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Wednesday, July 5, 2023

The Rise of Pickleball in Altadena

The Rise of Pickleball in Altadena

By KEITH CALAYAG

Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States and now it’s starting to take a foothold in Altadena.

More and more people are playing pickleball in the city, according to Brandon Mackie, founder of Pickleheads, a platform that enables players to find pickleball courts, organize sessions and join leagues.

Often described as a combination of tennis, ping-pong and badminton, Pickleball is an indoor or outdoor racket sport where two players, or four players, hit a perforated hollow polymer ball over a 36-inch-high net using solid-faced paddles.

For the third year in a row, it is considered the fastest growing sport in the country, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. Nearly 9 million people played the sport in 2022.

There has also been an increase in interest in the sport in Pasadena.

“What we’re seeing locally is all the same when we look at our traffic to our court pages in Pasadena,

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Friday, June 16, 2023

LA County Unemployment Rate Rises in May

LA County Unemployment Rate Rises in May

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Los Angeles County’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate ticked upward slightly to 5% in May, up from a revised 4.9% in April, according to figures released Friday by the state Employment Development Department.

The 5% rate was above the 4.7% rate from May 2023.

In Orange County, where seasonally adjusted numbers were not available, the May unemployment rate was 3.2%, up slightly from 3% the previous month.

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.5% in May, 4.5% in April and 4% in May 2022. The comparable figures for the nation were 3.7% in May, 3.4% in April and 3.6% a year ago.

Total nonfarm employment in Los Angeles County increased by 9,000 positions between April and May to reach more than 4.6 million.

The leisure and hospitality sector led the way by adding 11,600 jobs, according to the EDD.

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Wednesday, June 7, 2023

State Lottery Commission Urges Dismissal of Powerball Suit Against Altadena Man

State Lottery Commission Urges Dismissal of Powerball Suit Against Altadena Man

CITY NEWS SERVICE

A lawsuit filed by a man who sued the California State Lottery Commission alleging he was wrongfully denied November’s record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot should be dismissed, in part because the plaintiff cannot produce a winning ticket, the state Attorney General’s Office states in new court papers.

Jose Rivera maintains in his Alhambra Superior Court lawsuit that he is the lottery winner and not Edwin G. Castro, also a defendant in the suit, who the commission announced as the winner on Feb. 14.

“Here, plaintiff’s lottery ticket was allegedly stolen, so he had no winning ticket to present to the state lottery to claim the prize,” the Attorney General’s Office states in court papers filed Monday with Judge William Crowfoot. “The authority is clear that the state lottery cannot pay winnings to anyone who does not present a valid, winning ticket.”

Judge Crowfoot is a former Pasadena Councilmember from 1993 to 2001. In 2020, Crowfoot swore in Victor Gordo as Pasadena’s mayor.

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Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Drum Corps Program OK’d for LA County Juvenile Halls

Drum Corps Program OK’d for LA County Juvenile Halls

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Weeks before a deadline to clear its juvenile halls over concerns about conditions and lack of programs for detainees, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to provide a musical rehabilitative program for juveniles in the halls.

According to the motion by Supervisors Holly Mitchell and Lindsey Horvath, “rehabilitation and development, in large part, are dependent on the ability of youth in locked facilities to receive timely consistent programming … transformative in nature that prepares them successfully to transition back into the community.”

The motion calls for the county to contract with the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles, a 14-year-old nonprofit specializing in bringing music education and performances to underserved children throughout the county, to develop a Drum Corps Program for youth detainees at Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall and other facilities where youth are housed.

According to the motion, the program will give detainees a chance to learn to play instruments,

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Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Altadena to Mark Juneteenth With Celebration, Awarding of Two $1,000 Scholarships to Muir Students

Altadena to Mark Juneteenth With Celebration, Awarding of Two $1,000 Scholarships to Muir Students

The Altadena Historical Society (AHS) and Mountain View Mortuary will host a Juneteenth celebration on Monday, June 19, 2023, at 11:30 a.m. at the William D. Davis Memorial Building at Farnsworth Park in Altadena.

The event will honor the spirit of Ellen Garrison Clark, a 19th-century civil rights activist, and will include the awarding of two $1,000 Ellen Garrison Clark Scholarships to John Muir High School graduating seniors.

Tickets are $20 for individuals or $160 for a table of eight. They can be purchased online at www.altadenahistoricalsociety.org.

The Altadena Historical Society (AHS) and Mountain View Mortuary will host a Juneteenth celebration Monday, June 19 that will honor the spirit of Ellen Garrison Clark, a 19th-century civil rights activist, and will include the awarding of two $1,000 Ellen Garrison Clark Scholarships to John Muir High School graduating seniors.

Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. It is celebrated annually on June 19, the anniversary of General Order No.

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Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Gear Up for Summer Travel with a REAL ID

Gear Up for Summer Travel with a REAL ID

More than 15.8 million Californians now have a REAL ID – an increase of 172,036 from the previous month – according to California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) data.

As we approach the first official day of summer this month, now is the ideal time to get a REAL ID driver’s license or identification card. There is no need to wait for the federal enforcement date of May 7, 2025, that requires a REAL ID to board flights within the United States and access secure federal facilities. Not having a REAL ID or other federally approved document to get through airport security could put a dent to your future summer travel plans.

“Don’t let your future flight plans be a bummer by not getting a REAL ID this summer,” said DMV Director Steve Gordon. “You can save time by starting your application online, which means more time to enjoy fun in the sun.”

To apply for a REAL ID, Californians should visit REALID.dmv.ca.gov,

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Tuesday, June 6, 2023

LA County Board to Consider Creation of LGBTQ+ Commission

LA County Board to Consider Creation of LGBTQ+ Commission

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will consider Tuesday the creation of a commission concerned with the rights and welfare of LGBTQ+ persons throughout the nation’s most populous county.

According to the board motion by Supervisors Hilda Solis and Janice Hahn, such a commission is needed due to the “ever increasing bias, prejudice and hate against those who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer.”

The proposed panel would also “ensure that county policies are inclusive of the specific needs of this community,” including safety from violence.

Research has found, according to the motion, that suicidal behavior across the nation was significantly higher among LGBTQ youth than other populations.

“It is incumbent on the board to ensure that positions and policies it takes are inclusive of all,” according to the motion. “One way of doing that is the creation of the county’s LGBTQ+ Commission, which would review recommendations to the board.”

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Wednesday, May 31, 2023

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger to Deliver “State of the County” Address Today

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger to Deliver “State of the County” Address Today

Los Angeles County District 5 Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents Pasadena on the County Board of Supervisors, is set to deliver her annual “State of the County” address at a luncheon Wednesday hosted by the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce. 

During her address, Supervisor Barger is expected to discuss a range of important local topics, focusing on her efforts to increase public safety, address homelessness, and improve the County’s mental health services infrastructure and jails. 

The speech will likely provide insights into her work and priorities as the supervisor of the Fifth District.

In addition to highlighting her views and initiatives, Supervisor Barger will also recognize the achievements of local Santa Clarita Valley students who won a fentanyl awareness video contest. These students will be honored for their contributions towards raising awareness about the dangers of fentanyl, a potent opioid. As part of this recognition, Supervisor Barger will present a $50,000 check to the William S. Hart Education Foundation in support of fentanyl education and outreach.

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Friday, May 26, 2023

Local $2 Billion Powerball Jackpot Declared Winner Seeks to Quash Summons of Challenger’s Suit

Local $2 Billion Powerball Jackpot Declared Winner Seeks to Quash Summons of Challenger’s Suit

Altadena gas station sold ticket to massive prize

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The declared winner of the record-breaking November $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot says in new court papers that a process server for a man who sued him, insisting the prize is his, wrongly presented a summons and copy of the suit to the defendant’s father, whose name is identical except for the middle initial.

Edwin G. Castro bought the winning Powerball ticket at Joe’s Service Center in Altadena and was declared the winner. But one Jose Rivera says the tickets was actually his.

State officials have denied plaintiff Rivera’s claim in his Alhambra Superior Court lawsuit against the California State Lottery Commission that he is the lottery winner, insisting that Edwin G. Castro, also a defendant in the suit, is the proper winner as announced on Feb. 14.

In court papers filed Thursday, Edwin G. Castro’s attorney says the person served with Rivera’s complaint was actually Castro’s father,

Read More »

Friday, May 26, 2023

Metro Green Lights $9 Billion Budget for 2024

Metro Green Lights $9 Billion Budget for 2024

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Metro’s Board of Directors approved the agency’s $9 billion budget for fiscal year 2024 Thursday, representing a $232.4 million, or 2.6%, increase over the current year.
The budget will make investments in service frequency and reliability, cleaning and public safety, Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggans said.

“All these investments focus on one thing: putting people first,” Wiggins wrote in her budget letter. “Metro’s budget must reflect that we are here to serve our customers.”

The budget includes $2.4 billion in the Metro Transit Operating and Maintenance program. The transit agency intends that allocation to provide about 8.9 million revenue hours of service, a 9.6% higher level of service than prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

Metro will allocate $201 million in cleaning efforts, an increase of $23.6 million, or 13.3%, compared to the current year. The money will fund 10 roving cleaning teams, hire 24 more full-time custodial staff and hire up to 50 temporary part-time custodial staff dedicated to the B (Red) and D (Purple) lines.

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