Friday, February 6, 2026

Commentary: California’s Once Soaring Population Has Hit A Plateau. So Will Its National Political Clout

By Dan Walters, CALMATTERS

The federal Census Bureau annually announces new population numbers for the country and its 50 states based on calculations of how births, deaths and migration have changed the numbers from July 1 to June 30 of the previous year.

The state Department of Finance annually announces new California population numbers, based on its calculations of those same demographic factors during the same 12-month period.

The numbers often differ, and in past years differentials of a million persons or more have emerged from the two agencies’ California calculations.

In December, the state agency declared that as of last July, California’s population was 39.529 million, a gain of 19,200 since 2024. Although arithmetically insignificant, the tiny gain was hailed by officialdom and media as proof that California is no longer losing people.

Last month, the Census Bureau released its latest estimates, fixing California’s population at 39.355 million, a decline of 9,465 souls from the previous year.

Friday, February 6, 2026

Hawai’i-to-California Saga Brings Author Jasmin ‘Iolani Hakes to Vroman’s Tonight

Her second novel traces generations of Hawaiian women and a sacred stone across two centuries of true history

Author Jasmin ‘Iolani Hakes will discuss and sign her new novel, “The Pohaku,” at Vroman’s Bookstore on Friday evening, bringing to Pasadena a multigenerational story rooted in a little-known chapter of Hawaiian history in California.

The novel, published February 3 by HarperVia, follows generations of Hawaiian women tasked with protecting a sacred stone — the pohaku — as it travels from the islands to the California mainland across nearly 300 years. Hakes, who was born and raised in Hilo, Hawai’i, and now lives in California, spent close to two decades researching the intertwined histories of the two places before completing the book.

Hakes will appear in conversation with Diane Marie Brown, author of “Black Candle Women,” a Read with Jenna Book Club pick. Brown, who provided an advance endorsement for “The Pohaku,” wrote in her blurb that Hakes “solidifies herself as a skillful raconteur of epic sagas,

Friday, February 6, 2026

Altadena Banner Designed by Teen Fire Survivor Unveiled on Lake Avenue

A new banner created by a local teenager who lost his home in the fire was unveiled today on Lake Avenue, a display commissioned by the Community Coalition for Altadena Recovery and highlighted by Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger.

The banner was installed today by Los Angeles County Public Works on Lake Avenue, between Morada Place and Alameda Street. Its display serves as both a tribute to those impacted by the wildfire and a visible sign of the community’s determination to move forward together.

“I am incredibly pleased and proud to see our community continue to rise together in the wake of the Eaton Fire,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “This banner is a reflection of the strength and creativity that define this community. It’s a reminder that even in the hardest moments, hope and unity shine through.”

The banner was designed by a local teenager who lost his home in the fire, transforming personal loss into a message of hope for the entire community.

Thursday, February 5, 2026

More than 160 Lending Institutions to Provide Mortgage Relief for Fire Victims

CITY NEWS SERVICE

More than 160 lending institutions made a commitment to provide mortgage relief for fire survivors whose homes were damaged or lost in the destructive January 2025 wildfires, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday.

Fire survivors can verify at dfpi.ca.gov/lafires/ which lenders may provide additional mortgage forbearance of up to 90 days, subject to investor approval such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and consistent with terms of the Newsom’s January 2025 agreement with banks.

Other aid lenders may provide includes payment options that do not include lump-sum, or balloon, payments, waiving any mortgage-related late fees that accrue during the forbearance period, and not reporting late payments on forbearance amounts to credit reporting agencies.

“Ensuring housing stability is essential. This commitment from financial institutions will help provide homeowners the time and flexibility to focus on their families, safety and rebuilding — with California continuing to work alongside survivors through every step of the recovery process,”

Thursday, February 5, 2026

Pasadena Senator Proposes Banning Diesel Generators at California Data Centers

SB 978 responds to Monterey Park opposition, would create separate electricity rate for large facilities and protect ratepayers from cost shifts

The data centers that power artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and streaming services would face new restrictions on diesel generators and be required to pay their own infrastructure costs under proposed legislation introduced Tuesday by State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, who represents Pasadena and other San Gabriel Valley communities.

Pérez, a Democrat whose district office is on North Marengo Avenue in Pasadena, introduced SB 978 after residents in nearby Monterey Park brought her concerns about a proposed 250,000-square-foot data center that galvanized unprecedented community opposition. On January 21, the Monterey Park City Council unanimously adopted a moratorium on data centers and directed staff to draft a permanent ban—a response Pérez praised as “bold action.”

“I have heard urgent calls from my constituents, and others throughout the state, to regulate data centers and their impacts on energy, water and pollution,” Pérez said. “SB 978 bans the use of backup diesel generators that emit air pollution,

Thursday, February 5, 2026

Union Leaders Have A Message For Newsom: Regulate AI If You Want To Be President

By Khari Johnson, CALMATTERS

If Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to be president of the United States then he must address artificial intelligence’s impact on workers. That’s the message sent today in Sacramento by members of the AFL-CIO, a union with a combined 2.3 million members.

In attendance at a press conference, held steps from the California state capitol, were AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler, California Labor Federation president Lorena Gonzalez, and the heads of four state labor federations, including from traditional early primary states like Iowa and states vying for earlier spots in the primary state calendar like Georgia and North Carolina.

The California Labor Federation wants a variety of statewide regulations to protect workers, including limitations on how managers can use predictive AI, advance notice of AI-related job cuts, and curbs on workplace surveillance. And it has signalled a willingness to play hardball.

“I don’t think you’re going to have a lot of motivation to walk precincts for somebody who won’t engage working class voters on the very things that are taking away their jobs,” Gonzalez said of Newsom’s widely expected 2028 presidential run.

Thursday, February 5, 2026

Directors Lab West Returns to Pasadena After Wildfire Hiatus

Free eight-day intensive for theater directors accepts applications through March 13 for May program

Directors Lab West, an intensive professional development program for theater directors and choreographers, will return to Pasadena May 30 through June 6 after a one-year hiatus caused by the January 2025 Southern California wildfires.

The eight-day program returns to Pasadena Playhouse and Boston Court Pasadena with a model that addresses what organizers call a fundamental challenge in theater: directors work in isolation. Funded by the Stage Directors & Choreographers Society, the program is free to participants and has produced more than 500 alumni since 2000.

Applications are due March 13 at 5 p.m. Only the first 100 applications will be accepted, and approximately 50 participants will be selected.

“Traditionally, directors and choreographers are artists, but they work alone,” said Ernest Figueroa, who co-founded the program in 2000 and continues to serve on its steering committee. “To share an exchange is not something as part of our process.

Thursday, February 5, 2026

Thousands Expected for 8th Annual Yoga Expo at Pasadena Convention Center

More than 3,000 yoga practitioners, wellness seekers, and curious families are expected to converge on the Pasadena Convention Center Saturday for the eighth annual Yoga Expo LA, an all-day immersion featuring more than 50 classes, world-renowned instructor Travis Eliot, and what organizers call the nation’s largest yoga-inspired gathering.

The February 7 event brings married instructors Travis Eliot and Lauren Eckstrom—Los Angeles-based co-founders of online platform Inner Dimension TV—to headline programming that spans vinyasa and restorative yoga to sound healing and trauma-informed practices. The couple will lead multiple sessions, including a late-afternoon main-stage class called “Flowing Through the 6 Dimensions.”

“In my classes, you’ll learn that yoga is more than what you do with your body,” Eliot states on the Inner Dimension website. “It’s what you do with your life.”

Eliot, a world-renowned yoga instructor, meditation teacher, and certified Ayurveda practitioner, teaches “Chi Flow: Strong & Supple” late morning. Eckstrom, an E-RYT Yoga Alliance-certified yoga teacher and mindfulness meditation instructor, leads “The Complete Practice: Nurture &

Thursday, February 5, 2026

Measles Outbreak in Los Angeles County Reported; Pasadena Health Officials Urge Vaccination

No local cases yet, but five confirmed in LA and Orange counties this week as national surge continues

Measles has not reached Pasadena in 2026, but the virus has been reported close to the city’s doorstep.

Los Angeles County and Orange County confirmed five cases in the past week, part of a national outbreak that has already infected 588 people in January alone — the highest total for that month since the disease was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000. As cases multiply across the region, Pasadena Public Health officials are asking residents to check their vaccination status and get the MMR shot before someone they know is exposed.

“With increasing measles activity across the nation and region, I urge Pasadena residents to take steps now to protect their health and the health of their loved ones,” said Manuel Carmona, Director of Public Health for the city. “Getting vaccinated remains the most effective way to protect yourself and prevent the spread of disease in our community.”

Thursday, February 5, 2026

Altadena’s Loma Alta Park to Host Black History Month Celebration on Friday

Loma Alta Park will host Altadena’s community Black History Month celebration on Friday, Feb. 6, as part of Los Angeles County’s 2026 countywide observance, according to a press release from the Department of Parks and Recreation.

The free event runs from 4 to 6 p.m. at 3330 N. Lincoln Ave. and is part of a countywide series of cultural and educational programs taking place at 59 parks between Feb. 5 and Feb. 28. County officials said the series is designed to honor the achievements, contributions, and resilience of Black Americans while providing accessible, family-friendly programming within local communities.

According to the county’s announcement, Black History Month activities across participating parks will include interactive workshops, cultural demonstrations, art activities, storytelling, and live performances, with programming intended for participants of all ages. Many events also incorporate spoken word, music, wellness activities, and food tastings inspired by Black culinary traditions.

“Our parks are places where history, culture, and community come together,” Norma E. García-González, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation,