Sunday, July 27, 2025

‘Joyful Resistance’ Gathering Near Site of ICE Detentions in Pasadena Set for Sunday

Music and resistance will converge Sunday at Villa Parke, where Los Jornaleros del Norte and special guests La Sonora Dinamita will headline “Al Son Del Pueblo: The Sound of the People — Turning Joy Into Justice,” a community event rooted in cultural pride and immigrant advocacy.

The gathering will run from 4 to 8 p.m. today at 363 E. Villa St., near N. Marengo Avenue at the location where two men were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on June 21.

Organizers describe the event as a “not-a-fiesta fiesta” — part social statement, part celebration — that will transform fear and pain into joy through music, dancing, and unity.

“This is the shape and sound of immigrant resistance today,” said Omar Leon of Los Jornaleros del Norte. “Our attackers want us to disappear — so we show up. They want us to be miserable and silent — so we get loud. And happy.”

For nearly 30 years,

Saturday, July 26, 2025

Trump’s Crackdown On Homelessness: What Does It Mean For California?

By Marisa Kendall, CALMATTERS

President Donald Trump’s new law-and-order approach to homelessness bears several striking resemblances to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s.

Trump wants cities to enforce laws that make it illegal for homeless people to sleep outside. So does Newsom.

Trump threatened to withhold funding from places that don’t. So did Newsom.

And the president wants to make it easier to force homeless people living with serious mental illness or addiction into treatment. So does Newsom.

It’s rare for Trump and Newsom, typically adversaries, to see eye to eye on anything. But when the president signed an executive order this week pushing cities and states to use law enforcement to get unhoused people off the streets, some of it read like déjà vu to Californians.

“I don’t know that there’s a huge contrast between parts of this order and what winds are already blowing toward in California,” said Ryan Finnigan, deputy director of research for the UC Berkeley Terner Center for Housing Innovation.

Saturday, July 26, 2025

Pasadena Rep. Judy Chu’s Disaster Tax Relief Bill Signed Into Federal Law by President Trump

Law grants extended tax deadlines during state-declared emergencies

A tax relief bill first introduced by Pasadena-area Congresswoman Judy Chu in 2019 is now federal law, following President Donald Trump’s signing of the bipartisan Filing Relief for Natural Disasters Act on Thursday.

The legislation, H.R. 517, expands the authority of the United States Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service to extend federal tax filing deadlines for residents in state-declared disaster zones—even before a federal disaster declaration is made. Under the new law, impacted taxpayers will receive at least 120 days of filing relief, doubling the previous minimum of 60 days.

“When catastrophe strikes during tax filing season, families and businesses should be able to focus on recovery without the risk of tax penalties,” said Chu, who represents California’s 28th Congressional District, which includes parts of Pasadena. “Our bill extends this support to more taxpayers by giving Treasury and the IRS the authority to act early when a governor declares an emergency.”

The measure’s co-sponsor,

Saturday, July 26, 2025

Metro Announces Sept. 19 Opening for Pomona A Line Extension, Expanding Access for Pasadena-Area Riders

STAFF REPORT

Metro announced Thursday that its 9.1-mile light rail extension from Glendora to Pomona will officially open on Friday, Sept. 19, expanding regional transit access to Pasadena-area communities and the broader San Gabriel Valley.

The $1.5 billion expansion of the A Line—formerly known as the Gold Line—adds new stations in Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne and Pomona.

The extension will allow travelers in Pasadena and neighboring cities to reach a range of destinations by rail, including major colleges and universities, hospitals, parks, museums, medical centers, and retail and entertainment venues.

The new Pomona North Station will also connect riders to Metrolink’s San Bernardino Line, offering a new gateway to the Inland Empire. Access to the Pomona Fairplex, which will host Olympic cricket events in 2028—the first such inclusion since 1900—will be available via the extended route.

“By way of coming attractions, we’re excited to soon be opening the Foothill A Line Extension to Pomona,” Metro Board Chair and Whittier Councilmember Fernando Dutra said at Thursday’s Board of Directors meeting.

Friday, July 25, 2025

LA County Investigates Measles Case in Traveler

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Public Health officials have confirmed a case of measles in a traveler who passed through Los Angeles International Airport while infectious earlier this month.

County Department of Public Health officials warned that people may have been exposed, with the risk of infection higher for people who are not immunized against measles.

According to health officials, the patient was at LAX on July 5, but the exact time and flight information were still under investigation. The patient is also believed to have visited the Hilton Los Angeles Airport, 5711 W. Century Blvd., between 7:30 p.m. July 5 and 1 p.m. July 7.

Health officials warned that people who were at those locations during those times could be at risk of developing measles between seven and 21 days from exposure. Such people should verify their vaccination status and monitor themselves for symptoms.

“Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can linger in the air and on surfaces,

Friday, July 25, 2025

Fire-Scarred Altadena Residents Gather This Weekend to Paint Prayers on Community Mural

A healing art project transforms collective trauma into hope and environmental awareness

Four months after the Eaton Canyon fires devastated in Altadena, residents will gather this weekend to create a unique community mural that transforms personal loss into collective healing. 

The “Prayer for the Earth Mural” project, led by environmental muralist Ekaterina Sky, invites fire survivors to write their prayers directly onto a mural that will be ceremonially sealed in gold, offering a therapeutic outlet for community resilience.

“The most meaningful realization has been how deeply people long for community, especially after loss,” said Sky. “This project is about more than art, it’s about collective healing.” 

The four-day project, organized by local business owners John Hopkins and Sev Dhar from the former Oh Happy Day Vegan Café, will unfold from July 24 to 27. Participants will construct a mobile wall, paint a base design, and culminate in a Sunday evening ceremony where community members will write their prayers,

Friday, July 25, 2025

Altadena Rotary Announces Quarterly Fire Recovery Grants to Boost Community Rebuilding Efforts

The Rotary Club of Altadena has announced the recipients of its second-quarter Altadena Rotary Fire Recovery Grants, reinforcing its commitment to helping the community rebuild after the devastating Eaton Fire.

Managed through the Restore Altadena initiative, the grant program offers awards ranging from $500 to $5,000, exclusively to 501(c) nonprofit organizations or to efforts sponsored by them.

All funded projects must be executed within the unincorporated Altadena area and demonstrate both tangible impact and community need. While matching funds are encouraged, they are not required, and grants may also support components of broader efforts.

Applications are evaluated quarterly, with upcoming deadlines on September 30 and December 31. The application is available through the Rotary’s official website, and donors can support the effort through the dedicated platform at givebutter.com/EatonFireARC..

The latest slate of awards backs a cross-section of recovery efforts—from mental health programming and digital literacy workshops to musical instrument replacement, gardening education and direct financial relief to displaced families.

Friday, July 25, 2025

Edison’s Eaton Fire Payout Plan Draws Sharp Criticism From Local Lawyers

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

One day after Southern California Edison announced a Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program, local attorneys took the program to task and intimated the program could further victimize people who lost their homes in the deadly Eaton Fire.

“Their supposed fund is woefully lacking in detail … designed to vastly underpay the victims,” attorney Richard Bridgford of Bridgford, Gleason & Artinian said in an interview with CBS Los Angeles.

Bridgford noted that similar direct-payment programs from other utilities have offered only a small percentage of actual rebuilding costs.

“In our experience … providing $0.40 on the dollar or less of the true cost to rebuild,” Bridgford said.

Bridgford said timing of SCE’s offer will likely sow confusion before official cause determinations, telling the Los Angeles Times it could “make people panic so they don’t get adequate representation.”

A separate voice in the legal community, Pasadena attorney Doug Boxer, also cast doubt on the program’s promised efficiency.

Friday, July 25, 2025

LA Architects Relocate Historic Homes to Support Altadena Wildfire Recovery

The project provides affordable, timely rebuilding solutions while preserving architectural heritage and reducing landfill waste

Los Angeles-based architecture and interiors firm Omgivning has launched the Historic House Relocation Project to help families rebuild on fire-damaged lots in Altadena by moving salvaged homes from across the region. The initiative preserves historic character, reduces landfill waste and offers a faster, more affordable alternative to traditional new construction, according to the firm.

“This is the most sustainable way to rebuild, by not throwing an entire house into the landfill,” said Creative Director Morgan Sykes Jaybush. “It’s also a great way to bring some historic character back to these neighborhoods which have suffered so much loss. And in addition to being a quicker solution, it’s a more affordable option; we estimate that these moves are half to two thirds of the cost of a new build.”

The first house to be relocated is a 1911 Craftsman-style, 2,400-square-foot, four-bedroom home formerly located at 1853 Taft Ave.

Friday, July 25, 2025

Rose Bowl Stadium to Host Back-to-School Backpack Giveaway

Event aims to help families affected by Eaton Fire disaster

The Rose Bowl in Pasadena will host its second annual back-to-school celebration Aug. 3, distributing 2,500 backpacks to local families.

The Dena Community Backpack Giveaway promises 2,500 supply-filled backpacks for families from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students and families affected by this year’s devastating Eaton Fire disaster will receive priority support.

Five organizations joined forces for the initiative: the Rose Bowl Institute, LOV Olive Branches, Neighborhood Servants, Pasadena Educational Foundation and the City of Pasadena.

Inside the stadium, students will browse backpack selections in the West Locker Room while parents explore resources in the vendor fair at the East Locker Room.

Outside, the Court of Champions becomes a festival wonderland with games, activities, an arcade truck and ice cream.

“We are proud to welcome the Rose Bowl Stadium community back for year two of this meaningful back-to-school initiative,” said James Washington, Rose Bowl Institute president.