Tuesday, December 2, 2025

LA County Looks to Ban Law-Enforcement Officers from Concealing Identities

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The county Board of Supervisors is expected to vote Tuesday on an ordinance that would ban law-enforcement officers from concealing or disguising their identities while on duty in unincorporated areas — a response to federal immigration agents who generally wear masks during their operations.

The proposal introduced by Supervisors Janice Hahn and Hilda Solis follows similar efforts at the state and federal levels, and if approved, would likely face a legal challenge from the U.S. government questioning whether the county has the authority to restrict the activities of federal immigration agents. The federal government is already suing the state of California over a similar law approved earlier this year.

In a statement ahead of Tuesday’s vote, Hahn said, “If this means a fight with the federal government, I think it is a fight worth having. We cannot give in now and make this okay in America.”

“I never thought I would see the day when a masked,

Monday, December 1, 2025

PCC to Host First-Ever World AIDS Day Event on Campus Today

Pasadena City College’s Pride Center is hosting the college’s inaugural World AIDS Day event today, marking the first time the annual observance has been formally recognized on the PCC campus.

The event takes place at noon in the WiFi Lounge of the CC Building on the main campus. December 1 is observed globally as World AIDS Day, an international day of awareness established in 1988 to honor those lost to AIDS and raise awareness about the ongoing AIDS pandemic.

The Pride Center announced the event on social media, noting it will include a special program focused on pride and awareness.

December 1 holds particular significance in the AIDS awareness calendar. The day has been designated since 1988 to commemorate the global struggle to end HIV-related stigma and to honor those affected by the disease.

The event comes as communities across Southern California mark World AIDS Day with various commemorative gatherings. Bienestar Human Services, a Latinx and LGBTQ+ health organization, is holding its 33rd annual UNIDOS World AIDS Day event this evening at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in Los Angeles.

Monday, December 1, 2025

Young California Democrats are Challenging Veteran House Members in Safe Blue Seats

By Maya C. Miller, CALMATTERS

California’s battleground House districts might get the lion’s share of national attention for their role in deciding which party rules Congress’s lower chamber.

But in a handful of California’s deep blue districts, an intra-party battle over the future of the Democratic Party is brewing in the wake of grim losses during last year’s presidential race.

In Sacramento, Napa County and Los Angeles, three younger challengers are arguing that Democrats need to give voters fresh faces with bold new ideas to energize the party’s base, rather than aging incumbents who are entrenched more in Washington insider culture than in their districts.

“Status quo politics isn’t going to protect our communities,” said Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang, 40, who is running against 10-term Rep. Doris Matsui, 81. “We need leaders who can meet the moment. And that’s why I decided to step into the ring.”

Vang is the first formidable primary challenge that Matsui has faced in the two decades since the congresswoman won her late husband’s seat in 2005.

Sunday, November 30, 2025

Altadena Chamber Sets Dec. 1 Deadline for Citizen, Business of the Year Nominations

The Altadena Chamber of Commerce and Civic Association has set 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, as the deadline for nominations for its annual Citizen of the Year and Business of the Year awards. The date marks the close of nominations only and is not the day of the awards ceremony.

The honors recognize Altadena residents and businesses that have demonstrated outstanding service, leadership, and positive community impact. The 2025 and 2024 awards are planned to be presented at the Chamber’s Installation & Awards dinner in early 2026, with the date and venue still to be announced.

Nomination forms are available through the Chamber’s website and may be submitted by email, mail, in person at the Altadena Community Center, or via the Chamber website’s contact form. The Chamber office can be reached at (626) 794-3988 or office@altadenachamber.org.

Eligibility rules require Citizen of the Year nominees to be Altadena residents who have contributed through sustained volunteer work and good character.

Saturday, November 29, 2025

Man is Possibly the First Altadena Resident to Move into Fully Rebuilt Home

Ted Koerner, 67, has become possibly the first resident of Altadena to move back into a completely rebuilt home after the destructive Eaton Fire, returning just in time for Thanksgiving with his 13-year-old golden retriever, Daisy May.

Koerner, whose hilltop house on East Loma Alta Street was incinerated in the Jan. 7 blaze, received final approval from a Los Angeles County inspector on Tuesday before Thanksgiving to re-occupy his new residence. He immediately carried in bedding and slept on the floor beside Daisy, marking the end of nearly a year of displacement.

“You have permission to move in tonight,” the inspector told him, words Koerner captured on video and described as life-changing.

Koerner is believed to be the first Altadena resident to return to a fully rebuilt home. Pasadena residents Jun Li and Bobby Lujan also completed their rebuilds in time for the holiday, while county officials said two more homes are expected to receive occupancy certificates in the coming week.

Koerner’s saga — like so many Altadenans — is sobering.

Saturday, November 29, 2025

Pasadena Presbyterian’s 81st Annual Candlelight & Carols Kicks Off Christmas Season

Church’s beloved tradition blends sacred and secular holiday music with seven choirs and featured soloists

Pasadena Presbyterian Church will present its 81st Annual Candlelight & Carols concert on Saturday, December 6, at 7:30 p.m. The concert is free to the public, with a voluntary offering accepted.

“This beloved annual event brings together all of the church’s resident choirs for a spectacular performance that blends both sacred and secular holiday music—offering something for everyone in the family to enjoy,” John Boucher wrote in ColoradoBoulevard.net.

Seven performing groups will take the stage: the Kirk Choir, Trinity Choir, Pasadena Singers, Van Etten Handbell Choir, Rainbow Choir, Carol Choir, and Friends of Music Orchestra. Featured soloists include Timothy Howard, Kayla Kim, F. Thomas Simpson, Michelle Kardos, Vena Luthey, and Nora de la Torre.

“Serving as a thrilling kickoff to the Christmas season for many, this year’s program features sacred and secular music composed or arranged by Dan Forrest, Elaine Hagenberg,

Saturday, November 29, 2025

Huntington Conference Explores Chicano Art’s Role in Shaping Southern California Identity

The two-day conference runs Dec. 5-6 and examines printmaking, activism and border politics in conjunction with a Smithsonian exhibition

A two-day academic conference opening Friday at The Huntington will examine how Chicano printmaking and activism have shaped Southern California identity, drawing scholars and artists from across the country to discuss border politics, social justice movements and the reclamation of overlooked histories.

“Historias Radicales: Latinx Identity and History in Southern California” runs Dec. 5-6 at Rothenberg Hall in San Marino, presented in conjunction with the exhibition “Radical Histories: Chicano Prints from the Smithsonian American Art Museum,” currently on view at The Huntington through March 2, 2026.

Organized by Diego Godoy, The Huntington’s associate curator of California and Hispanic collections, and Dennis Carr, Virginia Steele Scott chief curator of American Art, the conference will surface materials from The Huntington’s archival collections, including the Lozano Family and La Opinión Collection, the California Farmworker Collection, the Gloria Molina Papers and the Laura Aguilar Collection.

Friday, November 28, 2025

Old Pasadena Merchants Mount First Coordinated Holiday Push After Fire and Tariffs

By THERESE EDU

For the first time in 18 years of business, Theodora Coleman joined fellow Holly Street shop owners for a coordinated holiday kickoff.

“This year, as a group of independent retailers, we came together in a way that we never have done before,” said Coleman, co-owner of Gold Bug in Old Pasadena.

The collaboration comes as independent merchants describe the 2025 holiday season as critical to their survival.

Paul Little, president and CEO of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, called holiday shopping “make-or-break for retailers and restaurateurs.”

Kristin McGrath, executive director of Visit Pasadena, described Small Business Saturday as “one of the most meaningful moments of the year for Pasadena because it brings people physically into our neighborhoods, to walk our streets, meet our makers, and feel the heart and soul of our community.”

According to the City of Pasadena, Pasadena is home to more than 1,600 retail businesses and over 700 restaurants.

Friday, November 28, 2025

Old Pasadena Retailers Gear Up for Small Business Saturday as National Holiday Sales Reach Record Territory

STAFF REPORT

With national holiday spending projected to top $1 trillion for the first time, Old Pasadena’s independent retailers are preparing for Small Business Saturday on Nov. 29 with giveaways, raffles and discounts — and a renewed sense of urgency.

Nearly 200 boutiques and specialty shops across the historic 22?block district are participating in the citywide “Shop Small Pasadena” campaign to keep holiday dollars local.

The National Retail Federation projects U.S. retail sales during November and December 2025 will grow between 3.7% and 4.2% compared with last year, translating to total spending of approximately $1.01 trillion to $1.02 trillion. Adobe Analytics forecasts U.S. online sales on Black Friday alone will reach $11.7 billion, up 8.3% year?over?year.

But local merchants say they aren’t trying to compete with the digital rush — they’re focused on offering something that screen?based shopping simply can’t.

“The beauty of our store is that you often don’t know what you’re looking for until you see it,” said Theodora Coleman of Gold Bug,

Friday, November 28, 2025

Rose Bowl Turkey Trot Kicks Off Thanksgiving Under Beautiful Sunny Morning Skies

STAFF REPORT

Eight months after the Eaton Fire displaced families across the region, thousands of Pasadena residents gathered at the Rose Bowl on Thanksgiving morning for a 5K run that doubled as a statement of solidarity: registration fees from the 8th Annual Turkey Trot went directly to fire recovery efforts.

The Thursday sent participants on a 3.1-mile loop past Brookside Golf Course with the San Gabriel Mountains rising under clear morning skies. Arches, cones, and branded banners marked the route around the stadium.

The crowd defied easy categorization. Competitive runners stretched alongside families pushing strollers. Grandparents walked with grandchildren. Turkey hats and themed headbands bobbed through the crowd, lending the morning a carnival atmosphere as participants posed for photos against event backdrops.

Organizers structured the Turkey Trot as both fitness event and fundraiser. Registration fees supported the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation and the Pasadena Educational Foundation’s Eaton Fire Response Fund, which aids families affected by the January 2025 fire.

The race drew strong turnout.