Thursday, November 12, 2020

L.A. County Board of Supervisors Will Evaluate Options to Remove Sheriff

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on Tuesday to look at options for removing elected Sheriff Alex Villanueva as the county’s top lawman, rather than waiting to see if voters will do so in 2022.

Supervisors Kathryn Barger, who represents Altadena and Pasadena, and Janice Hahn dissented, saying the matter should be left in the hands of Los Angeles County voters.

Supervisors Mark Ridley-Thomas and Sheila Kuehl co-authored the motion recommending that the county direct its lawyers, inspector general, civilian oversight commissioners and acting CEO to look at possible avenues for removing the sheriff or cutting back his responsibilities.

Those options could include changes to how the sheriff enters office, switching from voter approved to a county appointed position. That would require an amendment to the state constitution.

Since an elected sheriff is mandated in the state constitution, oversight by commissions and the supervisors is limited if the sheriff refuses to comply with recommendations. As a result,

Monday, November 9, 2020

Altadena Library Seeking Applicants for Upcoming Vacancy on the Library Board of Trustees

The Altadena Library Board of Trustees is seeking applications to fill a board vacancy created by the expiration of Trustee Betsy Kahn’s term.

The successful applicant would serve on the board for a two-year term starting in December. Applicants must be at least 18, a resident of and registered to vote in Altadena. The new trustee will be sworn in on Dec. 14.

“The Altadena Library District thanks Trustee Kahn for her years of dedicated service and extends its profound appreciation for all her work on behalf of the library and the community,” the board said in a statement.

Applicants must submit a letter of interest, a resume, and a completed supplemental questionnaire to the district director by 5 p.m. Nov. 13.

The board will interview potential candidates at a special board meeting at 5 p.m. on Nov. 19. Each candidate will be given three minutes to make a statement and then be asked to answer three questions,

Friday, October 30, 2020

L.A. County Supervisor Barger Meets With National Security Advisor, Arizona Center to Discuss Efforts to End Violence in Nagorno-Karabakh

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger took part in a roundtable discussion Friday with National Security Advisor and Pasadena resident Robert O’Brien, U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Arizona, and representatives of the Armenian community to outline the United States’ efforts to broker peace in Nagorno-Karabakh, where Azerbajani forces have been clashing with the Armenian population for weeks.

The discussion focused on “unprovoked military operations by Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh region against Armenians in the area,” according to a statement issued by Barger’s office. “This ongoing military offense has included attacks on civilian and residential structures, which killed approximately 40 innocent civilians including children and older adults and wounded more than 125 people, according to the Office of the Human Rights Ombudsman of Artsakh.”

Los Angeles County is home to more Armenians than anyplace else in the world outside of Armenia, Barger said.

“We are deeply troubled by Azerbaijan’s refusal to honor three separate ceasefire agreements in recent weeks and the continued campaign to spread misinformation to deflect their egregious actions,” she said.

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

$20,000 Reward Renewed in Fatal Shooting of Altadena Man in Pasadena 5 Years Ago

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday renewed a $20,000 reward for information in the unsolved killing of a 27-year-old Altadena man who was gunned down in Pasadena nearly five years ago.

Robert Calderon was shot and killed about 10:45 p.m. on Dec. 18, 2015, in the 600 block of North Mentor Avenue, according to Pasadena police and Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner officials.

The killing has remained unsolved, in part due to an apparent lack of witness cooperation, investigators have said. No details regarding the circumstances of the fatal attack have been released.

Calderon’s mother, Sarah Mendoza-Jaime, said she remains confident that as detectives continue following new leads, the killer will be caught.

“There’s something in my heart that tells me justice will come soon,” she said.

On the night of the shooting, Calderon had just dropped his mother off at a Christmas party. After hearing of a shooting on Mentor Avenue, she tried calling her son on his cellphone but received to answer.

Monday, October 26, 2020

MTA ‘Microtransit’ Service to Come to Pasadena, Altadena Next Year

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The Metropolitan Transit Authority’s Microtransit Pilot Project ride-hailing program trial is expected to be rolled out to Pasadena, Altadena, and Sierra Madre next year, following the approval of the first phases of the project by the MTA Board of Directors last week.

Metro Micro will offer on-demand, shared ride service for short trips within designated service zones in Los Angeles County at an introductory rate of $1 per ride, not including transfer, for the first six months.

“It’s our job to provide Angelenos with affordable and accessible ways to move around our city and region,” said Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chair Eric Garcetti.

“Metro Micro will bring the convenience of ride-share technology at a fraction of the cost, which will mean less congestion on our streets, cleaner air, and another way to get the most out of our transit systems.”

Metro officials said staff members will return to the board at the end of the six-month introductory period to consider potential fare adjustments.

Monday, October 26, 2020

County Reports 830 New COVID-19 Cases on Friday; No New Local Infections Listed

CITY NEWS SERVICE

County health officials on Sunday reported 830 new cases of the coronavirus and four additional deaths, bringing the county’s totals to 299,760 cases with 6,993 fatalities.

Locally, no new cases and no additional deaths were reported.

The number of new cases is usually lower on the weekend due to reporting delays.

The county reported 2,173 new cases on Saturday, 2,773 on Friday, and 3,600 on Thursday, with those numbers attributed to the resolution of a technical glitch that delayed the release of a large number of test results over the previous several days.

Hospitalizations, which have remained below the 800 mark for several weeks, ticked up slightly from 770 to 785, 29 percent of whom were in intensive care units, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

Locally, 19 people were being treated at Huntington Hospital.

Officials said more than 3,029,000 individuals in the county have been tested,

Thursday, October 22, 2020

Altadena Libraries Offer Socially Distanced, Expanded Access to In-Person Services

The Altadena Library District is pleased to announce expanded access to both library locations in Altadena. With daily COVID-19 cases showing significant decline in late September and demand rising in the community for in-person offerings, safe access to the Bob Lucas Memorial Library and Community Room in the Main Library is now available to allow for in-person computer use, holds pickup, and browsing for limited hours, following strict safety guidelines to prevent risk of COVID-19 spread.

The Bob Lucas Memorial Library at 2659 Lincoln Avenue in Altadena is open Mondays through Fridays, from 3:00pm to 5:00pm. The Community Room at the Main Library at 600 E. Mariposa Street in Altadena is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. Both spaces are limited to only 15% capacity, including staff, and visitors are required to wear face masks at all times and remain socially distanced. Curbside services continue to be offered at both locations; details can be found online at www.altadenalibrary.org/curbside.

Viktor Sjöberg, Assistant Director of the Altadena Library District,

Thursday, September 24, 2020

Los Angeles Metro Board Approves $6 Billion Budget with Reduced Service Plan

By ERIC HEINZ, City News Service

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors Thursday approved a “condensed” spending plan of $6 billion for this fiscal year — down from $7.2 billion last fiscal year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The board also approved continuation of a reduced service plan until ridership returns to pre-pandemic levels, though various organizations have opposed keeping the service levels that low.

“I know how difficult as members of the board it is to try to steer Metro through a very difficult moment,” Los Angeles Mayor and Metro Board Chair Eric Garcetti said.

“To look at this budget, we have to understand, obviously, where we’re at economically. We all know that this is the worst economic moment of our lives collectively … We’ve never experienced this.”

Transit services are expected to remain at 81% of pre-COVID levels through at least the rest of the year, with boardings averaging at 55% of capacity.

Thursday, September 17, 2020

County Oversight Commission Members Call On Villanueva To Resign As Sheriff

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Expressing doubt over the sheriff’s version of events leading to the arrest of a local reporter, a civilian commission that oversees the agency asked county attorneys Thursday to prepare a report on legal responsibilities involved in law enforcement activities at protests — and some members called on the sheriff to resign.

“It’s with great reluctance that I’m calling for Sheriff (Alex) Villanueva to resign,” said Civilian Oversight Commission member Robert Bonner, a former federal prosecutor and head of the Drug Enforcement Administration. “The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department itself deserves better. The men and women of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deserve better.”

Bonner criticized Villanueva for failing to build a working relationship with the county Board of Supervisors, saying he has “gone out of his way to alienate and insult supervisors.”

Patti Giggans, chair of the commission, echoed Bonner’s sentiment, saying, “The sheriff’s department does not have the leader it deserves.”

The commission could take an official “no-confidence”

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Board of Supervisors Approves Emergency Proclamation Declaring Local Emergency in Response to Bobcat Fire

The Board of Supervisors approved a motion by Supervisor Kathryn Barger and co-authored by Supervisor Hilda Solis to ratify the emergency proclamation signed over the weekend declaring a local emergency as a result of the Bobcat Fire in the San Gabriel Valley.

The Bobcat Fire started on Sept. 6 and is now at 41,231 acres with three percent containment. The fire is located near the Cogswell Dam and West Fork Day Use area and is burning in heavy fuels and spreading rapidly. Firefighters continue to work diligently and are focused on protecting the foothill communities and Mt. Wilson. An increase in resources has allowed first responders to expand their efforts to reduce further growth of the fire.

“I am grateful for the collaboration of our cities and communities, including Sierra Madre, Arcadia, Monrovia, Bradbury, Duarte and Azusa, who have shown strong unity in support of our fire personnel to battle the ongoing fire,” Supervisor Barger said. “The Los Angeles County Fire Department is working in partnership with U.S.