Saturday, June 27, 2026

Altadena Groups to Gather in Support of SB 1090 Ahead of July 1 Assembly Hearing

A coalition of Altadena community organizations, fire survivors and local officials plans to gather Monday at a fire-destroyed property to voice support for Senate Bill 1090, the “Keep Altadena Land in Altadena Hands” Act, days before a California Assembly committee is scheduled to take up the measure, according to the community group Beautiful Altadena.

The press 9 a.m. conference is intended to show what organizers describe as broad community support for the bill ahead of an Assembly hearing scheduled for Wednesday, July 1. SB 1090, authored by state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena), would place a moratorium within Altadena on two state housing-density laws — SB 9 and SB 1123 — as the unincorporated community continues to rebuild from the January 2025 Eaton Fire.

SB 9, signed in 2021, allows owners in single-family neighborhoods to split lots and build duplexes, while SB 1123, which took effect in July 2025, permits the construction of up to 10 homes on qualifying vacant single-family-zoned lots.

An earlier version of SB 1090 focused on barring large investors — defined as those owning 75 or more single-family properties — from making unsolicited offers to buy property in declared wildfire disaster areas.

Saturday, June 27, 2026

Pasadena Humane Advises Owners to Prepare Pets for Fireworks

CITY NEWS SERVICE

With Fourth of July celebrations approaching, Pasadena Humane Saturday was urging pet owners to take steps to help keep their animals safe.

The organization said many pets become frightened by fireworks and run away, leading to a spike in lost animals around the Independence Day holiday.

Pasadena Humane advised owners not to bring pets to fireworks displays and instead keep them indoors in a secure, quiet room with familiar bedding, blankets and toys.

The organization also recommends walking dogs before fireworks begin, providing distractions such as puzzle toys or calming music, and considering veterinarian-approved calming aids for anxious animals.

Pet owners whose animals experience severe anxiety should consult a veterinarian before the holiday about possible treatment options, according to Pasadena Humane.

The shelter also urged owners to make sure pets wear collars with current identification tags and that microchip registration information is up to date to improve the chances of being reunited quickly if an animal becomes lost.

Saturday, June 27, 2026

FoodieLand Returns to the Rose Bowl, Trading Fireworks for Drones

A three-day food festival anchors a Fourth of July weekend at the edge of Altadena, with $12 admission and a July 4 aerial show

FoodieLand, the traveling multicultural food festival, returns to the Rose Bowl Stadium from July 3 to 5, bringing more than 200 food, drink, and artisan vendors to the Pasadena landmark for Fourth of July weekend, according to the organizer’s listings.

The festival gives Pasadena and Altadena residents a ticketed holiday option at a venue that sits in the Arroyo Seco at the edge of Altadena, a community devastated by the January 2025 Eaton Fire. Among its featured elements is a synchronized drone show set for Saturday, July 4, which Visit Pasadena describes as a special Independence Day program for attendees.

FoodieLand opens Friday from 3 to 10 p.m. and runs from 1 to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at Rose Bowl Stadium, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, the organizer’s site states. General admission is $12 for a single-day ticket,

Friday, June 26, 2026

Guest Opinion | Calmatters’ Dan Walters: Voters in Deep Blue California are Souring on Ballot Measures that Add New Taxes

By Dan Walters, CALMATTERS

California is a blue state, and one of the manifestations of its political orientation has been a tolerance for one of the nation’s highest levels of taxation.

The state’s tax rates on retail sales and personal and corporate incomes are among the highest of any state. Although tax rates on real estate are relatively moderate, high property values still translate into high bills for their owners.

Specific taxes, such as those on fuel, utilities, cigarettes, liquor, medical care, gambling, guns and ammunition, contribute even more. Overall, state and local governments and school districts collect around $400 billion in taxes every year, more than $10,000 per Californian, according to the Tax Foundation. That’s the fifth-highest per capita burden nationwide.

The state budget now being hammered out behind closed doors contains a raft of relatively minor taxes, such as a new one on managed health care services, and another on software.

Meanwhile,

Friday, June 26, 2026

School District “Transformation” Resolution Gets Green Light

[Editor: An earlier version of this article misstated the given name of a student board member. It has been corrected. We offer a sincere apology to Kathryn Bleeker.]

[Updated]   The Board of Education on Thursday approved a resolution setting an Aug. 13 study session on “district transformation” — a process critics called out as campus consolidation under another name.

The board adopted Resolution No. 2894 (Revised), which rescinds the district’s earlier “optimal school size” framework, Resolution 2852, and directs staff to assemble enrollment, capacity and demographic data for the August session, where trustees will decide how to move forward.

The measure passed over the “no” votes of trustees Jennifer Hall Lee, Patrice Marshall McKenzie and Michelle Richardson Bailey, three of the board’s seven members.

It also passed over an advisory no vote cast by student board member Kathryn Bleeker, who said the student assembly was unanimous in its opposition.

The three dissenting trustees opposed the resolution on overlapping grounds: that it moved to a vote before the board had repaired what several called a broken public trust,

Friday, June 26, 2026

Supreme Court Ruling Deals Major Blow to Roundup Cancer Lawsuits

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

Cancer patients seeking to sue a pesticide company whose product may be linked to cancer suffered a major setback when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled this week that federal law shields manufacturers from certain state failure-to-warn claims involving Roundup weed killer.

In a 7-2 ruling, the court held that the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act preempts state-law failure-to-warn claims seeking to require cancer warnings on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved Roundup labels, handing Monsanto parent company Bayer a significant legal victory.

The city of Pasadena stopped using Roundup on city property in 2018.

The following year, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors banned its use after it was discovered the herbicide had been sprayed near a heliport in unincorporated Pasadena.

Roundup also was used during sediment removal work at Devil’s Gate Dam before county officials discontinued its use.

In 2019, Caltech prohibited the use of glyphosate-based herbicides at its student housing facilities after a landscaper applied a generic version of the chemical in playground and courtyard areas.

Friday, June 26, 2026

California Sets Aside June 26 as ‘I Love SGV Day,’ and It Names Pasadena and Altadena

A Senate resolution keyed to the 626 area code recognizes the San Gabriel Valley, with a Pasadena senator among its coauthors

The number on the calendar is also the number locals dial. On June 26 — 6/26 — California is recognizing the place that made the 626 area code a point of pride.

The state Senate has designated the date “I Love SGV Day,” a statewide nod to the San Gabriel Valley.

The resolution names a region of 31 cities and unincorporated communities — among them Pasadena, the valley’s largest city, and Altadena, the unincorporated community rebuilding from the January 2026 Eaton Fire.

One of the measure’s coauthors, State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, represents Altadena and Pasadena from a district office at 215 North Marengo Avenue, Suite 380.

The measure, Senate Concurrent Resolution 189, was authored by State Senator Susan Rubio, a West Covina Democrat who chairs the San Gabriel Valley Legislative Caucus. It encourages Californians to mark the day by celebrating the region’s contributions to the state.

Friday, June 26, 2026

The Hammer Comes to Vroman’s: Five Latino Writers Read in Pasadena

An L.A. press founded in 2023 brings American Book Award winners and Pomona’s poet laureate to the city’s oldest bookstore

The hammer in El Martillo Press is not a metaphor the publisher hides. It is in the name, in the logo, and in the kind of writers it puts on a stage.

On Friday, June 26, 2026, five of those writers took the floor at Vroman’s Bookstore. El Martillo Press, the Los Angeles-based publisher founded in 2023, presents a free reading and signing at 7:00 p.m. at the store, 695 East Colorado Boulevard, pairing a founding member of the performance troupe Culture Clash with four poets whose honors include the American Book Award and the title of Pomona poet laureate. For Pasadena readers, it is a chance to hear an award-laden Latino roster in a single evening at the city’s oldest bookstore.

The playwright on the bill is Herbert Siguenza, a Culture Clash founder who recently served as playwright in residence at the San Diego Repertory Theatre.

Friday, June 26, 2026

Pasadena School Board Overrides Its Own Consultant to Protect Existing Linda Vista Park

The Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education on Thursday, June 25, 2026, named InSite Realty Advisers the preferred developer for the former Linda Vista Elementary School site and authorized negotiation of an exclusive negotiating agreement toward a proposed 99-year ground lease — then amended the action from the dais to require that the developer preserve the existing park in its current location and size, overruling the advice of the district’s own real estate consultant. 

The board approved Resolution No. 2895, which directs staff to negotiate an exclusive negotiating agreement, or ENA, with InSite Realty for the roughly 4.94-acre property at 1259 Linda Vista Ave. and declares the parcel exempt surplus land. 

Before the vote, Vice President Yarma Velázquez moved to attach a new Section 7 ordering that any agreement “shall require the proposed development to preserve the existing park footprint in its current location and size.” The motion was seconded and the resolution, as amended, passed. Board President Tina Fredericks presided. 

That condition runs directly counter to guidance from CBRE,

Friday, June 26, 2026

LA County Unveils Concierge Program to Speed Altadena Fire Recovery

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Los Angeles County announced Thursday a new concierge program to help Altadena businesses and commercial property owners rebuild faster after the Eaton Fire.

The Altadena Commercial Concierge Program will provide expedited permitting, one-on-one technical assistance and connections to recovery resources, according to county officials.

Businesses and commercial property owners who enroll will be paired with dedicated representatives to help navigate the county permitting process and coordinate with agencies including Public Works and Regional Planning. Officials said the program aims to reduce permitting approval times by 25%.

Participants also will be matched with business consultants who will conduct individual assessments, develop customized recovery plans and connect businesses with financing, technical assistance and training through a new Altadena Commercial Recovery Partnership, officials said.

“Altadena’s small businesses are anchors in this community, employing neighbors and offering commercial corridors that meet local needs,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said in a statement. “This program will help ensure business owners do not have to navigate recovery alone.