Monday, February 9, 2026

Free Workshop Offers One-on-One Federal Student Aid Application Help Before March 2 Deadline

College Access Plan hosts financial aid completion night Wednesday at Altadena’s Collaboratory

Students and families who have not yet filed for college financial aid can get free, one-on-one help completing their applications Wednesday evening in Altadena — less than three weeks before California’s priority deadline.

College Access Plan, a Pasadena-based nonprofit that partners with the Pasadena Unified School District, is hosting a Financial Aid Completion Night on February 11 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at The Collaboratory, 540 W. Woodbury Rd. Advisors will walk attendees through the 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA, and the California Dream Act Application, or CADAA, which allows undocumented students to apply for state financial aid.

The California priority deadline for both applications is March 2, according to the California Student Aid Commission. Students who miss it may lose eligibility for Cal Grants and other state-funded aid.

The event is free and open to high school seniors, college students,

Sunday, February 8, 2026

Friedman’s Transit Safety Bill Joins Women’s Caucus Legislative Slate

The bipartisan measure, co-led with a New York Republican, would send $50 million a year to transit agencies for officers and safety upgrades

U.S. Rep. Laura Friedman’s bipartisan transit safety bill has been endorsed by the Democratic Women’s Caucus and included in the caucus’s Women’s Safety Legislative Slate, adding to a growing list of backers for legislation that would direct federal money toward policing and safety improvements on public transit systems including those serving Pasadena and Altadena.

Friedman represents portions of Altadena and Pasadena in Congress.

The Safe and Affordable Transit Act, H.R. 6298, would authorize $50 million per year in competitive federal grants for transit agencies to hire additional officers, contract with local police departments, and fund physical safety upgrades such as surveillance systems, operator shields, and visibility improvements, according to the bill text filed with Congress. Friedman, a Democrat who represents California’s 30th Congressional District including portions of Pasadena and Altadena, co-leads the bill with Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican from New York.

Sunday, February 8, 2026

Southern California Agencies Ramp Up DUI Patrols for Super Bowl Sunday

CHP arrested more than 200 drivers during last year’s game; officers will patrol Pasadena-area roadways through Monday

Law enforcement agencies across Southern California will flood roadways with extra patrols and sobriety checkpoints this weekend as the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots meet in Super Bowl LX on Sunday.

The California Highway Patrol and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are taking the lead in LA County and will increase their presence from Friday through early Monday morning — including on highways and streets serving Pasadena and Altadena, according to official safety advisories issued Friday by the agencies.

The stakes are not abstract. During last year’s Super Bowl, CHP officers arrested more than 200 drivers for DUI statewide and responded to more than 130 crashes that killed one person and injured more than 60, according to the CHP.

“Our goal is to keep California’s roads safe, and we will actively enforce laws against unsafe and reckless driving,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said.

Saturday, February 7, 2026

Pasadena Church That Drew 800 to Immigration Training Holds ‘Allyship’ Session Sunday

All Saints’ Faith & Formation hour falls within the Episcopal Church’s new Migration With Dignity observance

All Saints Episcopal Church, where nearly 800 people packed the sanctuary last month for an immigration-defense training that organizers expected only 100, holds a Faith & Formation session on immigration and allyship at 9 a.m. Sunday.

The session at the Euclid Avenue parish is part of an ongoing series of immigration-focused programming at All Saints, which declared itself a sanctuary church in 1983 during the Central American refugee crisis. The session falls within the Epiphany season, during which the Episcopal Church has directed congregations to observe a new annual Migration With Dignity Sunday under a policy framework adopted at the denomination’s 81st General Convention in 2024.

The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles has asked parishes to mark the observance with prayers and educational resources related to its migration ministry, according to diocesan pre-convention materials. The diocese describes the Sunday and related formation opportunities as “a new entry point for engagement into the work of Sacred Resistance in support of immigrants,”

Saturday, February 7, 2026

LA County Law Requires Pet Owners to Spay and Neuter — and February Clinics Can Help

Altadena residents served by the county’s animal care agency face fines for noncompliance with Title 10

Pet owners in Altadena and other unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County are required by law to have their dogs and cats spayed or neutered, and this month the county is offering low-cost clinics to help them comply.

The requirement falls under LA County Code Title 10, which mandates spaying and neutering for all dogs and cats in the county’s jurisdiction. Failure to comply can result in citations and fines, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control, the agency that provides animal services for Altadena and other unincorporated areas. DACC is promoting the clinics as part of National Spay/Neuter Awareness Month, which falls each February ahead of the spring and summer months when shelters see a surge in animal intake.

“February is the perfect time for pet owners to take action and have their pets spayed and neutered,” said Marcia Mayeda,

Saturday, February 7, 2026

Altadena-to-Palisades Relay Returns, Directing Funds to Local Fire Recovery Nonprofits

Second annual 50-kilometer run benefits organizations fighting displacement and aiding survivors in Altadena

The Silver Lake Track Club’s second annual 50-kilometer relay from Altadena to Pacific Palisades begins Saturday morning, with organizers vowing to donate 100 percent of ticket proceeds going to four nonprofits — two of them working on housing and survivor support specifically in Altadena.

The event, called “Altadena to the Palisades II,” starts at 8 a.m. at Good Neighbor Bar, 2311 Lincoln Ave., and ends at Will Rogers Beach, tracing a route through Eagle Rock, Silver Lake, Hollywood and Santa Monica. Participants can run the full 50 kilometers solo, form five-person relay teams, bike the course or run any segment. Registration is $55.20 through Eventbrite.

This year’s four beneficiaries include My Tribe Rise, a Black-led nonprofit based in Altadena that says it has served more than 4,100 people through its Survivors Power Luncheons Program since the Eaton Fire. My Tribe Rise provides individual disaster recovery plans,

Friday, February 6, 2026

Summit to Bring Recovery Resources to Eaton Fire Survivors

Free February 21 event at Pasadena Convention Center will offer insurance guidance, rebuilding experts, and financial aid

A free community summit is planned that will being Eaton Fire survivors together with insurance experts, builders, and government agencies at the Pasadena Convention Center on February 21.

The daylong event, organized by Rebuilding California, offers eight programming tracks covering financial recovery, insurance reimbursement, rebuilding options, permitting, mental health support, and wildfire safety. An Altadena family displaced by the fire who later appeared on “America’s Got Talent” will open the day with live music.

The Eaton Fire was the second most destructive wildfire in state history.

“Stronger Together: A Solutions Summit” will feature an expo hall where residents can connect directly with organizations offering financial, legal, and rebuilding assistance. Participants include the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, United Policyholders, California Fire Safe Council, the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity, and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles,

Friday, February 6, 2026

Where to Watch Super Bowl LX in Pasadena and Altadena: Your Comprehensive Guide

With Super Bowl LX just around the corner, football fans in the Pasadena and Altadena areas are gearing up for the big game on Sunday, February 8, 2026. The Seattle Seahawks will face off against the New England Patriots, with kickoff scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

For those looking to get out and enjoy the game with fellow fans, a variety of local establishments are offering special events, food and drink deals, and unique viewing experiences. Here is a comprehensive guide to some of the best places to watch Super Bowl Sunday in Pasadena and Altadena.

Pasadena’s Super Bowl Hotspots

German-Themed Bar with VIP Bottle Service
This German-themed bar in Old Town Pasadena is pulling out all the stops for Super Bowl Sunday with a dedicated watch party featuring drink specials including twelve-dollar shot and beer pairings, twenty-one-dollar draft beer pitchers, and thirty-dollar Corona buckets. For those seeking a premium experience, VIP booth and bottle service packages are available for two hundred fifty dollars,

Friday, February 6, 2026

Fire Chief Marks Burn Awareness Week With Safety Tips

Most burns happen at home from cooking and hot liquids, affecting more than 398,000 Americans annually

Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin is marking National Burn Awareness Week by urging residents to take simple precautions against one of the most common preventable injuries.

The annual awareness campaign runs through Friday and focuses on everyday burn hazards that most often occur in homes. According to the CDC, more than 398,000 Americans sought medical care for fire or burn-related injuries in 2021, with children under five facing twice the risk of the general population.

Augustin is recognizing the week-long observance organized by the American Burn Association, noting that burns are among the most common and preventable injuries. Cooking accidents, hot liquids, open flames, and electrical hazards can cause serious harm in seconds.

The Pasadena Fire Department is encouraging residents to review burn safety basics with family members. Most burns occur at home, where simple actions can prevent life-changing injuries.

Key safety steps include never leaving cooking unattended and keeping flammable items away from the stove.

Friday, February 6, 2026

PUSD Schools Closed Monday for Lincoln’s Birthday, With Presidents Day to Follow

California is among a handful of states that observe the 16th president’s birthday as a separate school holiday

All Pasadena Unified School District campuses will be closed Monday, February 9, for Lincoln’s Birthday — the first of two consecutive Monday holidays that will shorten the school week for families in Pasadena, Altadena, and Sierra Madre.

Presidents Day falls the following Monday, February 16, meaning PUSD students will have two, four-day school weeks in a row. Classes resume Tuesday, February 10, after the Lincoln’s Birthday observance.

The closure is mandated by California Education Code Section 37220, which requires public schools to close on the Monday or Friday of the week containing February 12 — the actual date of Abraham Lincoln’s birth in 1809. California is one of a small number of states, including Connecticut, Illinois, and New York, that observe Lincoln’s birthday as a separate holiday rather than folding it into the federal Presidents Day.

The state code also directs that “all public schools and educational institutions throughout the state shall hold exercises in memory of Abraham Lincoln”