Wednesday, November 19, 2025

LA County Looks to Compel Telecom Firms to Underground Infrastructure

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The county Board of Supervisors instructed its staff Tuesday to initiate efforts aimed at requiring telecommunications companies to underground their infrastructure in the Santa Monica Mountains as a fire- prevention measure.

The board action directed staff to move forward with proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission to address the issue in communities such as Topanga, Las Flores and others.

“Undergrounding utilities is essential to preventing wildfires and protecting our communities,” Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath said in a statement after the vote. “Fire season is here now, and our residents cannot wait for safer infrastructure. Undergrounding telecommunications reduces fire risks, keeps evacuation routes clear, and strengthens the systems our communities rely on every day. Through today’s action, we will work with the CPUC to require the urgent action our communities deserve. We owe it to fire survivors to build infrastructure that keeps them safe.”

According to Horvath’s office, Southern California Edison has been making “significant progress”

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Pasadena Senator Defends SB 805 Amid Trump Administration Lawsuit

State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, who represents Pasadena and surrounding communities, issued a statement Tuesday defending SB 805, the No Vigilantes Act, in response to what she described as a lawsuit by the Trump Administration challenging the law’s constitutionality.

Pérez, a Democrat and chair of the Senate Education Committee, authored SB 805 to require law enforcement officers operating in California to display identification and to prohibit bounty hunters from engaging in immigration enforcement. In a press release issued by her office, Pérez said the law was designed to curb impersonations of law enforcement and protect vulnerable communities from vigilante actions.

“As the author of SB 805, the No Vigilantes Act, California took aggressive action to counter the chaos and confusion being unleashed on our streets by the Trump Administration’s cruel and fascist immigration enforcement,” Pérez said in the statement. “Nameless, faceless and aggressive agents acting as law enforcement led to a rise in cases of people impersonating police in order to prey on innocent and vulnerable people.”

She added that “California,

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Group of Community Organizations to Host “The State of Black Dena” Event in Altadena on Friday

A coalition of local organizations and community partners will host “The State of Black Dena,” a community gathering focused on Black life in Pasadena and Altadena, on Friday, Nov. 21, from 6 to 10 p.m. at 540 W. Woodbury Road in Altadena.

The event will convene residents, stakeholders and civic leaders for strategic dialogue, cultural celebration and collective visioning. Designed as a space to honor the past, confront the present and co-create the future, organizers say the evening is rooted in equity, resilience and collective well-being.

Programming will center on three themes:

• “Strategy for Our Future Community” — Exploring long-term goals, opportunities and initiatives that uplift and empower the Black community.
• “Honesty About Our Present Recovery” — Addressing current challenges, including economic recovery, community health and social equity with transparency and intention.
• “Celebration of Our Past Legacy” — Honoring the rich history, contributions and cultural roots that have shaped Black life in Pasadena and Altadena.

“This gathering is about collective power,” organizers said in a statement.

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Five Altadena Businesses Reopening With Major Fanfare On Saturday

“Rising Together” celebration at Mariposa Junction, frustrated by rain last weekend, all set for November 22

Five small businesses will celebrate their grand reopening on Saturday, November 22, marking one of Altadena’s first major community gatherings since the Eaton Fire.

The “Rising Together” celebration at Mariposa Junction, at 849 E. Mariposa Street in Altadena, represents a milestone for businesses that have continued when most did not. Nearly 1,900 small businesses within the fire burn zones were destroyed or displaced, supporting roughly 11,400 jobs. Economic losses from the fire reached $24 billion to $42 billion, according to early estimates from UCLA researchers.

Tyler Wells will officially cut the ribbon on Betsy’s Restaurant, which he reopened earlier on Friday, August 30, after renaming it for his mother. The restaurant had operated as Bernee for only 31 nights before the Eaton Fire exploded. Wells’ home burned to the ground, though his restaurant survived.

“Altadena always openly welcomed me, and I want to be part of the healing to help shape whatever comes next,”

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Pasadena Public Health Cautions Against Use of Kratom and 7-OH Products

The Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD) recommends avoiding products that contain kratom and the synthetic kratom compound known as 7-Hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), following the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health’s advisory. Recently, six overdose deaths in Los Angeles County among people aged 18 to 40 years old have been tied to 7-OH ingestion. There have not been any confirmed deaths tied to 7-OH ingestion in Pasadena.

7?OH is being synthetically concentrated into unregulated edibles sold in gas stations, smoke shops, and online across LA County. These products are marketed as “plant alkaloids” or dietary supplements for pain, anxiety, mood, withdrawal, or energy, and may appear as tablets, gummies, drink mixes, or concentrated liquid shots. Since 7-OH concentration levels for products are unknown, overdose risk is high. Consumers who use 7-OH products are exposed to products that have not been proven safe or effective.

“The safest choice is to avoid all 7-OH products,” said Dr. Parveen Kaur, Acting Health Officer. “At low doses, 7?OH acts as a stimulant;

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Disney to Help Re-Imagine, Re-Build Charles White Park in Altadena

The Walt Disney Co. announced Monday it will invest $5 million for the reopening of Altadena’s Charles White Park, which was heavily damaged in the Eaton Fire, with the company’s “Imagineers” designing a playground and other features “infused with Disney magic.”

The funds are part of a $15 million commitment the company has made for fire recovery efforts, according to Disney.

“Los Angeles has been home to The Walt Disney Company since its founding more than a century ago, which is why we felt a special responsibility to help this community rebuild in the aftermath of the devastating wildfires earlier this year,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement. “I’m incredibly proud of our Imagineers who are volunteering their time and talents to help reimagine cherished public spaces like Charles White Park. Their work is not only a testament to Disney’s creative spirit, but also to our deep commitment to our neighbors throughout this region. We hope this effort brings comfort, joy, and a sense of renewal to the Altadena community for years to come.”

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Schiff, Chu Visit Altadena Recovery Hub, Urge Federal Support for Pasadena-Area Wildfire Survivors

U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff and Rep. Judy Chu toured a community-led recovery center in Altadena last week, calling for expanded federal aid to support Pasadena-area residents displaced by recent wildfires in the San Gabriel Mountains.

The Nov. 14 visit to The Collaboratory, a hub for long-term recovery services, included a roundtable with survivors, local organizers, and leaders from the Pasadena Job Center and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. The event was co-hosted by NDLON and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, known as CHIRLA.

Schiff praised the center’s model as “a beacon of hope and a model for community-led recovery,” according to a Nov. 17 press release from his office. “We know that climate change is making fires more frequent and more intense, and we must ensure that communities like Altadena and Pasadena get the support they need to recover and rebuild.”

Chu emphasized the importance of equitable access to federal disaster relief. “We must ensure that federal disaster relief is accessible to everyone,

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Jackson Elementary Honors Ruby Bridges With Walk of Courage Day

The event celebrated courage, inclusion, belonging and civic engagement through art, storytelling and literacy

Pasadena Unified’s Mary W. Jackson STEAM Multilingual Magnet Elementary School hosted Ruby Bridges Walk of Courage Day on Thursday, Nov. 13, spotlighting the civil rights icon’s legacy and the importance of safe, inclusive learning environments.

Funded by a grant from the Ruby Bridges Foundation, the event invited students to reflect on Bridges’ historic role in integrating an all-white elementary school in Louisiana in 1960 at age six. Her story served as a foundation for campus-wide activities exploring courage, justice and community action.

Students participated in a walk-through storytelling installation featuring large art panels that illustrated key moments from Bridges’ journey. Parent volunteers and student leaders read stories about Bridges in classrooms, linking literacy with themes of social justice and personal bravery.

A schoolwide chalk art path symbolized Bridges’ “steps of courage,” with students adding inspiring words and illustrations. Each student also created a “Flag of Hope” pennant with messages of bravery,

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

Guest Opinion | Jonathan Gardner President, United Teachers of Pasadena: Not Just a Budget Crisis – PUSD Has a Values Crisis

The Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) Board of Education finds itself in the position of needing to trim roughly $30 million from its annual budget. Unfortunately, its approach to these cuts is utterly backwards and self-defeating.

School districts exist to educate students. Thus, even in times of financial distress, the classroom learning experience should be valued and protected above all else. Instead, the PUSD Board of Education appears determined to carry on its tradition of underfunding school sites while insulating the Central Office from cuts—according to proposals, the absolute maximum that would be cut from Central Offices would be $5 million while the absolute minimum that would be cut from schools would be $18 million. What would these upside-down priorities look like in practice? Here are but a few examples:

1. HURTING OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS. Students at Rose City High School would lose their CTE Business Principles teacher. For these students, this class is not only a graduation requirement but also a crucial link to career readiness.

Monday, November 17, 2025

Altadena Family Files Wrongful Death Suit Over Eaton Fire

Attorneys for LA Fire Justice announced Monday that they have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Southern California Edison, Edison International and Genasys Inc. on behalf of Geraldine “Gerry” Darden, whose sister Stacey Darden was among 19 people killed in January’s Eaton Fire.

The suit alleges corporate negligence led to the blaze that devastated Altadena, Pasadena and Sierra Madre.

Gerry Darden, speaking in a statement released by LA Fire Justice, said her family struggled with the decision.

“We are not litigious. Our family thought long and hard about the decision to file a lawsuit. Edison started this fire, and Genasys never warned her that she was in danger. My sister was studiously following the evacuation orders the night of the Eaton Fire. The truth is that if these companies had done what they were supposed to do, Stacey would be alive today.”

LA Fire Justice said its legal team was the first to identify an abandoned transmission line as the source of the fire,