Sunday, May 18, 2025

County Touts Rebuilt, Rejuvenated, Reinvigorated Loma Alta As A “Super Park”

Officials talk expanded services and partnerships that extend far beyond traditional recreation offerings

Los Angeles County officially reopened Loma Alta Park on May 17 as what officials are calling a “super park,” emphasizing how the post-Eaton Fire reconstruction has transformed the Altadena facility into something far beyond a traditional recreation space. The designation reflects the park’s expanded role as a community hub offering services typically found across multiple government facilities, from senior care to mental health support.

“Loma Alta Park is a vital gathering place where our community can come together, especially in times of healing,” said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger.

“After the trauma of the Eaton Fire, having a space to reconnect, rebuild relationships, and support one another is incredibly important. Parks like Loma Alta help restore not only our physical surroundings, but our sense of belonging. Social connection is essential to recovery, and this reopening is a meaningful step forward for Altadena.”

The “super park”

Sunday, May 18, 2025

Nonprofit Offers Free Expert Insurance Advice To Eaton Fire Survivors

United Policyholders schedules support events to guide wildfire victims through the recovery process

United Policyholders, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocating for insurance consumers, is offering free assistance to survivors of the Eaton Fire. The independent organization has scheduled two upcoming events designed to help wildfire victims navigate insurance claims and explore housing options during their recovery journey.

“We’re rooting for you,” said Amy Bach, Executive Director of United Policyholders, emphasizing the organization’s commitment to supporting disaster survivors.

United Policyholders operates independently, accepting no funding from insurance companies.

The first event, a monthly ‘Survivor to Survivor Forum,’ will take place Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. This informal online discussion group connects wildfire survivors with trained volunteers who have experienced similar situations in previous disasters. The forum provides a safe space for sharing experiences and problem-solving with others currently navigating recovery. Interested participants can register at uphelp.org/May20.

A second event, scheduled for Wednesday, June 11,

Sunday, May 18, 2025

PUSD Trustee Harden to Host Public Education Funding Forum on Tuesday

Scott Harden, Pasadena Unified School District Board Trustee for District 4, will host a community forum titled “Public Education Funding 101″ on Tuesday at James Madison Elementary School. The event aims to educate families and supporters about how public schools are funded and to discuss strategies for advocating for public schools amid financial challenges facing the district.

“As you’re aware, this year has been a volatile one for our state and national economy, but also for our public schools as well,” said Harden in an email.

“On top of experiencing disruption and loss from our recent Eaton fire, our local Pasadena Unified schools have had to make painful, significant cuts to teaching and staff positions that threaten the programs and services our students have come to rely on.”

The forum will take place May 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium of James Madison Elementary School, located at 515 E Ashtabula St, Pasadena. Refreshments and Spanish interpretation will be provided for attendees.

Harden,

Sunday, May 18, 2025

Altadena’s Loma Alta Park Reopens

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

Altadena took a major step forward on Saturday when Loma Alta Park reopened just less than five months after significant renovations due to damage caused by the Eaton Fire.

“After the trauma of the Eaton Fire, having a space to reconnect, rebuild relationships, and support one another is incredibly important,” said LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents Altadena and Pasadena.

“Parks like Loma Alta help restore not only our physical surroundings, but our sense of belonging. Social connection is essential to recovery, and this reopening is a meaningful step forward for Altadena.”

Parts of the park were damaged by one of the deadliest fires in the state’s history. At least eighteen people were killed in the Eaton Fire in January.

The fire also destroyed 9,400 buildings and scorched 14,000 acres.

A FireAid benefit concert provided a grant of $2.4 million to help rebuild the two fire-damaged playgrounds as part of their “Symbols of Hope”

Sunday, May 18, 2025

Newsom, Legislature Seek Further Crackdown on Homeless Encampments

By Lynn La, CALMATTERS

As Gov. Gavin Newsom pushes local governments to do more about removing homeless encampments across California, one of the state’s own agencies is being accused of not doing enough to clear illegal campsites, writes CalMatters’ Marisa Kendall.

On Monday the governor issued a “model ordinance” that cities and counties should use to clear encampments. These guidelines include banning persistent camping (or more than three days) in one location, banning encampments that block sidewalks and more. Newsom also said the state would release $3.3 billion to “communities statewide” to combat homelessness. The money comes from the $6.4 billion Proposition 1 that voters narrowly approved in March of last year.

Though the governor can’t force local governments to adopt the ordinance, his request that they do so follows an executive order he issued last summer directing state agencies, including the California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, to remove encampments. The agency is tasked to build and maintain highways,

Saturday, May 17, 2025

In Altadena, a Park’s Rebirth: Loma Alta Reopens Saturday

[Updated]   The fruits of a community mobilization that drew widespread attention and support will be harvested today when Loma Alta Park reopens with a day-long celebration, welcoming back Altadena residents despite earlier predictions that recovery from the Eaton Fire’s effects would take a year and a half. 

County officials, partnering with sports foundations and directing thousands of volunteers, managed to compact the recovery timeline to about 3 months, in the process creating an expanded community hub with new baseball fields, basketball courts,  Alta CHAT (a new community gathering area), a new computer and tech room, a new senior center and more.

The expedited restoration, financed primarily through $2.4 million from the January 30, 2025, Fire Aid benefit concert, represents one of the fastest public space recoveries in Los Angeles County history. 

More than 2,000 registered volunteers contributed weekends throughout April to restore the once-charred landscape. They arrived in waves, about 500 each Saturday, many coming from neighboring municipalities that were spared by the wildfires,

Saturday, May 17, 2025

Dodgers Foundation to Unveil Two New Fields at Loma Alta Park Today at Reopening Events

The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, in collaboration with the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation, will unveil two refurbished baseball fields Saturday, May 17, at Loma Alta Park, as the first park in Altadena affected by the recent Eaton Fire reopens.

The $400,000 project delivers Dodgers Dreamfields 66 and 67, creating safe recreational spaces for children ages 5-12 in an area where the fire forced the park’s closure.

“To partner on the reopening of the first park after the devastating Eaton Fire is an honor for us at the Dodgers Foundation,” said Nichol Whiteman, CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. “We’re not just building fields — we’re helping to restore a space where joy, connection, and community can flourish once again…”

The May 17 ceremony will begin at noon today and feature remarks from Whiteman, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Director of Los Angeles County Parks Norma E. García-González, Play Equity Fund President Renata Simril, and additional partners and sponsors.

Saturday, May 17, 2025

Altadena Roadway Remains Closed for Repair of Fire-Damaged Bridge

A stretch of Lincoln Avenue in Altadena remained closed Saturday while county crews worked to repair a bridge that was damaged in the Eaton Fire and has continued to degrade.

The roadway was closed Wednesday between Altadena Drive and Palm Street after inspectors noted new cracking and other damage on the bridge. The bridge had already been given a 7-ton weight restriction after the Eaton Fire in January, but the new damage necessitated the closure so repairs can be made.

“Public safety is our top priority,” Mark Pestrella, director of Los Angeles County Public Works, said in a statement. “We appreciate the community’s patience and understanding as we work urgently to install a temporary bridge that will restore full access to the roadway and support ongoing recovery efforts in the area.”

The closure will likely last through the summer months, with a temporary bridge expected to be in place by the end of September. Motorists were being advised to plan ahead and avoid the area.

Friday, May 16, 2025

Pasadena Unified School District Offers Free Summer Meals Program

Program provides nutritious breakfasts and lunches for all area children 18 and under

The Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) will provide free meals to children and youth throughout the summer months as part of the 2025 Summer Food Program.

The program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and PUSD’s Food and Nutrition Services Department, will offer free breakfasts and lunches to all children 18 years old and younger at various locations across Pasadena, Altadena, and Sierra Madre.

No registration is required to participate in the program, and children do not need to be enrolled in PUSD schools to receive meals.

The summer food initiative is operated by PUSD in conjunction with the city of Pasadena and other organizations.

According to PUSD, the USDA’s Free Summer Meals program ensures children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. Parents can bring their children to any of the community feeding sites to receive free breakfast and lunch.

Friday, May 16, 2025

Pet-Owning Renters Face Housing Challenges After LA Wildfires

Housing crisis intensifies for displaced residents with animal companions

When the Eaton fire destroyed Katie Clark’s Altadena apartment in January, she lost more than just her home of 15 years. She and her husband joined thousands of renters suddenly competing for housing in an already challenging Los Angeles market, with an additional complication: their terrier, Ginger.

“There’s not a world in which we can go someplace without our dog. She’s part of our family,” Clark, an active member of the Altadena Tenants Union, said in an interview with Yes! magazine.

The Eaton and Palisades fires burned 37,000 acres around Los Angeles earlier this year, destroying nearly 17,000 structures and forcing numerous renters into a rental market that Clark describes as “unbelievably hostile under the best of circumstances.”

After a brief hotel stay, Clark’s family found housing in Pomona, about 40 minutes from Altadena. Despite the distance, Clark maintains strong ties to her community. “I don’t think of myself as leaving Altadena,”