Thursday, January 1, 2026

Rain Prompts Tarp Over Rose Bowl Field as Pasadena Braces for Wet Quarterfinal

With steady rain settling over Pasadena ahead of Thursday’s College Football Playoff quarterfinal, the Rose Bowl field was covered by a tarp Wednesday as stadium crews worked to protect the turf from worsening weather, according to AL.com..

An ESPN camera shot showed the tarp stretched across the historic field. The wet conditions continued throughout the day across the Pasadena area.

Alabama and Indiana, scheduled to meet Thursday in the Rose Bowl, adjusted their preparations as rain intensified. The Crimson Tide held their Wednesday walkthrough indoors at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, AL.com reported.

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer acknowledged earlier Wednesday that weather could influence the matchup.

“I think you just gotta see what it is in the moment,” DeBoer said during a joint press conference with Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, according to AL.com. . “I know it could be heavy at times, I don’t know, it could be light. You just have to adjust. We haven’t played a lot in those elements this season.”

DeBoer said the team has practiced with wet footballs to prepare for potential rain but emphasized that adaptability would be key.

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Forecasters Agree: Rain to Soak Rose Parade; Clearing Expected for Rose Bowl Game

Heaviest rain could occur right at 8 a.m., as the Parade steps off

Spectators and participants of the 137th Rose Parade will likely face a morning of heavy, persistent rain, with the most intense downpours expected to coincide directly with the parade’s 8 a.m. start, according to a consensus of national and local weather forecasts.

Conditions are expected to improve by the afternoon, with only a slight chance of showers for the 1 p.m. kickoff of the Rose Bowl Game.

The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch and a Flood Advisory for the Pasadena area, warning of the potential for localized flooding, particularly in recent Eaton Fire burn areas, as the significant storm moves through Southern California.

Forecasters predict total rainfall between 0.75 and 1.25 inches in Pasadena for the day.

For the duration of the Rose Parade, from 8 a.m. to approximately 11 a.m., the chance of rain is 100%, according to multiple forecasting services including the National Weather Service and The Weather Channel.

Thursday, January 1, 2026

Supervisor Barger to Ride With Pasadena Mayor in Rose Parade, Citing City’s Civic Pride

Mayor Gordo invited Supervisor Barger to ride with him and his family

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said she will participate in the 2026 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade by riding alongside Pasadena Mayor Victor M. Gordo and his family.

In a written statement, Barger said it is “truly an honor to be part of a tradition that celebrates Pasadena and the people who make this community so special.”

She added that “the Rose Parade is more than a New Year’s Day event” and “reflects the strong civic pride that defines Pasadena.”

Barger highlighted “the volunteers who work year-round on the Tournament of Roses,” along with “the neighborhoods and small businesses that welcome the world every January,” saying “this community consistently shows up.”

“As a County Supervisor, participating in the parade is also about representing residents across Los Angeles County, particularly those who continue to move forward with resilience and determination,” she said.

“I am proud to stand alongside Mayor Gordo and others being recognized as Pasadena is showcased to millions around the world,” Barger said.

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Rose Bowl Advises Early Arrival as Game Parking Will Sell Out; Dodger Stadium Shuttle Added

Parking for the 112th Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential will sell out on New Year’s Eve, stadium officials forecast Wednesday morning, and anticipated heavy rain has limited capacity in the stadium’s grass lots.

The stadium alert reported that, due to sold-out onsite parking, the Rose Bowl Game has added a new shuttle operation from Dodger Stadium, 1000 Vin Scully Avenue, Gates A and E. Parking there will cost $25 at the cashless venue, and free shuttle service will run beginning at 8 a.m. Thursday and continue until 90 minutes after the game.

With the Rose Parade ending and significant surface street closures already in effect throughout Pasadena, event organizers “strongly recommended” that guests plan to arrive early.

Fans are urged to reach the stadium no later than 9:30 a.m. to avoid heavy traffic delays and longer wait times and to access the Rose Bowl Stadium FanFest presented by Honda, which opens at 8 a.m.

Metro’s A Line will provide rail service to Pasadena via the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Before Floats Roll, They’re Already There: The Red Cross Volunteers Who Own the First Eight Minutes

Along the Rose Parade route, a medical operation six decades in the refining prepares to protect hundreds of thousands of spectators

At 4 a.m. Thursday, hours before the first float glides down Colorado Boulevard and long before most of the hundreds of thousands of spectators stake out their curbside spots, more than 160 American Red Cross volunteers will fan out along the 5½-mile Rose Parade route to take their positions at 13 first aid stations. 

They are preparing for what Paul Stephan, the 2024 Rose Parade Incident Commander, called the organization’s defining operational doctrine: “Red Cross teams own the first eight minutes of every medical aid call.” 

In a crowd of that size—hundreds of thousands attended the parade and Rose Bowl Game combined last year—those eight minutes can be the difference between life and death. 

When a spectator collapses from a cardiac event or illness along a packed boulevard, an ambulance dispatched from across the city may take 20 minutes or longer to navigate the crowds. 

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Rain Could Threaten to Ground Rose Parade’s B-2 Flyover for First Time in Decades

The mission remains “100 percent a go”—but whether the flyover occurs depends on a simple rule: if spectators will be able to see it, they will fly it.

Somewhere over the western United States on New Year’s morning, a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber will be hours into a 15-hour mission from Missouri, its two-pilot crew managing fatigue through carefully planned rest cycles, having already completed multiple mid-air refueling operations with tanker aircraft.

Whether that bomber crosses the Rose Parade step-off line at Colorado Boulevard at Orange Grove Boulevard at 8:00 a.m. depends on something the 4,000 air force personnel who made the mission possible cannot control: the weather.

For the first time in nearly two decades, the Rose Parade faces the prospect of significant rain. And for the Air Force, the calculus is straightforward.

“If people can see the airplane in the fly by, then we have good enough weather to do it,” said Col. Joshua Wiitala, the 509th Bomb Wing commander and installation commander at Whiteman Air Force Base.

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

CHP Launches 30-Hour New Year’s Enforcement After Nearly 300 DUI Arrests During Christmas Crackdown

The California Highway Patrol begins its New Year’s “Maximum Enforcement Period” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, launching a 30–hour statewide crackdown that follows a Christmas deployment in which officers made nearly 300 DUI arrests in the same short time span. 

The New Year’s operation, running through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, brings “all hands on deck,” with every available officer assigned to saturation patrols on freeways and unincorporated roads. 

The CHP is targeting impaired driving, speeding, aggressive driving and seat belt violations, with Commissioner Sean Duryee urging motorists to make “responsible choices behind the wheel.” 

The intensity of the effort mirrors the recently concluded Christmas enforcement period, which ran Dec. 24–25. During that 30–hour window, officers arrested 297 suspected impaired drivers — roughly one every six minutes — and reported eight fatalities from six crashes. 

CHP recorded 2,744 citations, including 1,385 for speeding and 94 for drivers traveling more than 100 mph, and reported 5,450 total enforcement actions statewide. Severe winter weather,

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

From Opening Spectacular to Grand Finale, Rose Parade Sets Music-Filled Start to 2026

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses on Tuesday released the finalized performance lineup for the 137th Rose Parade, presented by Honda, scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, at 8 a.m.

Organizers said the performances are inspired by the parade’s 2026 theme, “The Magic in Teamwork,” and will feature artists and dancers throughout the New Year’s Day event.

The parade will open with the Opening Spectacular presented by Honda, featuring acclaimed artist Bishop Briggs and 24 world-class dancers. Briggs will perform her platinum-selling anthem “River” and the song “Champion.”

A Mid-Parade Performance presented by Visit Mississippi will feature a visual presentation honoring Mississippi’s artistic icons, literary legends and homegrown talent. The performance will accompany the Visit Mississippi float, “Mississippi: Where Creativity Blooms,” and will include a live performance by Mississippi native and country music star Charlie Worsham, accompanied by dancers.

Explore Louisiana will once again present the Mid-Parade Performance, showcasing the state’s float, “Gulf to Gumbo.” The performance will feature rising country singer and American Idol runner-up John Foster,

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Pasadena Mayor Gordo to Ride With Community Leaders in 2026 Rose Parade

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

Mayor Victor M. Gordo will be joined by community leaders and residents who played critical roles during the Eaton Fire and subsequent federal immigration activity when he and his family ride in the 2026 Tournament of Roses Parade aboard a rare 1937 American LaFrance fire engine.

The announcement comes as the Tournament of Roses Association prepares for the 2026 Rose Parade, themed “The Magic in Teamwork,” a message city leaders say resonates deeply after a year marked by disaster response, recovery efforts and community solidarity in Pasadena and Altadena.

Gordo, his wife Kelly, and their children, Michael and Emma, will be joined on the historic engine by individuals recognized for courage, service and compassion during some of the city’s most challenging moments.

Among the guests is Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who worked closely with Pasadena and Altadena officials during the early days of the Eaton Fire to align county resources with local needs and expand access to recovery,

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Close Up: Pearls, Gold and Pasadena Grace: The Enduring Allure of the Rose Court’s Magnificent Crowns

By KATHLEEN CASTAGNOLI

When Serena Hui Guo accepted her title as the 2026 Rose Queen on the steps of Tournament House earlier this week, all eyes were on her — and on the dazzling emblem that has come to define Pasadena royalty for more than a century.

Weighing nearly three pounds and valued at about $400,000, the handcrafted Rose Queen crown is both masterpiece and heirloom — adorned with 600 Japanese Akoya pearls, 10 Australian South Sea pearls and six carats of diamonds, all set in gold.

Created by the famed Japanese jeweler Mikimoto, known as the originator of cultured pearls, the crown has graced Pasadena’s Rose Queens for nearly two decades, linking each Royal Court to generations past in a shimmer of artistry and tradition, according to Candy Carlson, director of communications for the Tournament of Roses.

The crown and matching set of six tiaras worn by the Royal Court took roughly a year to craft by hand, according to Mikimoto spokesperson John Cotter.