Tuesday, April 7, 2026

Eaton Canyon Restoration Takes Center Stage at Arboretum Lecture Series

Free “From Ashes to Action” session on April 8 explores native seed conservation and landscape recovery

Fifteen months after the Eaton Fire swept through the canyon, a second panel of experts will gather at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden to discuss what comes next for one of the region’s most beloved natural areas.

The lecture, “From Ashes to Action: Growing a More Resilient Landscape,” takes place on Wednesday, April 8 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and is the second session in a series hosted by the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation and 5th District Supervisor Kathryn Barger. Attendees will hear about the new Landscape Recovery Center at Eaton Canyon and how native seed conservation and seed banking are guiding the next phase of ecological restoration.

The first session in March drew roughly 130 attendees and featured panelists from the county Department of Parks and Recreation, Studio-MLA, SWCA Environmental Consultants and the Theodore Payne Foundation. Arboretum chief executive Su Oh moderated the discussion,

Tuesday, April 7, 2026

State Expands Fire Survivors’ Mortgage Fund to a Full Year of Payments, Urges Altadena Homeowners to Apply

THERESE EDU

CalHFA says significant funding remains from the $105 million program, which now covers up to $100,000 in grants that never have to be repaid

Homeowners whose properties were destroyed or left uninhabitable by the Eaton Fire and other qualifying California disasters can now receive up to a full year of mortgage payments through the state’s CalAssist Mortgage Fund — a four-fold increase from the three months of assistance available when the program launched last June, according to Rebecca Franklin, chief deputy director of the California Housing Finance Agency.

The $105 million fund, backed by National Mortgage Settlement dollars, distributes grants on a first-come, first-served basis. Franklin said a large portion of approved applicants are from the Altadena area and urged eligible homeowners to apply now while significant funding remains. As of the program’s February expansion announcement, $6.5 million had been disbursed to 793 recipients statewide, leaving the vast majority of the allocation available, according to the Governor’s Office.

Monday, April 6, 2026

Before the Gavel: Local Residents Demand Stronger Limits, Transparency on Immigration Enforcement

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

Residents are pressing city leaders to adopt stronger protections against federal immigration enforcement, with public comments ahead of Monday night’s City Council meeting revealing deep concern over surveillance, civil liberties and the use of local resources.

The City Council is set to review a staff report outlining proposed measures to mitigate the impacts of federal immigration enforcement on city resources, property and community safety. The item is listed for discussion, though council members may take action following deliberation.

The report details efforts to restrict the use of city-owned property for immigration enforcement activities, implement new police protocols requiring documentation and body-worn camera use during enforcement encounters, and establish monthly public reporting.

Council members are also expected to consider requiring city contractors to disclose ties to the Department of Homeland Security and whether to move forward with formal policies or ordinances, including a possible broader ban on the use of city property for enforcement purposes.

Monday, April 6, 2026

California Shouldn’t Price the Public Out of Public Records. Democracy is at Stake

By David Snyder, CALMATTERS

At a moment in our country’s history when transparency is more vital than ever, a California legislator wants to make it harder for the public to get information from their government.

A bill introduced by Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco, a Downey Democrat, would amend the California Public Records Act to make it more expensive — in many cases much more expensive — for the public to get records from state and local agencies.

It would price out many Californians altogether.

Assembly Bill 1821 would make it much harder for parents to learn about their school districts, for community members to get the full story about police shootings and for concerned Californians to follow local impacts of the Trump administration’s actions.

The California Public Records Act, while it only applies to state and local agencies, has proven to be an essential tool for understanding the local effects of President Donald Trump’s policies.

Monday, April 6, 2026

Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health to Brief Human Services Commission on Crisis Response Protocols

The presentation will cover psychiatric mobile response teams, law enforcement collaboration, and school threat assessment programs serving Pasadena and all of Los Angeles County.

The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health is set to brief the Human Services Commission on Wednesday about the county’s mental health crisis response protocols, including the operations of its Psychiatric Mobile Response Teams and law enforcement collaboration programs.

Miriam Brown, deputy director of the department’s Emergency Outreach and Triage Division, is scheduled to deliver the presentation. The briefing addresses a key priority area for the commission, which has been working through an ad hoc committee on mental health and crisis response throughout the current fiscal year. The Human Services Commission is an advisory body, and the City Council retains final authority on any related policy recommendations.

The Emergency Outreach and Triage Division serves all of Los Angeles County and operates several field response programs. These include Psychiatric Mobile Response Teams, also known as Mobile Crisis Outreach Teams;

Monday, April 6, 2026

Local Gas Prices Are Up Again

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County rose eight-tenths of a cent Sunday to $6.036, its highest amount since Oct. 6, 2023.

The average price is 4.9 cents more than one week ago, $1.156 more than one month ago and $1.109 more than one year ago, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. It is 45.8 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.

The national average price rose six-tenths of a cent to $4.11, its highest amount since Aug. 5, 2022. The national average price is 13 cents more than one week ago, 85.9 cents more than one month ago and 84.8 cents more than one year ago. It is 90.6 cents less than the record $5.016 set on June 14,

Saturday, April 4, 2026

Altadena Mortgage Relief, Eaton Fire Emergency Renewals on County Board Agenda Tuesday

Supervisors to consider backing state bill extending forbearance for wildfire survivors to 36 months

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will consider a motion Tuesday to support state legislation that would extend mortgage forbearance for Eaton Fire survivors from 12 months to 36 months, one of several Altadena-related items on an agenda that also includes continued emergency declarations, recovery contract oversight and a $19.5 million firefighting helicopter purchase.

The motion, submitted by Supervisor Kathryn Barger, would direct the County to support Assembly Bill 1847 by Assemblymember John Harabedian (D-Pasadena). The bill would triple the forbearance period established under AB 238, which Governor Gavin Newsom signed in September 2025, and push the deadline for homeowners to request relief from January 7, 2027, to January 7, 2029, according to the bill text.

Harabedian, whose Assembly District 41 includes Pasadena and unincorporated Altadena, introduced the legislation in February after his office received reports that mortgage servicers were not complying with the existing law.

“While some banks abided by the law in granting relief via the Mortgage Forbearance Act,

Saturday, April 4, 2026

Easter Services in Pasadena and Altadena

Area houses of worship will celebrate Easter this Sunday with sunrise services, festival worship, special music, egg hunts and community gatherings across Pasadena and Altadena. Many congregations will also hold Easter Vigil services on Saturday evening, April 4. The following is a guide to Easter weekend services and programming at local churches and houses of worship. Readers are encouraged to confirm service times by visiting church websites or calling ahead, as schedules may change. All services are open to the public unless otherwise noted.

ALL SAINTS CHURCH  132 N Euclid Avenue, Pasadena  (626) 796-1172  allsaints-pas.org — Tim Rich. Easter services: 7:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 11:15 a.m. Festive Eucharist. Easter Egg Hunt at 10:45 a.m..

ALTADENA BAPTIST CHURCH  791 E. Calaveras St., Altadena  (626) 797-8970  www.altadenabaptist.org — Connie Larson DeVaughn, Lead Pastor; George Van Alstine, Associate Pastor. Easter services: 1:00 PM Celebrate Easter.

ALTADENA COMMUNITY CHURCH  943 E. Altadena Dr., Altadena  (626) 798-1185  altadenaucc.org — The Rev.

Saturday, April 4, 2026

Pasadena Village Distributes $450,000 in Cash Grants to Older Adults Displaced by Eaton Fire

A team of nine older adults designed the process that awarded grants of up to $8,175 to 61 residents in Altadena and Pasadena

Sixty-one older adults still displaced by the Eaton Fire have received direct cash grants from Pasadena Village, a Pasadena-based nonprofit, totaling $450,000 and funded by the California Community Foundation.

The grants, ranging from $5,000 to $8,175, went to residents ages 55 and older in Altadena and Pasadena who remain displaced nearly 15 months after the fire destroyed more than 9,000 structures and killed at least 19 people in January 2025. More than 40 of the 61 recipients identify as Black or African American, according to a press release issued by Pasadena Village and the California Community Foundation.

A recovery team of nine older adults designed and carried out the distribution process, according to the press release. The California Community Foundation awarded the $450,000 grant to Pasadena Village in November to provide direct cash assistance to wildfire survivors in the two communities.

Saturday, April 4, 2026

“Bunnychella” Hops Into Altadena Saturday

Attendees of all ages are invited to create bunnies Saturday to help rebuild the collection destroyed in the Eaton Fire

The Bunny Museum plans to host a free clay-sculpting event Saturday at the fire-damaged Altadena site where more than 60,000 bunny-themed artifacts were destroyed during the January 2025 Eaton Fire.

The event, listed as “Clay Bunnychella” on a community calendar, is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 2605 Lake Ave., according to the listing. Attendees of all ages and skill levels are invited to sculpt clay bunnies and donate them to help rebuild the nonprofit museum’s collection. The event is free.

The Eaton Fire swept through Altadena on January 7 and 8, 2025, destroying more than 9,400 structures and killing 19 people across 14,021 acres, according to Cal Fire. The Bunny Museum was among the last buildings in the area to burn, according to prior Pasadena Now reporting.

“We stayed up all night with a garden hose saving the museum and the apartment building to the north of the museum,”