Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Carving up a Happy Thanksgiving

By EDDIE RIVERA

Volunteers gather to prepare turkeys for Union Station’s ‘Dinner in the Park’ this week

The corridors beneath the Pasadena Convention Center were buzzing on Monday morning, filled with the metallic percussion of carving knives and the low hum of walk-in refrigerators. Deep in the center’s basement kitchen, about a dozen volunteers lined up at a large work table, quietly reducing whole roasted turkeys into neat piles of white and dark meat.

The annual turkey carving effort — now in its 13th season — is led by Union Station Homeless Services, which this year began receiving and roasting more than 200 turkeys last Friday. The birds will continue to be carved through Wednesday, ultimately forming the centerpiece of thousands of Thanksgiving meals distributed across Pasadena and the greater San Gabriel Valley.

“This is my sixth year of doing this, and this is such an amazing opportunity for us to get together with Union Station and OVG Hospitality to give back to the community,

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Union Station Homeless Services Still Seeking Pies, Donations for Thanksgiving

By KATHLEEN CASTIGNOLI

Union Station Homeless Services (USHS) says it is still in need of community support ahead of its annual Thanksgiving meal service set for Tuesday anf Wednesday, Nov. 25-26, asking for pies and monetary donations to ensure hundreds of unhoused and low?income residents can celebrate the holiday.

The nonprofit, based at 825 E. Orange Grove Blvd., has hosted Pasadena’s largest series of Thanksgiving giveaways and gatherings for decades, serving meals to individuals and families experiencing homelessness or food insecurity.

The nonprofit’s staff report dessert donations remain short, and financial contributions are critical to cover rising food costs.

Founded in 1973, USHS serves 32 cities across the San Gabriel Valley. Its Dinner in the Park Thanksgiving meal is one of its most visible traditions, drawing volunteers and donors from across the San Gabriel Valley.

• Donate pies: Drop off at Union Station Homeless Services, 825 E. Orange Grove Blvd., Pasadena.

• Make a monetary donation here: Your contributions help cover food,

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Turkey Day Travel Rush Kicks into High Gear

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The Thanksgiving holiday travel rush is expected to kick into high gear Tuesday, with about 6.78 million Southern California residents expected to hit the roads or airways.

According to the Auto Club of Southern California — which defines the holiday travel period as Tuesday through Monday — the number of projected travelers is about 7% higher than the pre-pandemic level in 2019.

The projected number of travelers is a 2.8% increase from last year.

The vast majority of travelers — 5.88 million — are expected to travel by car, while 704,000 will fly and 196,000 will take other forms of travel such as train, bus or cruise ship.

Nationally, 81.8 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more for the holiday, also a record number that tops last year’s figure by 1.6 million, according to the Auto Club.

“Thanksgiving travel has always been popular, but has grown into an even greater priority in recent years after the pandemic limited those opportunities to connect with family and friends,”

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Guest Opinion | Dr. Julianna Delgado: No Longer Sleeping in My Car

Since I was a teenager—and at times homeless—I learned early that the ability to sleep safely, even without a home, is essential for human survival. It is the fragile line between moving toward the American Dream and falling into despair. I worked my way through school, juggling multiple jobs.

But even then, I survived by sleeping in the old Chevy Nova my grandfather left me. I often parked at a 24-hour Ralph’s because it offered what every human being needs at night: lights, bathrooms, food, and the comfort of not being entirely alone. A kind security guard turned a blind eye.

I slept as safely as one can in a car until financial aid allowed me to move into a dorm. That experience—combined with both trauma and resilience—shaped my life as a planner, educator, and advocate.

It taught me that a just city must center on dignity, safety, and compassion, especially for people who cannot or simply do not show up at public hearings.

Tuesday, November 25, 2025

San Gabriel Valley COG President Stresses Collaboration, Pasadena’s Role in Regional Projects

San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments President Ed Reece told the Pasadena City Council on Monday night, Nov. 24, that regional collaboration is delivering multimillion-dollar projects and policy gains, with Pasadena playing a central role in shaping decisions and implementation.

Reece, who represents Claremont and chairs the Gold Line Construction Authority and Joint Powers Authority, said the COG unites 31 cities, two county supervisorial districts and local agencies to improve transportation, housing, sustainability and quality of life for nearly 2 million residents.

“By working together our collective voice is louder, our reach is farther, and we deliver projects and services no city could do alone,” he said.

He highlighted the COG’s construction authority — the only COG in Los Angeles County with one — which is delivering 19 grade separation projects costing $100–$200 million each at little or no cost to member cities. Reece added the authority is expanding to highway improvement projects, transit facilities and active transportation projects. Other achievements include tripling business compliance with SB 1383 food-waste rules while equipping food banks with refrigeration,

Monday, November 24, 2025

First United Methodist Church in Pasadena announces Advent and Christmas Events

First United Methodist Church Pasadena will host a series of Advent and Christmas events in December, including concerts, family programs and worship services, according to a press release from the church. All events are free to attend.

The season begins Dec. 7 with the Alternative Christmas Market, held from 11 a.m. to noon in Fellowship Hall following worship. The event offers attendees the chance to support charitable organizations as gifts for loved ones. Partner groups include FUMC’s Food Pantry, Union Station Homeless Services, Door of Hope, Friends in Deed, San Gabriel Habitat for Humanity, Learning Works Charter School, Give Ye Them to Eat and Friends of Padhar Schools. Donors may receive gift cards to present to family or friends in recognition of contributions made in their honor.

On Dec. 13, the church will present “Brunch in Bethlehem” from 10 a.m. to noon. The interactive program invites participants to “walk through Bethlehem” and learn the story of Jesus’s birth through vignettes, games, crafts and costumed storytellers.

Monday, November 24, 2025

LA Galaxy, City National Bank Donate $30,000 to Support Pasadena, Altadena and La Cañada Youth Soccer Families Affected by Fires

The LA Galaxy announced that City National Bank, the team’s official bank and wealth management partner, has donated $30,000 to support AYSO Region 13, the American Youth Soccer Organization chapter serving Pasadena, Altadena and La Cañada, after the communities were dramatically affected by this year’s Los Angeles-area fires.

The contribution, detailed in a press release from the team, includes $25,000 in LA Galaxy tickets for local youth players and their families to attend matches throughout the season, along with $5,000 in soccer equipment to replace gear lost in the fires. The donation comes during the season of giving as families prepare for the holidays and is part of City National’s broader wildfire recovery efforts across Southern California.

“We’re incredibly proud to stand alongside our partner City National Bank in supporting AYSO Region 13, an area that was ravaged by the fires earlier this year,” said Tom Braun, LA Galaxy president and chief operating officer.

AYSO Region 13 serves over 3,000 children year-round and has operated for more than 50 years on a volunteer-run,

Monday, November 24, 2025

Altadena’s Mariposa Junction Rises Again at Saturday Reopening

By EDDIE RIVERA

In a sign of resilience after January’s devastating Eaton Fire, five Altadena businesses reopened Saturday morning along Lake Avenue

On Saturday morning, a stretch of Lake Avenue that had stood silent and charred, reopened to laughter, music, and the low, happy hum of neighbors greeting one another again. The “Rising Together” celebration at Mariposa Junction marked the return of five shops on one of the commercial blocks hardest hit by the Eaton Fire of January 7 — a blast of flame so furious it reduced a 1924 masonry building to rubble and displaced residents and businesses for months. Numerous stores,  businesses, and homes nearby had been obliterated by the fire’s intensity.

For many, the reopening was less a ribbon-cutting than a reunion.

Just inside the revived Gallery at the End of the World, Vanessa Meier stood behind a small display of earrings, purse charms and repurposed beads — her first sales table, her first event,

Monday, November 24, 2025

Swalwell Makes First Campaign Stop in Fire-Ravaged Altadena After Governor Bid Announcement

The congressman pledged support for wildfire survivors and spotlighted affordability and recovery issues during his visit

Rep. Eric Swalwell visited Altadena on Friday for his first campaign stop after announcing his candidacy for California governor, pledging support for wildfire survivors and vowing to fight for affordability and recovery in the state.

Swalwell, 45, toured neighborhoods devastated by January’s Eaton Fire, met with first responders and community members, and held a news conference with Altadena Town Council leaders.

The visit came less than 48 hours after his televised announcement.

“My heart beats with Altadena, and I will be a governor that always fights for Altadena,” Swalwell said. He added, “People are scared and prices are high, and I have been a fighter, a protector for this state in Congress.”

Swalwell enters a crowded 2026 gubernatorial field that includes Katie Porter, Xavier Becerra, Antonio Villaraigosa, Betty Yee, Tom Steyer, Tony Thurmond, and Republicans Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton. Polls show 44 percent of voters undecided.

Monday, November 24, 2025

Altadena Small Business Market Set for Nov. 29 at Mariposa Junction

The Altadena Chamber of Commerce announced it will host the Altadena Small Business Market at Mariposa Junction on Saturday, Nov. 29, from noon to 4 p.m. The event is intended to support local businesses recovering from recent wildfires and economic challenges.

The market will take place between Lake Avenue and El Molina Street and will feature local vendors, food offerings and live entertainment. According to the Chamber, the initiative is designed to drive foot traffic, foster community engagement and bolster economic recovery following the fires.

Mariposa Junction was selected as the site to highlight Altadena’s business history and revival. A mural of the Mount Lowe Railway, displayed on the façade of a local business and depicting what remains after the devastating wildfire, will serve as a backdrop for the event.

Chamber President Judy Matthews said in a statement that the market is “more than just a market; it’s a testament to the resilience and spirit of Altadena.”

The Chamber noted that many businesses are still recovering from the impacts of the COVID?19 pandemic and recent natural disasters.