Thursday, April 16, 2026

Guest Opinion | Calmatters’ Dan Walters: Candidates for California Governor Ought to Get Serious About These Pressing Issues

By Dan Walters, CALMATTERS

Eric Swalwell’s abrupt departure from the campaign for governor due to revelations about sexual transgressions leaves nine men and women remaining as serious contenders for spots on the November ballot.

So far their campaigns have produced a scattershot of positions and promises that have only occasionally touched on California’s real world issues. However, by sheer coincidence, there’s been a recent flurry of think tank reports and articles on those issues that should be required reading for would-be governors and moderators of forums to question the candidates.

In no particular order:

The Public Policy Institute of California delved into the worrisome lack of academic achievement among in California’s public schools. It notes that in state tests just 49% of students met or exceeded state standards in English language and 37% in math.

Results of federal tests were even less satisfactory, with only 29% of fourth-graders and 28% of eighth-graders proficient in reading and 35% and 25%,

Thursday, April 16, 2026

New Eviction Rule Takes Effect in Altadena Today

Altadena renters now have a two-month Fair Market Rent cushion before landlords can begin nonpayment proceedings

A Los Angeles County ordinance taking effect Thursday raises the amount of unpaid rent a tenant must owe before a landlord can begin eviction proceedings for nonpayment, from one month to two months of HUD Fair Market Rent. The rule applies to rental units in unincorporated Los Angeles County, including Altadena. The City of Pasadena, which has its own rent-control framework under Measure H, is not covered.

The Board of Supervisors approved the change 4-1 on March 17, amending the county’s 2022 Rent Stabilization and Tenant Protections Ordinance. The 30-day waiting period expired today.

Under the new threshold, a landlord cannot serve a Notice of Termination for nonpayment until a tenant’s unpaid balance exceeds two months of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Fair Market Rent for the unit size — not the actual contract rent. For fiscal year 2026, HUD’s Fair Market Rent for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale metro area is $2,085 for a one-bedroom and $2,601 for a two-bedroom,

Thursday, April 16, 2026

Inflation Pressures, Energy Shocks and Housing Strain Complicate Economic Outlook

By EDDIE RIVERA

Gas prices surge, consumer confidence slips and Southern California homebuyers face a tightening vise as economic uncertainty lingers

A fresh burst of inflation, driven largely by volatile energy markets and geopolitical tensions, is rippling across the U.S. economy, complicating an already uneven recovery and deepening pressure on consumers—particularly in high-cost regions like Southern California.

The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows consumer prices jumped 0.9% in March, the sharpest monthly increase since mid-2022, pushing the annual inflation rate to 3.3%. The increase was driven primarily by energy costs, which surged following instability tied to the Iran conflict.

California drivers have felt the impact immediately. The average price for regular gasoline reached $5.89 per gallon as of April 12, according to state tracking data—about $1.20 higher than just six weeks earlier. While prices have eased slightly following a ceasefire announcement, economists warn that energy-driven inflation tends to move through the broader economy with delay.

Thursday, April 16, 2026

The Wiggle Waggle Walk & Run Returns to Brookside Park

Pasadena Humane’s Annual Community Fundraiser for the Animals is Sunday, April 19

Pasadena Humane’s 28th annual Wiggle Waggle Walk & Run takes place at Brookside Park at the Rose Bowl on Sunday, April 19, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. The community fundraiser promises an exciting day of fun for the whole family.

Wiggle Waggle Walk participants can opt for a 1-mile or 5k walk or run around the Rose Bowl. Following the Walk, attendees and their dogs return to Brookside Park to enjoy a vendor expo with giveaways for pets and people. The event also boasts a doggy costume contest, the “Sit, Stay and Play” Training Park, demonstrations by the Pasadena Police Department K9 unit, numerous food trucks, and more. Attendees do not need a dog to join the fun—just a desire to help animals.

This year, the organization hopes to raise funds for their live-saving programs like the animal ICU, foster care, the pet food pantry, the Helping Paws pet owner assistance program,

Thursday, April 16, 2026

Pasadena Urologist Among Physicians on Free Menopause Panel in South Pasadena April 23

The Woman’s Club of South Pasadena will host a free physician panel on perimenopause and menopause on Thursday, April 23, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the organization’s historic clubhouse, 1424 Fremont Ave. in South Pasadena. The event is open to the public.

The panel will feature Dr. Ashley Winter, a board-certified urologist who maintains a private practice in Pasadena, and Dr. Tara Nowakhtar, an OB-GYN and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner based in Los Angeles. According to the event page on the Woman’s Club website, the evening is billed as a physician-led conversation on navigating midlife hormonal changes.

Winter, who completed her medical degree at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and her urology residency at Weill Cornell Medical Center, holds a fellowship in sexual medicine. According to her professional profiles, she specializes in treating genitourinary syndrome of menopause — a condition involving urinary and vaginal symptoms tied to declining estrogen levels — as well as hormone therapy and sexual health across genders. Her Pasadena office is located on East Green Street.

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Supervisors Vote to Study Data Center Impacts — What It Means for Pasadena and Altadena

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a motion to study the health, environmental and community effects of data center development across the county — a decision with direct implications for Altadena and the broader Pasadena area.

The motion, authored by Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, directs multiple county departments to evaluate the potential risks posed by data centers and to develop best practices for regulating the facilities in unincorporated areas of the county. Because Altadena is an unincorporated community governed directly by the Board of Supervisors, the motion’s regulatory scope applies there in a way it does not in incorporated cities like Pasadena, which control their own zoning and land use.

“I have heard significant concerns from residents across the San Gabriel Valley as cities consider advancing hyperscale data center projects,” Solis said in a statement issued by her office. “While the County does not have direct jurisdiction over developments within city boundaries, we have deep expertise across departments that can help establish best practices in unincorporated areas.”

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Altadena Chamber Distributes $225,000 in Gift Cards to Fire Survivors as County Program Tops $300,000

More than 15 months after the Eaton Fire, the Shop Local LA County Gift Card Program reaches a funding milestone — with Altadena and Pasadena businesses among those still struggling to recover

The Altadena Chamber of Commerce has distributed $500 gift cards to 450 residents impacted by the Eaton Fire, directing roughly $225,000 in spending toward fire-affected small businesses in Altadena, Pasadena, and surrounding communities.

The distribution pushes the total funding generated through the Shop Local LA County Gift Card Program past $300,000, according to an announcement from the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose Fifth District includes both Altadena and Pasadena.

The cards — delivered electronically in mid-March through the county’s ShopLocal.LA platform — are redeemable only at verified small businesses listed in the county’s Recover Local Business Directory. Recipients were selected through a grant application process managed by the Altadena Chamber, with eligibility extended to anyone who lost a home, sustained property damage, or was displaced by the fire.

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

LitFest in the Dena Returns to Pasadena With Immigration Panel, Latine Literary Programming

The free literary festival LitFest in the Dena will open its 2026 program with a panel on immigrant communities and immigration enforcement when it returns May 1-2 to Pasadena Presbyterian Church, 585 E. Colorado Blvd.

The panel, titled “Speaking Truth to Power: Humanizing Immigrant Communities in the Time of ICE,” will feature four writers examining anti-immigrant sentiment through literature, according to a press release from the festival’s organizers. Panelists include Daniel Olivas, a California Department of Justice attorney and speculative fiction author who lives in Pasadena; Adolfo Guzman-Lopez, an arts and general assignment reporter at LAist and author of the recent collection California Southern; fiction writer and essayist Lisa Alvarez; and speculative fiction writer Pedro Iniguez. Thomas E. Backer, PhD, will moderate.

The festival’s 2026 theme is “Books That Changed the Public Narrative,” focused on literature that has shaped public discourse beyond the page, the press release states.

Now in its 14th year, LitFest in the Dena was founded in 2012 and historically held at the Mountain View Mausoleum in Altadena.

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Average LA County Gas Price Drops For Seventh Consecutive Day

By STEVEN HERBERT, City News Service

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County dropped Wednesday for the seventh consecutive day, decreasing six-tenths of a cent to $5.979.

The streak is the longest since a 13-day streak from Dec. 9-21, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. The average price has dropped 6.9 cents over the past seven days, including four- tenths of a cent on Tuesday.

The average price is 38.2 cents more than one month ago and $1.117 more than one year ago. It is 51.5 cents less than the record $6.494 set on Oct. 5, 2022.

Prices were rising slightly in line with seasonal norms before the joint U.S./Israel attack on Iran on Feb. 28 sent oil prices higher and drastically accelerated increases at the gas pump. Prices began to fall slightly after the announcement of a ceasefire on April 7, though subsequent peace talks in Pakistan failed to produce a deal.

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Pasadena Welcomes Goats for Earth Day Celebration

A unique, family-friendly event combines environmental education with sustainable wildfire prevention in the Arroyo Seco.

The City of Pasadena and the One Arroyo Foundation are set to host a distinctive Earth Day Celebration this Saturday, inviting the community to witness an innovative approach to landscape restoration and wildfire risk reduction. The highlight of the event will be the deployment of approximately 600 goats into the Arroyo Seco, where they will embark on a targeted grazing mission across 100 acres to clear invasive vegetation. This natural method not only helps protect the beloved Arroyo but also offers a fascinating spectacle for attendees of all ages.

This free, family-friendly event promises a day filled with engaging activities designed to educate and entertain. Visitors can look forward to a charming goat petting zoo, providing a hands-on experience with the four-legged environmentalists. Educational talks with the goat herder will offer insights into their crucial work, while interactive booths, art projects, and outdoor programming from local partners will further enrich the experience.