Tuesday, May 13, 2025

PAAASE Celebrates 21st Annual Rites Of Passage For African American High School Graduates

Community organizations award over $32,000 in scholarships to Pasadena Unified seniors

The Pasadena Alliance of African American School Educators (PAAASE) held its 21st Annual Rites of Passage Ceremony on Sunday, May 4 honoring African American 12th-grade students from across the Pasadena Unified School District. The celebration recognized students’ academic achievements while connecting them to cultural traditions and community elders through the symbolic presentation of kente cloths.

This tradition has become meaningful for the Pasadena community, serving as a bridge between generations.

“The Kente Stole presentation, a highlight of the ceremony, is described as a ‘passing of the torch’ and acknowledges the support of family, friends, and ancestors in the graduates’ achievements,” notes a Rutgers University description of a similar program.

Kente cloth is a handwoven textile originating from Ghana, made from silk and cotton threads woven into narrow strips, which are then sewn together to create larger cloths. Traditionally, kente cloth was reserved for royalty and worn during important ceremonies and special occasions.

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Young Sci-Fi Writers to be Honored at Vroman’s Bookstore Event

Celebrity Readings to Showcase LA County High School Students’ Short Stories

Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena will host the culminating event for the Omega Sci-Fi Project on Saturday, May 17, where emerging young writers will be celebrated for their science fiction stories addressing contemporary challenges.

The event, scheduled for 4-6 p.m., will feature celebrity readings of finalists’ stories selected for The Tomorrow Prize and The Green Feather Award, two competitions organized by the Light Bringer Project.

The Omega Sci-Fi Project describes its vision as opening doors for writers of all backgrounds to create unique stories that explore relationships between people, their world and the future. The project aims to empower young writers to contribute diverse perspectives to science fiction.

In February, the Tomorrow Prize invited Los Angeles County high school students to submit short science fiction stories that explore humanity’s challenges and spark creative solutions. Winners will receive cash prizes of $250, $150, and $100 for first, second, and third place,

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

Homeland Security Subpoenas County Agency for Info on State Immigrant Benefit Program

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Monday it issued a subpoena to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services as part of a probe into the state’s Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants to determine if people in the country illegally have been receiving benefits for which they are ineligible.

The program provides money to a select group of non-citizens — people who are over age 65, blind or disabled and are ineligible for Social Security benefits due to their immigration status.

“The Trump Administration is working together to identify abuse and exploitation of public benefits and make sure those in this country illegally are not receiving federal benefits or other financial incentives to stay illegally,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. “If you are an illegal immigrant, you should leave now. The gravy train is over. While this subpoena focuses only on Los Angeles County, it is just the beginning.”

The subpoena requested a wide array of information from the county DPSS,

Monday, May 12, 2025

Pasadena, PUSD to Receive Update on Jefferson Campus Joint-Use

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

The City Council and Pasadena Unified School District will receive an update Monday on their longstanding joint-use partnership at the Jefferson Elementary School campus, where a growing number of educational, recreational, and emergency services now operate under a shared agreement.

In March 2024, despite the appeals of scores of Longfellow Elementary School parents who packed a School Board meeting, the School Board voted 4-3 to temporarily relocate Longfellow students to Allendale Elementary while their campus undergoes renovations.

The update will outline the impact of a 2021 memorandum of understanding that gave the City access to most of the Jefferson campus, excluding the Child Development Center. Officials say the site has since become a cornerstone for community services.

Following the Eaton Fire, four preschool and special education classes were relocated to the campus beginning Jan. 31. The City reaffirmed its commitment to Pasadena Unified School District by accommodating those students while continuing to offer programs through four City departments: Library,

Monday, May 12, 2025

Pasadena Unified to Provide Eaton Fire Recovery Update on Monday

By Andrè Coleman, Managing Editor

The City Council and the Pasadena Unified School District Board on Monday will hear an update on the school district’s recovery efforts after the devastating Eaton Fire.

The fire destroyed thousands of buildings in Altadena and impacted buildings in Pasadena, destroyed five schools within the Pasadena Unified School District, displacing approximately 1,500 students and disrupting education for thousands more.

Eliot Arts Magnet Middle School, Franklin Elementary School (closed since 2020), and three charter schools: Aveson, Odyssey, and Pasadena Rosebud Academy were decimated by the fire. Additionally, St. Mark’s School and Pasadena Waldorf School, both private schools, suffered significant damage.

In response, Pasadena Unified School District initiated a phased reopening plan, aimed at returning all students to schools by the end of January. The initial phase included reopening Hamilton Elementary, Willard Elementary, San Rafael Elementary, Blair Middle School, Rose City High School, and CIS Academy, pending environmental safety clearances.

To accommodate displaced students,

Sunday, May 11, 2025

Altadena Future Fair, Focused on Community Rebuilding, Wraps Sunday

Final day offers resources for residents recovering from devastating January wildfire

Today the Altadena Future Fair concludes its two-day run today at the Pasadena Convention Center, offering free community resources to help residents rebuild after the catastrophic Eaton Fire. The fair, operating from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., brings together architects, builders, innovative materials vendors, mental health providers, and local businesses to support the thousands of residents displaced by the January disaster.

“Our goal is to ensure that every resident has the resources, support, and community strength to recover and thrive after this disaster,” said Toni Raines, Host of “Toni Talks” and Systems Consultant at Altadena Talks Foundation.

Today’s fair showcases vendors specializing in fire-resilient building materials, including non-combustible insulation, lightweight concrete alternatives, solar energy systems, and fire-rated windows and roofing.

The event also offers workshops, speakers, a locals market for businesses that lost physical locations, and a dedicated kids room.

Community support remains a central focus of the fair.

Friday, May 9, 2025

City Council, School Board to Address Eaton Fire Recovery Efforts

Joint meeting will also tackle affordable housing plans for educators and Jefferson Campus use

Pasadena city government and school district officials will meet next week to coordinate recovery efforts stemming from the Eaton Fire, which has affected both city infrastructure and school operations.

The Pasadena City Council and Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) Board of Education will hold a special joint meeting on Monday, May 12, at 6:15 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chamber to discuss pressing issues facing the community, with the fire recovery taking center stage.

The five-item agenda indicates officials will discuss their “partnership, coordinated response, and recovery efforts related to the Eaton Fire” as item 2.

The joint session will provide updates on the partnership between the City and PUSD regarding the joint use of Jefferson Campus.

Item 4 will cover affordable housing initiatives for PUSD teachers and staff. This discussion will include an overview of funding available from Measures R and EE,

Friday, May 9, 2025

“Not in Our Lifetime”: Pasadena Catholic Clergy Stunned by Historic Selection of First American Pope

Just one day after telling a parishioner an American pope wouldn’t happen “in our lifetime,” Fr. Tony Gomez of Pasadena’s St. Philip the Apostle Church found himself stunned by the historic election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, the first American to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics in the Church’s 2,000-year history

The historic election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope in the Catholic Church’s 2,000-year history, has sent shockwaves through Pasadena’s Catholic community, with local clergy expressing astonishment at a development they never expected to witness.

Three Catholic priests from Pasadena parishes have shared their initial reactions and hopes following the election of Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV on May 8, 2025. Their responses capture the historic significance of the first American pope and the unexpected speed of the conclave’s decision after just two days of deliberation.

This papal election represents a watershed moment for American Catholics and the global Church.

Friday, May 9, 2025

Transmission Tower in Eaton Canyon Removed by So Cal Edison

CITY NEWS SERVICE

A transmission tower suspected of starting the Eaton Fire in January has been removed by Southern California Edison and the parts are being moved to a warehouse Thursday to be tested in a lab.

A helicopter lifted a part of a transmission tower out of Eaton Canyon on Wednesday, footage from ABC 7 shows, and a second part of the tower was moved about an hour later.

“This is all part of an effort to get as much information as we can to have a thorough and transparent investigation into the cause of the Eaton Fire,” Dave Eisenhauer of Southern California Edison told Eyewitness News.

Multiple lawsuits have been filed against Southern California Edison with the transmission tower at the center of the filings.

Los Angeles County, the cities of Pasadena and Sierra Madre and many Altadena homeowners are among those suing Edison for being responsible for the fires starting.

The Eaton Fire started Jan.

Friday, May 9, 2025

Other States Are Showing California How To Protect Its Budget Without Cutting Needed Services

By Chris Hoene, CALMATTERS

As California leaders and advocates enter prime budget negotiations, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s revised proposal may soon provide clarity, revealing an expected shortfall and a lot of uncertainty driven by federal leaders.

At the same time, Californians are facing real and growing needs, driven by rising housing costs, persistent inflation and new pressures like tariffs.

We’re also still waiting to see what happens with the federal budget, as Congress and the president make it a priority to cut health care, food and other vital benefits, while spending billions on tax cuts for the rich.

Newsom’s May revision must reflect the urgency that Californians are feeling. This is not the time to pit programs and people against each other. It is time for leaders to put people first and advance a vision for California that lies in stark contrast to that of federal leaders.