Tuesday, October 21, 2025

At Caltech, New AI Model for Drug Design Brings More Physics to Bear in Predictions

By Kimm Fesenmaier, CALTECH

When machine learning is used to suggest new potential scientific insights or directions, algorithms sometimes offer solutions that are not physically sound. Take for example AlphaFold, the AI system that predicts the complex ways in which amino acid chains will fold into 3D protein structures. The system sometimes suggests “unphysical” folds—configurations that are implausible based on the laws of physics—especially when asked to predict the folds for chains that are significantly different from its training data. To limit this type of unphysical result in the realm of drug design, Anima Anandkumar, Bren Professor of Computing and Mathematical Sciences at Caltech, and her colleagues have introduced a new machine learning model called NucleusDiff, which incorporates a simple physical idea into its training, greatly improving the algorithm’s performance.

Anandkumar and her colleagues describe NucleusDiff in a paper that appears as part of a “Machine Learning in Chemistry” special feature published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Newsom Did What He Pledged To Do To Jump-Start Housing Production. Still No Progress

By Dan Walters, CALMATTERS

Eight years ago, as he began his campaign for governor, Gavin Newsom described fixing the state’s chronic housing shortage as a moral imperative.

“This is a question of who we are,” Newsom wrote in 2017. “Housing is a fundamental human need — let’s not forget the human face behind the dire statistics.

“Housing instability can cause genuine mental and physical adversity,” he added, “and lead to insufferable decisions: no one should have to choose between paying rent or buying groceries. Knowing that too many Californians face this kind of anxiety breaks my heart.”

Newsom pledged that as governor he would lead the effort to develop 3.5 million new housing units by 2025, “because our solutions must be as bold as the problem is big.

“I realize building 3.5 million new housing units is an audacious goal,” Newsom continued, “but it’s achievable. There is no silver bullet to solve this crisis. We need to attack the problem on multiple fronts by generating more funding for affordable housing,

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Legal Aid Town Hall to Offer Free Support for Eaton Fire Survivors

The event will connect residents with pro bono legal experts offering help with recovery and rebuilding

Survivors of the Eaton Fire will have access to free legal assistance at a town hall hosted Wednesday, Oct. 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Eaton Fire Collaboratory, 540 W. Woodbury Rd. in Altadena.

The Legal Aid Town Hall will connect residents impacted by the fire with pro bono legal experts offering help with contractor disputes, insurance and mortgage issues, tenants’ and homeowners’ rights, rebuilding guidance, and available legal remedies.

“This town hall represents more than just free legal help, it’s about restoring dignity and stability to those who have lost so much,” said Brandon Lamar, president of the Pasadena NAACP.

Partnering organizations include the NAACP Pasadena Branch, Bet Tzedek, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County, Public Counsel, and Inner City Law Center. Together, they said they intend to ensure equitable access to justice and recovery resources.

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Turkey Tussle in the Rose Bowl Draws Closer, PUSD Urges Fans to Buy Tickets Now

For longtime Pasadenans, the Turkey Tussle isn’t just a football game — it’s part of the city’s DNA.

The football and homecoming tradition between John Muir High School and Pasadena High School that celebrates sportsmanship, school spirit, and community is scheduled for October 31 at 7 p.m.

The cross-town rivalry between Muir and PHS dates back to 1947, when the Victory Bell first became the symbol of bragging rights. What started as a simple football matchup quickly turned into a defining fall tradition, uniting generations of Mustangs and Bulldogs under the Friday night lights.

Over the years, the Tussle has grown beyond the gridiron: it’s become a homecoming, a reunion, and a celebration of pride — played on the biggest local stage possible, the Rose Bowl itself.

Each October, the schools’ bands, alumni, cheer squads, and families fill the stadium with blue-and-gold and red-and-white, cheering for far more than a trophy — they’re cheering for neighborhoods, memories, and shared history.

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Congresswoman Chu Warns of Soaring Health Premiums Amid Prolonged Government Shutdown

U.S. Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) on Monday warned constituents that the ongoing federal government shutdown could trigger steep health insurance premium hikes, particularly for older middle-income couples, if Republican lawmakers allow key Affordable Care Act subsidies to expire. Chu represents Pasadena and Altadena.

In an email addressed to “Neighbor,” Chu said the shutdown has entered its third week with no bipartisan agreement in sight. She accused Republican leaders of refusing to negotiate a deal that would both reopen the government and preserve ACA premium tax credits, which she said are critical to keeping health care affordable for millions of Americans.

Chu cited projections showing that a 60-year-old couple in her district earning $82,800 annually could see their monthly premiums spike nearly 300%, surpassing $2,000, if the credits lapse.

“Republicans already slashed Medicaid in their Big Ugly Law,” Chu wrote, referencing a GOP-backed legislative package. “Now, they want to let ACA premium tax credits expire, which will mean higher premiums for tens of millions of Americans.”

She added that families nationwide are receiving notices of impending premium increases and said she has heard from “countless constituents who rely on the ACA or Medicaid for their health coverage.” Chu invited residents to share their experiences by clicking a link included in the email and noted that an image or button was provided to facilitate responses.

Monday, October 20, 2025

Los Angeles County to Consider Altadena Wildfire Recovery Financing District

Board of Supervisors will vote on expedited tax increment district to rebuild infrastructure destroyed in January’s devastating Eaton Fire

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will hold a public meeting Tuesday to consider establishing a disaster recovery financing district for Altadena, a mechanism designed to fund critical infrastructure repairs following the devastating January wildfires. The proposed Altadena Wildfire Recovery Infrastructure Financing District would utilize incremental property tax revenue to finance reconstruction projects without imposing new taxes or fees on property owners. 

The meeting is scheduled for October 21 at 9:30 a.m. in the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration Board Hearing Room, located at 500 West Temple Street in Los Angeles. Supervisors will consider adopting a Resolution of Intention to establish both the District and a Public Financing Authority to oversee its operations. 

The proposed District would finance infrastructure and related projects consistent with California Government Code Sections 62300 and 53398.50 et seq. The mechanism would facilitate construction of infrastructure improvements in unincorporated Altadena.

Monday, October 20, 2025

Webinar to Spotlight Black Altadena’s Recovery Nine Months After Eaton Fire

A virtual panel hosted Tuesday by USC’s Black Studies Center and Equity Research Institute will examine the lingering impact of the January 2025 Eaton Fire on Altadena’s Black community, which suffered disproportionate losses in one of California’s most destructive wildfires.

The event, titled “After the Fire: Voices from Black Altadena,” begins at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 21 and features longtime Altadena resident Veronica Jones, president of the Altadena Historical Society; Dr. Hajar Yazdiha, Associate Professor of Sociology at USC and faculty affiliate of the USC Equity Research Institute, USC Black Studies Center, and the Rutgers Center for Security, Race, and Rights; and moderator Dr. Oneka LaBennett, director of the USC Black Studies Center.

The webinar is free with registration.

The panel will explore themes of recovery, resilience, and historical preservation, with a focus on the lived experiences of Black Altadena residents displaced or affected by the fire.

The Eaton Fire ignited Jan. 7 in Eaton Canyon and burned 14,021 acres, destroying 9,418 structures and damaging more than 1,000 others.

Monday, October 20, 2025

The Feds Want To Know More About The People On Food Stamps. How Newsom Responded

By Phoebe Huss, CALMATTERS

A law that allowed the sharing of limitless amounts of personal data across the state to find people eligible for CalFresh was rescinded this week.

On Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 593 by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, a Democrat from Oakland, that forbids state and local departments from sharing sensitive personal data to increase food stamp enrollment.

But only a year ago, it was Wicks who introduced that same data sharing initiative, to get more people enrolled in CalFresh, the state’s federally funded food assistance program. Her bill from last year, Assembly Bill 518, granted state and local public entities involved in education, crime, employment, and other areas the authority to override all state privacy laws to share data about people who could potentially get CalFresh.

CalFresh is funded by the federal government, run by the state Department of Social Services and administered locally. Over 1 in 5 Californians are food insecure.

Monday, October 20, 2025

California Voter Registration Deadline Closes Monday, But Same-Day Options Remain for Nov. 4 Special Election

Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, marks the final day for Californians to register to vote and receive a mail ballot for the Nov. 4 statewide special election, but residents who miss the deadline can still vote through the state’s Same Day Voter Registration system.

Known officially as Conditional Voter Registration, the system allows eligible voters to register and cast a provisional ballot from Oct. 21 through Election Day. Voters can complete the process at county elections offices, vote centers, or polling places. The process requires voters to fill out a paper or online registration form, receive a provisional ballot, cast it in a special provisional envelope, and have their eligibility verified by the county before the ballot is counted.

The special election centers on Proposition 50, a proposed constitutional amendment that would temporarily suspend California’s independent redistricting process in response to Texas’s partisan redistricting. If approved, the measure would authorize legislatively drawn congressional district maps for the 2026, 2028, and 2030 elections. California would return to its Citizens Redistricting Commission in 2031.

Monday, October 20, 2025

Altadena Town Council to Weigh McDonald’s Rebuild, Public Health to Brief on Construction Hours

The Altadena Town Council will convene Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Altadena Community Center, 730 E. Altadena Drive. A livestream is listed on Pasadena Media’s YouTube channel.

The agenda opens with a flag salute led by Armen Balikyan-Bekian, roll call by Recording Secretary Kim Yu, and consideration of the evening’s agenda by Vice Chair Nic Arnzen. Officer reports follow from Chair Victoria Knapp, Vice Chair Arnzen, Recording Secretary Yu (including approval of the Sept. 16 minutes), Treasurer Milissa Marona and Corresponding Secretary Connor Cipolla.

Public-safety briefings are scheduled from the Altadena Sheriff’s Station (Captain Ethan Marquez), the California Highway Patrol (Officer Jeremy Keller) and the Los Angeles County Fire Department (Maria Grycan, Community Services Liaison, Division 3).

Community reports are listed from L.A. County Parks, East Foothill District (presented by Guillermo Portillo, Recreation Services Manager); the Eaton Fire Collaborative (Bree Jensen, Leadership Council Representative); ARRC/CORE ADU sample lot on Lincoln (Anders Corey); and Public Works on emergency preparedness (Josh Svensson, Principal Engineer).

A special presentation by Los Angeles County Public Health Branch Director Charlene Contreras will address a county survey on extending construction hours.