Friday, October 2, 2026

Polytechnic School Senior Brings Khan Academy Founder Sal Khan to His Classmates

By THERESE EDU

Arjun Dhadwal organized a Zoom “Ask Me Anything” session; he says many students asked about AI

Local student Arjun Dhadwal has leaned on Khan Academy both for schoolwork and to learn on his own.

Khan Academy is one of the world’s largest free online learning platforms. In the 2024-25 school year, it reported 104.9 million active learners and availability in more than 190 countries and 55 languages.

On Wednesday, Sept. 23, the Polytechnic School senior turned the tables, bringing Khan Academy founder Sal Khan to his classmates for an “Ask Me Anything” session over Zoom.

Dhadwal organized the event, which was sponsored by Poly’s 3D Printing & Design Club. He co-hosted it with Mark Rasic, the school’s director of college counseling and 11th and 12th grade dean. In written responses to questions from Pasadena Now, Dhadwal described how the session came together and what he heard.

The idea, he wrote,

Friday, October 2, 2026

Angeles Crest 100 Starts and Finishes in Altadena This Weekend on Revised Route

The 36th Angeles Crest 100 Mile Endurance Run starts at 5 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, at Loma Alta Park in Altadena, where runners will also finish.

Organizers say it is the first time in the race’s history that it will start and finish at Loma Alta Park. They say the effects of the Eaton Fire and multiple Highway 2 closures required a revised route this year. The 2026 course runs 100.8 miles from Loma Alta Park to a turnaround at Mount Hillyer and back to the park, with a 33-hour limit. Runners have until 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, to reach the finish.

Race Director Ken Hamada wrote in a status update last revised July 17 that the Eaton Fire closed the Idlehour Trail and that winter storms caused the Highway 2 closures. Hamada wrote that the race has always started in Wrightwood, and that a Highway 2 closure near the Mt. Waterman Ski Area made that impossible this year.

Race weekend begins Friday,

Friday, October 2, 2026

Expos, Puppets and a “Scream” Convention Fill Pasadena’s Saturday, October 3

A free K-12 education expo, a “Scream” fan convention and the final Saturday of “The Visit” are among the events in Pasadena on Saturday, Oct. 3.

The Black Education Expo runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the lower level of the Conference Center at the Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E. Green St. Admission is free, and organizers ask attendees to register for a free ticket at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/celebrate-at-the-black-education-expo-k-12-ages-5-18-tickets-1984582829667. Parking is paid.

The American Heart Association’s Greater Los Angeles Heart and Stroke Walk steps off at 8:45 a.m. at the Rose Bowl, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive.

Pasadena Public Works and LA Compost host a community composting session from 8 a.m. to noon at the Victory Park Compost Hub, 2575 Paloma St. Residents can pick up a free kitchen pail for food scraps while supplies last, the department said.

Senior Expo USA holds a free expo for older adults and their families from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Friday, October 2, 2026

LA County Seeks Public Input on 2027-28 Budget

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Los Angeles County residents were asked Thursday to weigh in on priorities for county programs and services as officials begin planning the 2027-28 budget.

A series of online surveys will remain open through Oct. 31 and will be used to help develop the county’s fiscal year 2027-28 budget, according to county officials.

Residents can identify services they consider most important, recommend programs for increased or reduced funding, highlight underserved communities and geographic areas, propose new services and suggest ways to improve service delivery.

The surveys include a countywide questionnaire and individual surveys for each of the county’s 39 departments. Residents can complete surveys for as many departments as they choose.

“The County’s budget reflects its values. Our overarching goal in building the budget, especially during challenging times, is to ensure that we are maintaining safety net services and meeting the most essential needs of our communities,” county Chief Executive Officer Joseph M. Nicchitta said.

Friday, October 2, 2026

CHP Boosting Southern California Patrols in Impaired-Driving Crackdown

CITY NEWS SERVICE

California Highway Patrol officers will increase patrols across Southern California and the rest of the state beginning Friday evening as part of a 12-hour enforcement operation targeting impaired drivers.

The statewide Maximum Enforcement Period will begin at 6 p.m. Friday and continue until 5:59 a.m. Saturday, with all uniformed CHP personnel participating, according to the agency.

Officers will increase their presence on California roads with a focus on identifying and stopping motorists suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

“The message is clear: Impaired driving will not be tolerated on California roads. It is preventable, dangerous and puts every person nearby at risk,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said. “If you plan to drink or may be impaired, arrange a sober ride home. During this statewide enforcement period, CHP personnel of every rank will make it their mission to identify and remove impaired drivers from our roads.”

From 2022 through 2024,

Thursday, October 1, 2026

Angeles Crest 100 Runners Register at Altadena’s Loma Alta Park Before First Race to Start and Finish There

Runners in the Angeles Crest 100 Mile Endurance Run will register and attend a trail briefing Friday, Oct. 2, at Loma Alta Park in Altadena, the day before the first race to start and finish at the park. 

The 36th annual race leaves the park at 5 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, on a 100.8-mile course. Runners check in at 4 a.m., and an invocation is set for 4:30 a.m. 

“Putting on the 2026 race has been extremely difficult because of two major challenges,” race director Ken Hamada wrote in a July status update. He named the aftermath of the 2025 Eaton Fire, which closed the Idlehour Trail, and Highway 2 closures caused by winter storms. 

The Highway 2 closure near the Mt. Waterman Ski Area made it impossible to run aid stations between Inspiration Point and Cloudburst, Hamada wrote. The race has always started in Wrightwood, but this year it starts and finishes in Altadena. 

Registration runs from 8 a.m. to noon Friday.

Thursday, October 1, 2026

Altadena Coalition Says FEMA Case-Management Money Does Not Secure Program’s Future

An Altadena-based coalition of Eaton Fire recovery groups said Wednesday, Sept. 30, that federal money announced that day for wildfire survivors’ case managers does not settle how long the program will last.

The Eaton Fire Collaborative said in a statement that the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s announcement sets no timeline for the Disaster Case Management Program, does not say how the money will be distributed across affected communities and does not name the Eaton Fire. Eaton survivors make up the largest share of the program’s clients in Los Angeles County, the collaborative said.

FEMA announced $11 million for disaster case management on Sept. 30, including more than $6.6 million for over 3,000 survivors of the 2025 Los Angeles County wildfires and winds and more than $4.5 million for survivors of California’s 2023 winter storms.

FEMA has now provided nearly $10 million for case management for the 2025 fire disaster, according to media reports.

The collaborative said that, by FEMA’s own description, the wildfire money pays for services already provided rather than new capacity for the months ahead.

Thursday, October 1, 2026

Newsom Signs Local Assemblymember’s Bill Extending Insurance Protections After Declared Disasters

Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill by Altadena’s assemblymember, John Harabedian, that lengthens protections against losing homeowners insurance after a declared disaster. Harabedian’s office says the law takes effect Jan. 1, 2027.

Harabedian, a Pasadena Democrat, has tied the measure to the Eaton Fire. The governor’s office listed AB 2038 among the bills Newsom signed Wednesday, Sept. 30.

Existing law bars insurers from canceling or refusing to renew a residential policy for one year after a declared state of emergency if the property is in a ZIP code within or adjacent to a fire perimeter. That rule applies when the decision is based solely on the home’s location in an area where a wildfire occurred. AB 2038 extends the period to two years, according to the digest.

When a primary home is a total loss and certain conditions are met, including that a disaster caused the loss, existing law requires the insurer to renew the policy. The renewals must cover at least the next two annual renewal periods and no less than 24 months from the date of the loss.

Thursday, October 1, 2026

LA-Area Lawmaker’s Car Buyer Protections Take Effect Thursday

CITY NEWS SERVICE

California car shoppers will gain new protections Thursday under a law by state Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, requiring dealers to provide the full price of a vehicle up front and giving used-car buyers three days to return a vehicle.

Senate Bill 766, known as the California CARS Act, also requires dealers to disclose that add-ons are optional and prohibits them from offering add-ons that provide no value to the customer, according to Allen’s office.

The three-day return period gives used-car buyers time to have a vehicle inspected or check for unrepaired safety recalls. Dealers may charge a restocking fee, and a vehicle cannot be driven more than 400 miles before it is returned.

“For years, car shoppers have been mistreated and duped into purchasing unsafe vehicles or vehicles with add-ons and features they didn*t know about, saddling them with unnecessary debt and risking their lives on the road,” Allen said. “These practices will finally come to an end in California.”

Thursday, October 1, 2026

FEMA Announces $11 Million in New Disaster Relief for Wildfire, Storm Survivors

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The Trump administration Wednesday announced an additional $11 million in recovery relief for nearly 6,000 survivors affected by the 2025 Palisades and Eaton wildfires and the 2023 winter storms.

In total, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided nearly $24 million for case management services across the disasters, officials said.

The grants announced Wednesday include more than $6.6 million for over 3,000 survivors of the wildfires and severe winds that affected the county. To date, nearly $10 million in FEMA funds have been provided for the disaster. Funding also includes more than $4.5 million for services provided for more than 2,700 survivors of the 2023 storms that hit several California counties. More than $13.6 million has been provided for storm relief, FEMA said.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger applauded the announcement.

“I welcome FEMA’s approval of additional funding for disaster case management for Los Angeles County,” she said in a statement. “Once received, this funding will allow thousands of Eaton Fire survivors to continue receiving the personalized support they need as they navigate the complicated road to recovery.