 months since the state closed L.A. County schools, and during this time, we have witnessed a significant academic, social and emotional decline in our children and youth,” said Supervisor Barger. “I am urging Governor Newsom to allow for the immediate reopening of schools to provide in-person learning, which is critical for the development of our school-age children.”

The state previously created a waiver program for schools to apply to reopen, during which L.A. County allowed the reopening of schools for grades TK-2nd. The ability to apply for these waivers ended on Jan. 14 as set by the state, with the caveat that only those schools that had reopened with approved waivers could remain open. Under the current guidelines, any school that had not applied for a waiver, or who had received a waiver but not reopened prior to Jan.

Friday, February 12, 2021

Pasadena, Altadena Both Remain As Distance Learning Only on State’s New School Reopenings Interactive Map

CITY NEWS SERVICE

With debate continuing to rage locally and statewide about reopening schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic, California health officials Friday released an interactive map that allows parents and others across the state to track the status of campus reopenings.

The Safe Schools Reopening Map provides data on the status of reopening and safety planning for school districts, charter and private schools in Los Angeles and across California.

It shows both Altadena and Pasadena still stuck in distance learning only, while nearby La Cañada Flintridge is allowed to use “hybrid” learning.

Officials hope it will help communities and school staff evaluate their own reopening plans.

Schools will update their information every two weeks, and the California Department of Public Health will add data on reported outbreaks in each school district and information about whether schools have partnered with the Valencia Branch Lab for COVID-19 testing.

“As COVID-19 conditions continue to improve and vaccinations ramp up throughout the state,

Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Pasadena Jaycees and Altadena Ale House Team Up to Provide Meal Kits to Out-of-Work Restaurant Workers

STAFF REPORT

The Pasadena Jaycees are partnering with Altadena Ale House to provide free meal kits to restaurant employees who have been furloughed, laid off, or had their hours cut due to COVID-19.

“With COVID-19 continuing to spread across the globe, millions remain out of work,” according to a statement released Wednesday. “One of the industries most impacted by this pandemic has been the restaurant industry, with an astounding 11% of the population of California working in restaurants in some capacity.”

Restaurant workers have been heavily impacted by the virus. Many have been out of work for nearly a year and continue to struggle to pay rent and buy food for themselves and their families, according to the release.

The Jaycees are seeking donations to help cover the costs of the kits — $25 buys one kit which feeds two people. Donations can be made via Venmo (@Jaycee-Treasurer), PayPal (paypal.me/pasadenajaycees), or check (payable to Pasadena Jaycees, 474 W.

Tuesday, February 2, 2021

Altadena Man With Schizophrenia Missing for More Than a Year

By BRIAN DAY

Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials reached out to the public Tuesday for help in finding a 70-year-old Altadena man suffering from schizophrenia who vanished more than a year ago.

Kenneth “Kip” Christianson was last seen in Pasadena on the morning of Jan. 20, 2020, the Sheriff’s Department said in a written statement.

“Mr. Christianson suffers from schizophrenia. His family has not seen or heard from him in a year. They are very concerned and are asking for the public’s help,” the statement said.

He’s described as white, 5 feet 10 inches tall, about 165 pounds, with blue eyes. As of last year, he had short gray hair. He has a scar on his stomach and three moles on his neck.

Anyone with information was urged to contact the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau’s Missing Persons Unit at (323) 890-5500. Tips may also be submitted anonymously to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Monday, February 1, 2021

Altadena-Based Prospect Park Books is Acquired By Turner Publishing

STAFF REPORT

Altadena-based Prospect Park Books has been sold to Turner Publishing Co., according to an announcement released Sunday.

The acquisition, effective Sunday, January 31, comprises more than 100 existing titles and approximately 11 titles in the process of being published. Turner is purchasing the assets of the company, including the titles, inventory, name, and other intellectual property.

In 2006, Colleen Dunn Bates founded Prospect Park Books in Pasadena with the publication of the first edition of Hometown Pasadena. She gradually expanded the title roster to include fiction (including mysteries), cookbooks, humor, memoir, and regional nonfiction.

Although the authors and titles have roots in many states, as well as Canada and France, Prospect Park’s core strength has been in publishing California authors, including Naomi Hirahara, Lian Dolan, Chris Erskine, Christine Moore, Bill Esparza, Phoef Sutton, Gar Anthony Haywood, Charles Phoenix, Marla Jo Fisher, Andy Weinberger, George Geary, Mary Lea Carroll, Sean Carswell, Rachel Harper, Hans Röckenwagner, Gina Fattore, Karen Rizzo, and Lou Mathews.

Friday, January 29, 2021

LA County Launches Small Business Loan Program

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The Los Angeles County Development Authority launched a small business loan program today to help prevent job losses and business closures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pasadena businesses are eligible for the loans, according to
Elisa Vasquez, the development authority’s director of communications and public affairs.

The Small Business Stabilization Loan Program is funded with $10 million from the U.S. Economic Development Administration through a federal COVID-19 relief act.

Loans ranging from $50,000 to $3 million will be given to eligible businesses that have been in operation for at least two years, are seeking working capital, equipment purchases, real estate acquisition, or refinancing of existing loans at higher interest rates.

“The recent surge in COVID-19 cases is once again harming the vitality of small businesses in the county of Los Angeles,” Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda L. Solis said in previewing the program last week.

“The launch of LACDA’s Small Business Stabilization Loan Program will help guide our local small businesses to recovery and set them on the path to long-term prosperity.

Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Parolee Arrested Following Brief Pursuit in Altadena

BY BRIAN DAY

Pasadena police arrested a parolee who fled from officers following a brief car chase in Altadena early Wednesday, officials said.

Tristan Jon Taylor, 31, of Glendora, was expected to face charges including violating parole and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, according to Pasadena police officials and Los Angeles County booking records.

He had prior convictions in 2008 for attempted murder and assault with a semiautomtic firearm, L.A. County Superior Court records show. He received a 13-year prison sentence in the case. It was not clear Wednesday when he was released.

He was one of five occupants inside a car that Pasadena police tried to pull over for a traffic violation about 12:30 a.m. in the area of Santa Anita Avenue and El Monte Street, just across the city border in Altadena, according to Pasadena police Lt. Sean Dawkins.

The driver fled, initiating a short pursuit that ended less than a minutes later when the fleeing car struck a curb at Santa Rosa Avenue and Colman Street,

Monday, January 25, 2021

Guest Opinion | Steven Gibson: The California Democratic Party is Electing a New Chair and it’s Important to all Californians

The California Democratic Party will elect a new State Party Chair this coming April and the outcome of this previously obscure party election affects all Californians.  The CDP State Party Chair is both a powerful and influential position in a political party that holds veto-proof super-majorities in both houses of the State Legislature. To a large extent, the Chair determines what kind of candidates, policies, and initiatives the CDP supports.

The Democratic State Central Committee will cast the deciding vote in this important election and currently approximately 1/3 of that delegation is running in the so-called Assembly District Election Meetings.  The ADEMs were created to allow elected citizen activists the opportunity to shape party politics, endorse candidates, and elect State Party officers including the powerful Chair.  They have become increasingly popular with democratic voters over the past four years and there has been a surge of interest that has party officials scrambling to accommodate the thousands of new voters interested to participate in what was once seen as a quiet ceremony only attended by party loyalists.

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

Guest Opinion | Jennifer Hall Lee: The Four Walls of Learning

COVID-19 has radically altered how we are living and it’s been ten months since PUSD schools were closed because of the pandemic. It’s certainly exasperating.

Recently, Pasadena Unified School District staff compared student data from the first semester of 2019 to the first semester of 2020. There has been an approximate 10% increase in D’s and F’s and the bulk of them are in grades 6-12. What lies in between those months? Remote learning.

Last week, the PUSD Governing Board held a special meeting to hear a presentation from Assistant Superintendent Dr. Julianne Reynoso entitled, “Opportunities for Improving Student Grades.” Principals from both middle and high schools were also in the meeting.

This proposal, if voted on by the Board on January 28, will do two things: incentivize students to make better grades and mitigate the low grades.

This is the plan: Students who made D’s or F’s in Fall of 2020 will have the opportunity to work with their teachers to raise those grades to a C if the student makes a high grade in this current semester (Spring 2021).