Thursday, October 23, 2025

County Supervisors to Consider Major Housing, Health, and Infrastructure Actions

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to review a range of fiscal and policy items Tuesday designed to strengthen social programs, housing protections, and public safety while advancing major infrastructure projects across the region.

A motion from Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath proposes extending emergency housing price protections through November 28 in response to increased reports of rent and hotel price gouging. The measure would maintain enforcement of state and county ordinances designed to prevent excessive rent and eviction during high-demand periods.

Supervisor Hilda L. Solis is expected to introduce a plan directing County departments to coordinate efforts ensuring Medi-Cal and CalFresh beneficiaries remain enrolled during eligibility verification transitions. The proposal emphasizes cooperation among Health Services, Public Social Services, and community organizations to expand work programs and streamline the verification process.

Infrastructure and recovery planning dominate the docket. Supervisors are slated to establish the Altadena Wildfire Recovery Infrastructure Financing District to support rebuilding in affected areas. They will also consider continuing 10 local emergency declarations while ending two related to the 2023 winter storms and Tropical Storm Hilary.

Thursday, October 23, 2025

PUSD Trustee Scott Harden to Host Special Education Forum in Early November

The event will feature Pasadena Unified School District’s special education director and a panel of caregivers and experts

Pasadena Unified School District Board Trustee Scott Harden will host a community forum titled “Special Education: Supporting Every Learner” on Monday, Nov. 3 at 6:30 p.m. at James Madison Elementary School Auditorium, 515 E. Ashtabula St. in Pasadena. 

The event is scheduled to feature Pasadena Unified School District Special Education Director Ingrid Jaimes and a panel of caregivers and experts. Spanish interpretation and refreshments will be provided. 

Harden said District 4 residents are invited to attend to hear about how special education programs operate, how they’re funded, and how families can find support or advocate for change. Attendees are encouraged to reserve a seat or accept the invitation at hardenforpusd.com/forum. 

“One of the things I care about as a Pasadena Unified School District Board member is how we serve all our students, especially those with special needs,” Harden wrote in the invitation. 

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

County LGBTQ+ Commission Issues First Annual Report

A new report issued Wednesday examines ongoing efforts in Los Angeles County to support LGBTQ+ individuals and organizations.

The first annual report from the Los Angeles County LGBTQ+ Commission provides “an in-depth analysis of key accomplishments, obstacles faced and ongoing long-term projects,” to support the community, according to a news release from the L.A. County Board of Supervisors’ Executive Office.

“This first annual report is a significant step forward in ensuring the County of Los Angeles delivers on its commitment to supporting our LGBTQ+ residents and safeguarding vital resources that help meet the needs of Angelenos across our communities,” said First District Supervisor Hilda Solis, the board’s chair pro tem, in a statement.

The report summarizes the work of the commission from June 2024 to June 2025.

Among the highlighted successes cited are the adoption of the commission’s first strategic plan, its work with over 55 community-based organizations serving the LGBTQ+ community and the provision of advice and recommendations in more than 100 meetings with county departments on LGBTQ+ issues.

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Gavin Newsom Embraced Reparations At First. Now He’s Slow Rolling Them

By Dan Walters, CALMATTERS

George Floyd, a Black man who had been detained by Minneapolis police after a store clerk alleged he had used a counterfeit $20 bill, died as Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes, ignoring Floyd’s complaints that he could not breathe.

A video of Floyd’s May 25, 2020 death triggered massive protests throughout the nation and across the globe, energizing the Black Lives Matter movement that had been founded in 2013.

Four months after Floyd’s death, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed three bills to address, he said, “the scourge of racial injustice rooted in the legacy of slavery and systemic racism,” including one authorizing a nine-member task force to study reparations for Black Californians.

“As a nation, we can only truly thrive when every one of us has the opportunity to thrive,” Newsom declared. “California’s rich diversity is our greatest asset, and we won’t turn away from this moment to make right the discrimination and disadvantages that Black Californians and people of color still face.”

Three years later,

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Altadena Wildfire Recovery District Approved to Rebuild Infrastructure After Eaton Fire

Los Angeles County supervisors on Tuesday approved the creation of the Altadena Wildfire Recovery Infrastructure Financing District, establishing a long-term funding mechanism to rebuild public infrastructure and community assets damaged in the Eaton Fire earlier this year.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger, who chairs the Board of Supervisors and represents Altadena, led the initiative and secured the Board’s formal approval for the District’s development. The District will redirect future property tax revenues from Altadena into a dedicated fund for infrastructure restoration and disaster resilience.

“I’m proud to have championed this District as a tool to accelerate Altadena’s recovery,” Barger said in a County-issued statement. “Our residents have endured unimaginable loss. This new District ensures that we have a focused, sustainable way to fund the infrastructure improvements needed to help families, businesses, and neighborhoods rebuild stronger and safer than before.”

The District was authorized under Senate Bill 782, sponsored by the County and signed into law earlier this year. According to a County press release, the legislation was designed to help disaster-affected communities recover more quickly by enabling local reinvestment of tax revenue.

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Altadena Faces Decision on Extended Construction Hours as Rebuilding Accelerates

Altadena residents have just weeks to weigh in on a proposal that could extend construction hours beyond the current 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. window as the community faces a building boom, with nearly 400 permits already issued and hundreds more homes in the pipeline.

LA County Public Health launched a community survey Tuesday seeking feedback on whether to allow earlier morning or later evening construction work to accelerate the rebuilding process—a decision that will affect noise levels and neighborhood life for the next two years.

“As building and development is going to increase in the next couple months, we’re seeking your feedback on expanding this variance further,” Charlene Contreras of the Department of Public Health told the Altadena Town Council Tuesday evening. “We just want to get a feeling of what the community wants as far as furthering the construction hours.”

The county currently prohibits construction noise between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. Monday through Saturday, with no construction allowed on Sundays.

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Alleged Eaton Fire Looters Face Pretrial Hearing Wednesday

Two defendants charged with burglarizing evacuated homes during January wildfire that destroyed thousands of structures will be in court Wednesday

Two people accused of looting homes during the deadly Eaton Fire are scheduled for a pretrial hearing Wednesday morning in Pasadena Superior Court.

Lucia Jilrara Perez, 36, and Rudy Salazar, 19, each face two counts of first-degree residential burglary. Prosecutors allege they entered evacuated homes in Altadena and stole property as the wildfire raged through the community.

The hearing is set for 8:30 a.m. in Department B at Pasadena Courthouse, 300 E. Walnut St. Judge Rita L. Badhan will preside.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty at their Jan. 10 arraignment.

The Eaton Fire ignited Jan 7, burned 14,117 acres and destroyed more than 9,414 structures.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman announced charges against the pair as part of a broader crackdown on wildfire-related crimes.

“If you exploit this tragedy to prey on victims of these deadly fires,

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Record 21 Candidates Seek Altadena Town Council Seats in Post-Fire Election

Twenty-one candidates stepped forward Tuesday night to compete for seats on the Altadena Town Council in what officials called an unprecedented show of civic engagement, as the community continues rebuilding from the devastating Eaton Fire that destroyed homes across the foothill area in January.

The historic candidate forum featured emotional testimonies from fire survivors, business owners, educators and longtime residents — many who lost their homes — all pledging to guide Altadena’s recovery over the next two years. The turnout represents the largest field of candidates in the chair’s tenure on the council.

“I don’t think that certainly in my time on council that we’ve had this many candidates,” said the council chair Victoria Knapp, noting the remarkable response across multiple census tracts.

The candidates are competing for seats representing eight census tracts, with elections scheduled for early November. Many spoke of personal loss and their determination to rebuild not just structures, but community.

The Eaton Fire, which burned through Altadena on Jan.

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Los Angeles County Launches AB 218 Fraud Reporting Website and Hotline

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger on Tuesday announced the launch of a dedicated website and hotline for reporting suspected fraud related to AB 218, providing residents with a centralized and accessible way to raise concerns.

The AB 218 Fraud Reporting website, available at fraud.lacounty.gov/AB218, operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and supports multiple languages, ensuring all residents can report suspected fraud easily and safely. A companion hotline, (844) 901-0001, is staffed Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Calls placed outside of those hours are saved on a voicemail system, ensuring no report is missed.

“These tools give residents a clear and accessible way to report suspected fraud, helping protect our community and strengthen trust in government operations,” Barger said in a statement.

The new resources stem from a motion authored by Barger and unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors. The initiative is one of multiple anti-fraud measures put in place to safeguard taxpayer funds and ensure they are directed to legitimate victims.

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

New Legislation to Help Altadena Fast-Track Post-Wildfire Recovery

Altadena leaders announced this week that new state legislation is expected to help the community to speed up disaster recovery and rebuilding efforts, aiming to restore homes and infrastructure damaged by recent wildfires while strengthening protections against post-disaster crime.

Senate Bill 782, authored by Senator Sasha Renée Pérez and signed by Governor Gavin Newsom, gives counties the authority to create disaster recovery financing districts that redirect local tax growth into fire-affected areas.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger said Monday the measure will allow Los Angeles County to quickly establish an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) for Altadena.

“We will be able to accelerate the building of Altadena’s infrastructure without having to bear long delays that come with the traditional EIFD process,” Barger said.

According to County Recovery Director Anish Saraiya, the EIFD could generate needed funds to restore more than $1 billion worth of public assets, including roads, bridges, sewer systems, and community facilities.

“Preserving every ounce of district capacity is incredibly important to help restore critical government services,” Saraiya said.