Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Four Men Charged in Eaton Fire Looting Back in Court Wednesday

A judge will set a preliminary hearing date on Wednesday for four men charged with burglarizing an Altadena home and stealing an Emmy Award while residents fled the Eaton Fire in January.

Roy Sims, 18, Ryan Sims, 19, Naquan Dewey Reddix, 22, and Pierre Obannon, 19, face first-degree residential burglary charges for allegedly entering the evacuated home Jan. 8.

The hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. in Department D of the Pasadena Courthouse, 300 E. Walnut St.

Prosecutors allege the four men entered the home during mandatory evacuations and stole multiple items, including an Emmy Award belonging to the resident.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrested the suspects the same day.

The charges represent an escalation from the initial booking charges. Three of the defendants were initially booked on suspicion of grand theft during a state of emergency, while Obannon was booked on suspicion of second-degree burglary during a state of emergency.

“These crimes are appalling and represent a direct attack on our community during a time of unprecedented loss and vulnerability,”

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Fellowship Program Targets Young Black Artists Hit by Eaton Fire

A new fellowship will provide $1,500 stipends and professional training to eight young Black artists affected by January’s devastating Eaton Fire, organizers announced this week.

The Freedom Futures Collective, working with The Black Hive at the Movement for Black Lives, created the eight-week program for artists ages 18 to 26 in Los Angeles County who were directly affected by the blaze that destroyed large sections of Altadena.

“This summer fellowship program will center Black communities impacted by the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles, California with a targeted focus on historically Black neighborhoods in Altadena,” program documents show.

The Black Futures on Earth fellowship runs June 14 through August 7, requiring eight work hours weekly. Fellows will receive studio space, art materials and training on climate justice and community organizing while creating works for “The Soul of Altadena,” a traveling exhibition scheduled to open in spring 2026.

Priority goes to artists living in Altadena and Pasadena, though any Los Angeles County resident affected by the fire can apply.

Monday, May 26, 2025

Ceremony Will Pay Tribute to Hundreds of Civil War Veterans Buried at Altadena Cemetery

Annual event at Mountain View Cemetery draws residents to commemorate Union and Confederate soldiers who helped settle Southern California

The Pasadena Civil War Round Table will hold its annual Memorial Day ceremony today at 2:00 p.m. at Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena, honoring more than 600 Civil War veterans buried on the historic grounds.

The ceremony takes place at the cemetery located at 2400 North Fair Oaks Avenue, where both Union and Confederate soldiers are buried alongside notable figures, including Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman and Superman actor George Reeves.

“For many years, the Pasadena Civil War Round Table has held a Memorial Day Ceremony to commemorate the lives of the over 600 Civil War veterans, blue and gray, who are buried at Mountain View Cemetery,” the group said in its website announcement.

Civil War Round Table President Nick Smith will lead walking tours during the ceremony, while local historian and Civil War Round Table member Michele Zack will speak about the Brown Family graves.

Monday, May 26, 2025

Juneteenth Event in Pasadena to Support Fire-Affected Families, Promote Wellness and Community Healing

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

My TRIBE Rise will hold its annual Juneteenth event from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 14 at Metropolitan Baptist Church, 2283 N. Fair Oaks Ave.

Event organizers say they hope to foster resilience and healing following the devastating Eaton Canyon fire which destroyed large parts of the community, while celebrating Juneteenth through education, wellness, and local empowerment.

The gathering will focus on unity through community connections, healing practices, and support for families and students impacted by the blaze.

A centerpiece of the event is the My TRIBE Rise Academic Scholarship Program, which will distribute $50,000 in scholarships to Pasadena Unified School District high school seniors who were impacted by the fire. Eligible graduates, and students earning a GED, are encouraged to apply.

The celebration will also include peace and wellness programming, performances by local artists, resources for small businesses, and intergenerational connections that promote healing, healthy living, and community partnerships.

Monday, May 26, 2025

Lake Avenue Church Opens Registration for Summer Vacation Bible School

‘True North’ program aims to give children foundation in faith amid uncertain world

Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena is accepting registrations for its VBS (Vacation Bible School) 2025 program, a week-long summer camp designed to teach children about biblical principles and Christian faith.

The program, themed “True North: Trusting Jesus in a Wild World,” will run June 16-20 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. daily at the church’s Pasadena location.

According to a church announcement, the half-day camp aims to provide children with “a rock-solid foundation” by pointing them toward Jesus as their “unmovable, unshakable friend forever.” The program targets the challenge of helping young people navigate what organizers describe as “a world gone wild.”

VBS serves children ages 3 years old by June 1 through current fifth-graders as of spring 2025. The program combines music, skits, games, stories and activities to create what organizers call a comprehensive religious education experience.

“Through music, skits, games, stories and activities,

Saturday, May 24, 2025

Church Hosts Community Recovery Programs Following Eaton Fire

Pasadena congregation offers free youth restoration services and therapeutic music events for wildfire-affected residents

All Saints Church in Pasadena will host comprehensive community healing programs on Sunday, May 25, designed to support residents, both young and older, who are recovering from the devastating Eaton Fire.

The church’s Children, Youth and Families Ministry will offer a free Youth Restoration Day alongside therapeutic music programming to address ongoing community trauma and recovery needs.

“I see music as the common bond having potential to bring all people together in peace and harmony,” said two-time Grammy Award winner Ernie Watts, who will perform at the church’s Jazz Vespers that evening. “I believe music is God singing through us, an energy to be used for good.”

The Youth Restoration Day runs 1-4 p.m. in Regas House, providing free self-care services specifically for students in grades 5-12 who were affected by the Eaton Fire. Young people from throughout the Altadena and Pasadena communities can access professional hair styling and makeup services provided by Paul Mitchell School,

Saturday, May 24, 2025

California Lawmakers Reject Hundreds of Bills in Rapid-Fire Hearings

By Jeanne Kuang and Yue Stella Yu, CALMATTERS

Tax credits for the parents of young children. A state-funded scientific research institute. Exempting service workers’ tips from state income tax.

Those are among the hundreds of proposals California lawmakers swiftly rejected Friday under the banner of cost savings, as they cited the state’s $12 billion budget deficit — a worsening figure due to the threat of unprecedented federal funding cuts and California’s ballooning spending on health care for low-income residents.

“We are in (a) very difficult budget environment this year, so consequently many good bills are going to fall by the wayside today,” said Assembly Appropriations Committee Chair Buffy Wicks, an Oakland Democrat, before beginning that chamber’s hearing.

“We are not in a year where we can be expanding programs, developing new offices, new agencies, new departments, and expanding our footprints.”

The Friday procedure is known as the “suspense file” — the state Legislature’s most secretive and fast-paced biannual hearing,

Saturday, May 24, 2025

Altadena Historical Society To Host Annual Juneteenth Celebration

Local organization continues tradition of commemorating freedom while supporting students affected by Eaton fire

The Altadena Historical Society announced it will hold its annual Juneteenth celebration and scholarship awards on June 19 at Loma Alta Park in Altadena. The noon event will honor the historical significance of Juneteenth while awarding scholarships to local students impacted by the Eaton fire through the Ellen Garrison Clark Fund.

“We are thrilled to continue this important tradition of celebrating Juneteenth and supporting our local students,” said Veronica Jones, President of the Altadena Historical Society. “This event not only commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans but also showcases the resilience and strength of the Altadena community.”

The celebration will feature a luncheon, a photo exhibit by local photographer Alfred Haymond, and a short program highlighting the significance of Juneteenth and the accomplishments of Ellen Garrison Clark.

Attendees will also preview oral recordings from residents affected by the Eaton fire, providing insights into the experiences and perspectives of Altadena’s African-American community.

Saturday, May 24, 2025

Eaton Canyon Closed Indefinitely Due to Post-Fire Hazards; Trespassers Could be Fined $5,000

By EDDIE RIVERA

Hundreds of miles of hiking trails remain available throughout LA County, say officials

Citing unstable hillsides, destroyed infrastructure, and fragile regrowth following the Eaton Fire, Los Angeles County and U.S. Forest Service officials announced Thursday that Eaton Canyon Natural Area will remain closed indefinitely — at least through the end of this year, and likely longer.

Speaking at the Henninger Trailhead, officials warned the public that returning to the area too soon could lead to their serious injury and the area’s long-term environmental damage.

To prevent unauthorized access and further harm, officials also stressed that trespassing in the closed areas will be met with enforcement. LA County Park Sheriff Bureau officers will issue fines up to $5,000. On Angeles National Forest lands, violations carry even steeper penalties—fines of up to $5,000 for individuals or $10,000 for organizations, plus potential imprisonment for up to six months, according to City News Service.

The closure affects both hiking and equestrian trails throughout the fire-damaged areas.

Saturday, May 24, 2025

SoCal Edison Agrees to Pay $82.5 Million to Settle Claims From 2020 Bobcat Fire

CITY NEWS SERVICE with PASADENA NOW

Southern California Edison has reached a record $82.5 million settlement with the United States to resolve claims stemming from the 2020 Bobcat Fire that threatened Pasadena’s foothill communities and came within 50 feet of the historic Mt. Wilson Observatory, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday.

The U.S. government sued SoCal Edison in September 2023, alleging in Los Angeles federal court that the Bobcat Fire — one of the largest wildfires ever in Los Angeles County — was caused by the failure of the utility and its tree maintenance contractor to properly maintain trees that came into contact with power lines and caused the blaze.

The Bobcat Fire ignited in September 2020 and scorched more than 114,000 acres — nearly 175 square miles — of which nearly 100,000 acres were in the Angeles National Forest.

The 82-day blaze forced Pasadena to issue evacuation warnings on Sept. 8, 2020, for residents north of Sierra Madre Boulevard.