Friday, April 3, 2026

LA Superior Court Warns of Traffic Text Scam

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Residents were being warned Friday about an ongoing text-message scam falsely claiming recipients owe toll road fees or traffic fines and purporting to be from the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

“Spam texts claiming toll and traffic violations requesting payment are not from the Court,” officials said in a statement.

The court “continues to receive reports of spam texts, often including a link or QR code for payment, that have been sent to the public informing them that they have a traffic ticket or toll violation that they must pay ….,” according to the statement. “The public is advised that these texts do not come from the Superior Court of Los Angeles County.”

Officials said the court never requests payment by text message and urged the public not to click on links, scan codes or provide personal or credit card information.

A Scam Alert page has been set up on the court’s website where users can view examples of reported messages in a “Scam Library”

Friday, April 3, 2026

Second Round of Fund Launched to Help Businesses Buy Property

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Los Angeles County officials Friday are moving ahead with the second funding cycle of a program aimed at helping small businesses and nonprofits acquire commercial properties and stabilize neighborhood business corridors.

The county Department of Economic Opportunity, in partnership with Genesis LA Economic Growth Corporation, will make about $2.6 million available through the Commercial Acquisition Fund, including $1 million in discretionary funding from Supervisor Holly Mitchell for projects in the county’s Second District, according to a statement.

The program offers forgivable financing to support property acquisitions by small businesses, nonprofit organizations and mission-aligned developers, with the goal of reducing displacement and promoting long-term economic growth in local communities, officials said.

The effort builds on the first funding cycle, officials said, which distributed $10 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds to support seven property acquisitions, creating space for 39 small businesses, three nonprofits and more than 125 creative workspaces.

“LA County’s Anti-Displacement Commercial Acquisition Fund allows communities to directly own and shape the future of their neighborhoods —

Thursday, April 2, 2026

Displaced by Fire, Two Pasadena Congregations Mark Passover With Borrowed Sanctuaries and Open Doors

When Jews around the world sat down Wednesday evening for the Passover Seder — the ritual meal that retells the story of the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in Egypt and their journey to freedom — two Pasadena congregations brought an uncommon weight to the ancient words.

For the Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center, whose 104-year-old synagogue was destroyed in the Eaton Fire on Jan. 8, the holiday’s central themes of exile, displacement, and deliverance are no longer abstractions read from a text. They are the lived experience of a congregation that has spent more than a year without a permanent home.

“Today, I feel much more viscerally the vulnerability and exposure of exile, the possibility yet also fragility of freedom, and the need for a strong, resilient, and nurturing community,” said Rabbi Josh Ratner, PJTC’s Senior Rabbi.

Across town, Rabbi Chaim Hanoka, Executive Director of Chabad of Pasadena, welcomed anyone who walked through the door — and brought Passover to those who couldn’t.

Thursday, April 2, 2026

Family Easter Egg Hunt Brings Community Together With Food and Festivities

First Presbyterian Church of Altadena hosts an afternoon of celebration on April 4

This spring, the First Presbyterian Church of Altadena invites families to gather for its annual Family Easter Egg Hunt, a cherished tradition that blends community spirit with joyful celebration. Set for Saturday, April 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., the event promises an engaging afternoon filled with an egg hunt and a luncheon, alongside a generous giveaway of free children’s clothing.

Located at 2775 Lincoln Avenue in Altadena, the church opens its doors to neighbors and visitors alike, fostering a welcoming atmosphere that reflects its mission of serving the world with love and faith in action. The egg hunt offers children a chance to delight in the seasonal ritual of searching for colorful eggs hidden around the grounds, while parents and guardians can enjoy a meal that brings everyone together.

The event underscores the church’s commitment to community support beyond spiritual guidance, providing essential items like clothing to families in need.

Thursday, April 2, 2026

Sparse Snowpack in California Fuels Concern Over Fast-Approaching Fire Season

By Rachel Becker, CALMATTERS

California clocked its second-worst snowpack on record Wednesday, a potentially troubling signal ahead for fire season.

It’s an alarming end to a winter that saw abnormally dry conditions briefly wiped from California’s drought map in January, for the first time in a quarter-century.

Though precipitation to date has been near average, much of it fell as rain rather than snow. Then March’s record-breaking heat melted most of the snow that remains. The state’s major reservoirs are nevertheless brimming above historic averages and are flirting with capacity, and a smattering of snow, rain and thunderstorms are dousing last month’s heat wave.

But experts now warn that California’s case of the missing snowpack could herald an early fire season in the mountains.

On Wednesday, state engineers conducting the symbolic April 1 snowpack measurement at Phillips Station south of Lake Tahoe found no measurable snow in patches of white dotting the grassy field.

Thursday, April 2, 2026

Two Pasadena-Area Students Named Finalists for Distinguished Young Woman of L.A. County

Two students from Pasadena schools are among the finalists set to compete in the Distinguished Young Women of Los Angeles County program on Saturday, April 18, 2026, according to a press release from the organization. The event will determine the county’s representatives for the Class of 2027.

Kaitlyn Chiao, a San Marino resident who attends Pasadena Polytechnic School, and Natalie Kreakopyan, a Sierra Madre resident who attends Marshall Fundamental, are among the high school juniors selected to participate. “High school junior girls from across Los Angeles County will join together for the Distinguished Young Women of Los Angeles County program to be held on Saturday, April 18, 2026,” the release states.

Participants will be evaluated by a panel of five judges in scholastics (25%), interview (25%), talent (20%), fitness (15%) and self-expression (15%). The participants selected as the Distinguished Young Women of Los Angeles County will advance to the state level at the Distinguished Young Women of California program in July 2026, where they will join with other representatives from across the state in competing for cash scholarships and the opportunity to represent the state as the Distinguished Young Woman of California.

Thursday, April 2, 2026

LA County Assessor to Host Webinar on Business Property Statement

CITY NEWS SERVICE

While the deadline to file business property statements is Wednesday, Los Angeles County Assessor Jeff Prang reminded entrepreneurs to file their business property statement before a final deadline of May 7 to avoid penalties.

Prang announced Monday that he will host a webinar on April 15 from 11 a.m. to noon to help business owners understand the form, known as a 571-L, answer any questions about it and to file the paperwork.

The webinar is expected to provide answers to many common questions regarding the business statements, which provide a basis for determining property tax assessments for business equipment and related fixtures.

Questions include why business owners receive the forms in the first place, whether a business must file a 571-L, and step-by-step instructions on how to fill out the form.

More information on the webinar is available at assessor.lacounty.gov/news-information/events.

The Assessor’s Office mails the forms to most commercial, industrial and professional firms in Los Angeles County.

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Altadena’s Story, Before It Could Be Forgotten, Is Now on Film

The Eaton Fire destroyed more than 9,400 structures. A group of filmmakers who were there decided Altadena’s identity was not going to disappear without a record — and now their work is reaching festival audiences

 “Everything is gone,” a parent said. “We needed something to hold onto.”

They were talking about baseball — about the Central Altadena Little League season that nearly didn’t happen after the Eaton Fire burned through the neighborhood in January 2025, destroying more than 9,400 structures, according to Cal Fire. But the words describe something larger: what a community reaches for when the places that held its identity are gone.

Filmmakers in Altadena reached for cameras. Their work is now reaching screens.

The 13th annual Pasadena International Film Festival — founded by Pasadena residents and opening April 9 at Laemmle NoHo 7 in North Hollywood — has dedicated a cluster of five films to the Eaton Fire and the California wildfires. Among them is Altadena: The Heart.

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Altadena Chamber Wins Countywide Business Nonprofit Award After Year of Fire Recovery

The 102-year-old organization will be honored at BizFed’s annual ceremony in Glendale on April 17

The Altadena Chamber of Commerce and Civic Association has been named the 2026 Business Nonprofit of the Year for Los Angeles County’s 5th Supervisorial District, a recognition from the county’s largest business federation following the Chamber’s expanded role in Eaton Fire recovery.

The award, part of the annual Bizzi Awards presented by the Los Angeles County Business Federation known as BizFed, was announced in a newsletter distributed by the Altadena Chamber. BizFed, an advocacy alliance of more than 240 business organizations representing 420,000 employers across Southern California, designed the awards to honor companies, nonprofits and public officials in each of the county’s five supervisorial districts. As of publication, BizFed had not posted the full list of 2026 honorees on its website.

The 5th Annual Bizzi Awards ceremony is scheduled for Friday, April 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Chevy Chase Country Club in Glendale.

Wednesday, April 1, 2026

PUSD Students Can Still Access Free Mental Health Support During Spring Break

Crisis lines, telehealth counseling and state-funded apps remain available while Pasadena Unified campuses close April 6–10

Pasadena Unified School District schools and offices close for spring break Monday, April 6, through Friday, April 10, but free, confidential mental health services for students and families will not shut down with them.

The district is reminding Pasadena and Altadena families that a network of crisis hotlines, digital wellness tools and telehealth counseling remains available around the clock and on weekends — including through PUSD’s partnership with Daybreak Health, a school-based telehealth provider the district brought on after the January 2025 Eaton Fire to expand student access to mental health care, according to the PUSD website.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by calling or texting 988 or chatting online at 988lifeline.org. The Crisis Text Line offers the same around-the-clock access; users text HOME to 741741 to connect with a trained counselor. Both services are free and confidential.