Wednesday, March 4, 2026

LA County Board Honors Slain Caltech Astrophysicist Who Worked in Pasadena for Nearly 30 Years

Supervisor Kathryn Barger adjourns Tuesday meeting in memory of Carl Grillmair, fatally shot at his Antelope Valley home in February

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday adjourned its meeting in honor of Carl Grillmair, a Caltech astronomer who spent nearly three decades at the institute’s Pasadena-based IPAC — Infrared Processing and Analysis Center — and was fatally shot last month at his Antelope Valley home. He was 67.

Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who represents Pasadena, moved the March 3 adjournment in memory of Grillmair, whose research helped detect water in the atmosphere of a planet outside our solar system and who discovered dozens of previously unknown stellar streams in the Milky Way, according to Caltech.

“Dr. Carl Grillmair was a brilliant scientist and a proud member of our Antelope Valley community,” Barger said in a statement. “His life’s work expanded humanity’s understanding of the universe. Today, we pause to honor his extraordinary legacy and to extend our deepest condolences to his wife and all who loved him.”

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

LA County Supervisors Move to Challenge New SBA Rule Limiting Loans to U.S. Citizens

Los Angeles County supervisors voted Tuesday to pursue legal options challenging a new federal rule that would prevent lawful permanent residents — green card holders — from obtaining Small Business Administration-backed loans.

The Board of Supervisors approved a motion directing the county’s legal staff to explore litigation after the SBA announced the policy change.

Under the SBA policy change, businesses seeking SBA-backed loans must be 100 percent owned by U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals, which means businesses owned by lawful permanent residents are no longer eligible

The agency announced the rule Feb. 4 at the request of the Trump administration, according to the motion. The policy was scheduled to take effect March 1.

Supervisors said the rule reverses a longstanding practice under which both U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents — including green card holders — were allowed to apply for SBA-backed loans.

Supervisor Hilda L. Solis said the change could affect immigrant entrepreneurs who operate small businesses throughout the county.

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Altadena Already Covered as County Finalizes Expansion of Large-Vehicle Parking Ban

Altadena remains one of the unincorporated communities where Los Angeles County bars oversized vehicles from parking on public streets — a restriction that was not only affirmed but expanded to many more county areas following a final vote by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

The ordinance, approved Tuesday, expands the list of places where “nonconforming vehicles” — defined as those exceeding 8 feet in width, 7½ feet in height or 20 feet in length, such as RVs — cannot park on county roadways.

County law had already prohibited such parking in unincorporated areas in or near Ladera Heights, View Park/Windsor Hills, Altadena, Long Beach, South Whittier/East Whittier/East La Mirada, West Whittier/Los Nietos and Whittier. Such parking was also barred during overnight hours in Marina del Rey without a permit.

Under the extension approved Tuesday, the restriction will be expanded to unincorporated areas around Azusa/Charter Oak/Covina, Del Aire/Lennox, East Los Angeles, East Rancho Dominguez, El Camino Village, Florence-Firestone/Walnut Park, Hawthorne, Rancho Dominguez,

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

LA County Looks for Oversight of Homeless Services Funding

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Days after announcing a review of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s financial and operational practices due to what the county called “serious gaps” in oversight, the Board of Supervisors Tuesday approved a motion calling on the county to directly oversee payment of funds to contracted service providers.

According to the motion by Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, there are “significant balances of county funding still to be processed by LAHSA and distributed to providers contracted to perform county-funded programming through June 30, 2026.”

The motion directs county administrators to “develop and directly oversee” a plan to pay homeless-services providers until all county funds have been paid to the contracted agencies.

The county has already created its own Department of Homeless Services and Housing, pulling much of the funding it previously provided to LAHSA. Beginning with the 2026-27 fiscal year, the county will directly contract with service providers — rather than going through LAHSA — for most programs,

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Pasadena Students Compete, Then Explore as Science Olympiad and Community Fest Share One Campus

JPL, Caltech and Carnegie Observatories among exhibitors at free Saturday event at John Muir High School

Hundreds of Pasadena Unified School District students will compete in hands-on science and engineering challenges Saturday morning at John Muir High School, and by noon the same campus will open to the broader community for a free festival featuring exhibits from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech, and Carnegie Observatories.

The two events — the PasadenaLEARNS 2026 Science Olympiad and the annual PUSD ScienceFest — share the John Muir Early College Magnet campus at 1905 N. Lincoln Ave. on March 7, filling it with science from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Science Olympiad, organized by the district’s PasadenaLEARNs expanded learning program, runs from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and brings together students in grades 2 through 8 for team-based competition. The ScienceFest, organized by the PUSD PTA Council, runs from noon to 4 p.m. and is open to everyone at no cost, according to the event’s website.

The ScienceFest draws on Pasadena’s concentration of research institutions,

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

UCLA Historian Keynotes African American Parent Council Event Honoring Six PUSD Black Educators in Altadena

The parent council’s “Black Educators Matter” gathering takes place tonight at the Eaton Fire Collaborative

The Pasadena Unified School District’s African American Parent Council tonight will honor six Black educators tonight at a gathering in Altadena featuring Robin D.G. Kelley, a UCLA Distinguished Professor whose scholarship on Black history and social movements has earned him a Guggenheim Fellowship and membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

The Tuesday event, called “Black Educators Matter,” reflects the AAPC’s ongoing work to recognize the educators who serve Black students across the district. The AAPC, chartered by the PUSD Board of Education since 2010, has been a driving force behind the district’s equity initiatives, including Board Resolution 2566, adopted in 2020, which committed PUSD to addressing disparities affecting Black students. Kelley’s appearance brings a nationally prominent voice to a community-level celebration — one held at a venue that doubles as a recovery hub for families affected by the Eaton Fire.

The six honorees span the district’s schools and administrative offices.

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

These Public Documents are Hidden from View. Two California Lawmakers Want to Change That

By Ryan Sabalow, CALMATTERS

Two California lawmakers are trying to open up legislative documents that are technically public records, but difficult for even the most seasoned Capitol insiders to access.

The documents are letters registered lobbyists and advocacy groups send the Legislature to support or oppose bills. CalMatters has been seeking greater access to them for more than a year.

Assembly members Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, a Democrat representing the San Ramon area, and Republican Greg Wallis of Rancho Mirage each introduced legislation in February that would require the Legislature to post the letters online.

“Candidly, I had no idea that the public didn’t have access to support and opposition letters,” said Wallis, who authored Assembly Bill 2063. “It sort of blew my mind when I found out that that wasn’t readily available.”

Bauer-Kahan’s office didn’t respond to an interview request to discuss her Assembly Bill 2557, which is similar to Wallis’ bill.

Monday, March 2, 2026

Californians Are Staying Insured — But Settling For Health Coverage They May Not Use

By Ana B. Ibarra, CALMATTERS

Despite the loss of federal subsidies that lowered costs for millions, California’s private health insurance marketplace held nearly steady this enrollment season. In all, 1.9 million Californians renewed their plan or selected one for the first time — a 2.7% drop compared to last year.

A closer look, however, shows that Californians are making concessions to afford staying insured.

More enrollees are opting for “bronze-level” plans. These plans have lower monthly premium costs but higher deductibles and copays; they cover 60% of medical expenses — leaving enrollees to pay the rest. One in three new enrollees chose bronze plans for 2026, compared to one in four last year, according to Covered California. And 130,000 Californians renewing their coverage switched from a silver or higher-metal tier plan to bronze.

“Many Californians see the value in remaining covered, but they had to make sacrifices and shift to lower-tier plans. We see it as a commitment to health and the value that Covered California provides,” Jessica Altman,

Sunday, March 1, 2026

Altadena Breaks Ground On Main Library Renovation

By EDDIE RIVERA

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Modernization will preserve mid-century landmark while expanding access and honoring legacy

Nearly six decades after it first opened its doors, the Altadena Main Library is beginning a new chapter.

Community members, elected officials and library leaders gathered Saturday to celebrate the groundbreaking of the library’s first major renovation since 1967, a project supporters say will preserve its mid-century character while preparing it for generations to come.

“For nearly 60 years, this building has been more than just a place to borrow books,” said U.S. Rep. Judy Chu. “It’s been a gathering place, a learning center, and a cornerstone of civic life.”

The Boyd Georgi–designed building along Mariposa Street near Santa Rosa Avenue became an even more vital hub after the Eaton Fire, speakers said.

“After surviving the Eaton Fire, it stood as a symbol of resilience and hope for Altadena,” Chu said. In the aftermath, she noted, the library partnered with hundreds of organizations to connect residents with recovery resources,

Sunday, March 1, 2026

Altadena’s Bob Lucas Library Offers Free Monthly Spice Kits Through May

Altadena’s branch library features Chili Powder in March as part of its ongoing Spice Club

The Bob Lucas Memorial Library is giving home cooks a reason to visit beyond the bookshelves: a monthly Spice Club that provides free kits with a featured spice and two recipe cards to try at home.

The program, offered by the Altadena Library District, runs through May at the Bob Lucas branch, which has become the district’s primary in-person location since the Main Library at 600 E. Mariposa St. closed Feb. 1 for an 18-month renovation. The March spice is Chili Powder.

Each kit contains a sample of the month’s spice along with two recipe cards designed for home cooking with the featured ingredient, according to the library district. Patrons can pick up a kit during the branch’s regular hours.

The Bob Lucas Memorial Library, at 2659 Lincoln Ave., reopened in August 2025 after its own 16-month renovation that expanded the facility by about 1,000 square feet.