Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Union Station Homeless Services Launches Turkey Drive to Feed Families This Thanksgiving

STAFF REPORT

Union Station Homeless Services (USHS) is calling on the community to help collect 975 frozen turkeys for families in need this Thanksgiving, as part of its long-running Dinner in the Park tradition.

The Turkey Drive will take place Nov. 17 and 18 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the USHS Adult Center, 412 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. Donations of frozen turkeys will help ensure thousands of residents across the San Gabriel Valley can enjoy a holiday meal amid rising food insecurity.

USHS leaders say the need is greater than ever, with millions of Californians losing access to SNAP benefits and food prices continuing to climb. Last year, the nonprofit served more than 6,000 Thanksgiving meals, and demand is expected to double in 2025.

“The loss of SNAP support doesn’t just impact individual households,” said Katie Hill, CEO of Union Station Homeless Services. “It increases food insecurity for entire neighborhoods and communities. We need everyone’s help to make sure that no plate is left empty this Thanksgiving.”

In addition to the Turkey Drive,

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Colorado River Talks Hit Crunch Time. What’s At Stake For California Water?

By Rachel Becker, CALMATTERS

The clock is ticking down to a federal deadline Tuesday for California and six other Western states to reach the broad strokes of a deal portioning out supplies from the parched Colorado River.

Officials at the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the federal stewards for the river under the Department of the Interior, have threatened to impose their own plan if the states can’t agree how to manage the river after 2026, when the river’s current rulebook expires.

Dire projections that another dry year could send the basin’s major reservoirs plummeting to alarmingly low levels have ramped up the urgency, and the tensions.

But, after two years of fraught negotiations, the states remain at an impasse. Those in the river’s lower basin — California, Arizona, and Nevada — are clashing with Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico upstream. A key point of contention is how much each basin must scale back their use of the overtapped river as climate change further squeezes supplies.

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Pasadena Unified’s $30.5 Million Savings Plan to Steady Its Finances Would Reach Classrooms, Offices and Playing Fields

STAFF REPORT

At a Nov. 13 special meeting, district staff will present a Fiscal Stabilization Plan that assembles $30,498,314 in savings toward a required $30–$35 million target, with the largest share coming from campus-level reductions ranked by a representative advisory committee

The Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education will review a fiscal stabilization plan Thursday that identifies $30.5 million in budget reductions and new revenue, meeting the Los Angeles County Office of Education’s financial requirement to cut $30 million to $35 million to avoid state intervention.

The proposed plan combines $25 million in spending cuts with approximately $5.6 million in new revenue and grant funding, according to a 105-page presentation released Monday afternoon. The board will discuss the proposals at a study session Thursday and is scheduled to vote Nov. 20 on which measures to implement.

The county office conditionally approved PUSD’s 2024-25 budget and has set a Dec. 15 deadline for the district to submit a first interim financial report demonstrating progress toward fiscal solvency.

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Post-Fire Dashboard Adds Blood Lead Testing Results for LA County Residents

Multiple agencies expand environmental monitoring as cleanup continues in Eaton, Palisades fire zones

Health officials in Los Angeles County are now tracking blood lead levels in residents affected by Southern California wildfires. The data appears on an updated dashboard prepared by USGS.

The Los Angeles County Post-Fire Air, Soil, and Water Assessment Dashboard includes blood lead monitoring results through October 2025. The information comes from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

USGS summarized eight key updates since mid-September. The updates cover testing in both the Eaton and Palisades fire areas.

Chapman University conducted residential soil testing from February through April, Caballero wrote. Researchers tested lead levels in soil from 20 properties in and around the Eaton Fire area.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers monitors air quality daily around cleanup sites. Testing occurs in both fire zones.

Multiple agencies contributed results. They include the California Department of Public Health, UCSF,

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Amid School District Budget Crisis, Community Weighs Options at PUSD Town Hall

By EDDIE RIVERA

Deadline for plan to reduce $30-35 million in spending is approaching quickly

The Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) held its second Budget Town Hall on Monday evening at Pasadena High School, drawing students, parents, staff, and community members to discuss the district’s ongoing fiscal challenges and potential solutions.

The meeting was the last community meeting before the District knuckles down to discussing the specifics of the fiscal stability plan it must finalize quickly and ultimately to the LA County Office of Education (LACOE), which oversees the district’s financial fate and future.

“Tonight’s discussion addresses critical financial challenges facing our district,” said  G. Alpert, Executive Director of Collaborate PASadena, emphasizing the importance of community engagement in navigating the budget crisis.

Board President Jennifer Hall-Lee outlined the district’s fiscal situation: declining enrollment, the depletion of one-time COVID-19 relief funds, and rising costs. She noted that PUSD must submit a Board-approved Fiscal Stabilization Plan (FSP) by December 5 which identifies $30 to $35 million in reduced spending.

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Free Transportation Fair Offers Lifetime Metro Rides Package to Eaton Fire Victims

Event provides mobility solutions, including 20 free monthly rides for life

Residents impacted by the Eaton Fire can register for lifetime free Metro rides at a transportation expo this week.

The OnTheGo Expo takes place Thursday, Nov. 13, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Robinson Park Recreation Center in Pasadena. Admission is free.

Metro For Life offers 20 free rides per month for life across all bus and rail lines. Metro for Life refers to the LIFE (Low Income Fare is Easy) Program, a Metro transit discount initiative that provides free or reduced-cost rides for qualifying low-income residents.

The program is available to fire-impacted residents and Pasadena community members.

Pasadena Village is hosting the event at 1081 N. Fair Oaks Ave. The expo connects attendees with businesses and organizations offering transportation solutions.

Options include rideshare services, public transit, e-bikes and delivery programs.

Other free or discounted services available at registration include ActiveSGV’s reduced e-bike rentals.

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

L.A. County Supervisors to Consider Immigration Emergency Declaration

Board to vote on unprecedented use of emergency powers

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will consider declaring a local emergency in response to federal immigration enforcement actions at Tuesday’s meeting, an extraordinary use of emergency powers that could position the nation’s most populous county in direct confrontation with federal authorities.

The proposed proclamation would formally declare that federal immigration policies constitute “conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons” in Los Angeles County, according to the meeting agenda. The declaration could unlock special county powers and resources while making an explicit policy statement affecting the county’s 10 million residents.

The immigration item headlines an agenda that includes more than $500 million in behavioral health and infrastructure commitments and establishment of a tax-increment financing district for rebuilding fire-ravaged Altadena.

The emergency declaration provides few operational details in publicly available materials. The timing suggests a response to recent Trump Administration immigration policies. Emergency declarations typically allow expedited procurement and expanded executive authority.

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Rose Bowl Turkey Trot Returns Thanksgiving Morning to Support Fire Recovery Efforts

While many Pasadenans will be cooking turkeys and settling in to watch football on Thanksgiving morning, thousands of others will be lacing up their running shoes instead, hitting the pavement for the eighth annual Rose Bowl Turkey Trot.

The 5K race, set for Thursday, Nov. 27 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Rose Bowl Stadium, invites families, friends, and even pets to circle the stadium’s 3.1-mile recreational loop. Organizers said all entry fees are 100% tax-deductible and will benefit the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, which preserves and enhances the historic venue.

This year’s trot also partners with the Pasadena Unified School District through the Pasadena Educational Foundation’s Eaton Fire Response, providing financial assistance to those affected by the recent blaze.

Registration costs $41.28 for adults, $35.98 for ages 10 to 17, and is free for children under 9. Bib pickup begins at 6:30 a.m. on race day, with early pickup available Nov. 26 from noon to 5 p.m. in Lot K.

Participants will receive a race bib and medal,

Monday, November 10, 2025

Two Fire Survivors Elected to Altadena Town Council

In a historic Altadena Town Council election held on November 1, 4, and 8 that required in-person paper ballots despite widespread displacement of the voting constitutents, two political newcomers who are both Eaton Fire survivors won decisive victories to help lead their community’s recovery.

Morgan Z Whirledge, a music composer who lost his home and studio, and Anton Anderson, whose multi-generational family saw 16 of 20 homes destroyed, were among eight councilmembers elected with a record-breaking 890 total votes cast across all census tracts—the highest turnout in council history.

Whirledge will represent Tract 4601 and Anderson Tract 4610 as they take office in December at a critical moment: nearly a year after the deadliest Los Angeles County wildfire since 1933, most residents remain displaced, insurance money is running out, and the community faces a decade-long rebuilding process that will test whether this historically diverse enclave can preserve its character while rising from the ashes.

“It’s not just many —  it’s most. 

Monday, November 10, 2025

Local Veterans Among Recipients in Progressive’s Nationwide Vehicle Giveaway

The insurance company’s annual program supports veterans with donated vehicles in more than 65 cities

In a show of support for military veterans ahead of Veterans Day, Progressive Insurance hosted its 13th annual Keys to Progress® vehicle giveaway on Nov. 6, distributing 100 vehicles to veterans, their families, and veteran-focused organizations across the country—including recipients in Pasadena.

The event, held in more than 65 cities across 47 states, aims to provide reliable transportation to help veterans access employment, medical care, and community services. Pasadena was among the California cities selected, alongside Sacramento and San Diego, according to a company statement.

Since its inception in 2013, the Keys to Progress® program has donated over 1,200 vehicles nationwide. “At Progressive, we believe mobility creates opportunity. Keys to Progress® isn’t just about donating cars, it’s about helping veterans and their families regain independence, stability and the ability to move forward with confidence,” said Tricia Griffith, president and CEO of Progressive. “Thirteen years in, the impact we’ve seen reminds us why this program matters so deeply.”

John Murphy,