Tuesday, September 29, 2026

LA County Selects Artist for Wildfire Community Memory Project

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Artist Tanya Aguiñiga was selected for a Los Angeles County artist-in-residence program and was preparing Tuesday to lead workshops aimed at preserving the memories and experiences of people affected by the January 2025 wildfires.

Aguiñiga will serve as artist-in-residence with the LA County Cultural Climate Commons: Community Memory Lab & Living Archive, a community archiving initiative intended to document experiences stemming from the fires and explore creative approaches to recovery from climate-related disasters.

During the residency, Aguiñiga will develop a series of collective memory and art-making workshops for Altadena residents and others affected by the fires, according to the Department of Arts and Culture.

The workshops will provide opportunities for participants to share stories and create artwork reflecting their experiences. Art created during the workshops may be added to a new LA County Library digital archive, county officials said.

The initiative is led by LA County Library and the LA County Library Foundation in partnership with the Department of Arts and Culture,

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

LA County Sees Heightened West Nile Virus Activity

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Los Angeles County residents were being warned Tuesday to take precautions against West Nile virus amid elevated activity, with positive mosquito samples and infected dead birds surpassing levels recorded at this time last year.

The Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District said West Nile virus activity is also trending above the five-year average, although the abundance of native Culex mosquitoes within the district remains below the five- year average.

Culex mosquitoes can transmit West Nile virus and are most active from dusk to dawn.

The district has detected 384 West Nile virus-positive mosquito samples and 78 infected dead birds so far this year, compared with 104 positive mosquito samples and two positive dead birds at the same point last year.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has reported more than 100 human cases and five deaths this year.

“West Nile virus is cyclical, and the level of activity we see can look different each year,”

Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Altadena’s Loma Alta Park Pool Ends Its Extended Summer Season Wednesday

Wednesday, Sept. 30, is the last day of the extended summer season at the Loma Alta Park pool in Altadena.

The season, which began Aug. 24, is paid for with a one-time grant from Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, according to her office’s Aug. 6 press release.

The pool, at 3330 N. Lincoln Ave., offers recreational swimming, lap swim, water exercise and swim lessons, Barger’s office said.

Free morning lap swim is available for adults 65 and older and for people with disabilities.

“Access to safe, affordable recreational opportunities is especially important as our Altadena community continues to recover and rebuild,” Barger said in the press release.

“I was pleased to provide the funding that made this extended pool season possible so children, families, seniors, and residents of all ages can continue enjoying this valuable community resource,” she said.

The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation told the Altadena Town Council on July 21 that Loma Alta Park had reopened.

Monday, September 28, 2026

What Will California’s Next Governor Do About Healthcare? Here Are Becerra And Hilton’s Plans

By Ana B. Ibarra, CALMATTERS

Angela Chang says the sticker shock never gets easier. Clients call her Southern California health insurance brokerage in disbelief, asking how much their insurance costs will jump again.

A hospital bill would hurt far worse, she tells them. But Chang, chief strategy officer at KCAL Insurance, also knows there’s only so much left in people’s pockets, especially with food and gas prices rising too.

In hard times, people want reassurance, Chang said. “I think that the general public would like to see our next governor … find a way for Californians to be able to remain covered affordably,” she said.

Nearly two in three Californians worry about unexpected medical bills, and six in 10 report they or a family member skipped care due to cost, according to a California Health Care Foundation survey. As Californians drown in medical debt and worry about losing coverage, the two candidates running for governor have given voters little indication of how they’d help.

Monday, September 28, 2026

Pasadena Education Network Walks Parents Through Choosing an Elementary School

Free Wednesday evening session at the Southern California Children’s Museum covers test scores, school ratings and Pasadena Unified options

Parents weighing where to send a child to elementary school can hear an overview of Pasadena Unified’s options on Wednesday evening, when the Pasadena Education Network holds its free program “PEN: Choosing an Elementary School” at the Southern California Children’s Museum.

Jennifer Miyake-Trapp, a parent and education expert, provides an overview of what Pasadena Unified has to offer. She will explain what test scores and school ratings do and don’t tell a family about a school, and how a family’s own values, along with insights from school visits and parent perspectives, can contribute to the decision.

The presentation is followed by a chance to meet and chat with parents of children currently attending elementary schools across PUSD. A parent representative from the Community Advisory Committee for Special Education will also be on hand to answer questions about accessing special education services in the district.

Monday, September 28, 2026

Pasadena Unified Invites Families to Free College & Career Fair Oct. 6

Pasadena Unified School District will hold its annual College & Career Fair Tuesday, Oct. 6, at the Pasadena Convention Center, opening it to students from elementary through high school and their families. 

The free fair is open to the entire community. 

The district says it gives students and their families an opportunity to explore higher education options, discover career pathways and connect with programs and organizations that can help them plan for their futures. 

More than 100 colleges and universities from across the United States are expected to take part, the district said. They include local community colleges, California State University and University of California campuses, historically Black colleges and universities, private institutions and Ivy League schools. 

The fair runs from 4 to 7 p.m. at the convention center, 300 E.

Green St. In addition to the colleges, students and families can learn about career certificate programs, local job opportunities and resources offered by community organizations, the district said. 

Students can learn about different colleges,

Monday, September 28, 2026

Small Business Expo Los Angeles Brings a Free Day of Workshops to the Pasadena Convention Center

Wednesday’s expo runs 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with keynotes, workshops and industry meet-ups for small business owners

Small Business Expo Los Angeles comes to the Pasadena Convention Center on Wednesday, with doors open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is designed for small business owners, entrepreneurs and startups ready to grow, and tickets are free with registration.

Sessions at 10:30 a.m. include “The Small Business AI Playbook: How to Put AI to Work This Week,” “Common Forms of Business Ownership in California” and “The ABCs of SMS: How to Grow Your Business Using Text Messages.” Running at the same hour are “30 Minute CMO: Create an Entire 90-Day Marketing Strategy” and “Solving the People Puzzle: Turning Your Biggest Asset Into Your Competitive Advantage.” Another session, “The First Ten Seconds: How to Capture Attention and Keep It,” is presented at Booth 541.

The keynote speakers are Nicole Denise Phillip, a brand intelligence strategist and founder of CoAgency, and Jourdan Guyton,

Sunday, September 27, 2026

Pasadena Teachers Union to Host PUSD Board Candidate Forum Oct. 3

Three of four Pasadena Unified board races on the Nov. 3 ballot are contested

United Teachers of Pasadena will host a forum for Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education candidates Saturday, Oct. 3, at 2 p.m. at First Church of the Nazarene in Pasadena, the union said in a Saturday announcement.

The forum comes a month before the Nov. 3 general election for four of the school board’s seven seats, in districts 1, 3, 5 and 7, each for a four-year term. Three of those races are contested.

In District 1, incumbent board member Kimberly Kenne faces Felita Kealing, a school student recruiter. In District 3, incumbent board member Michelle Richardson Bailey faces Veronica Elias, whose ballot designation is educator/parent. In District 7, Dennis J. McNamara and Cynthia Torres, whose ballot designations are retired finance executive and education services consultant, are running for the seat held by Dr. Yarma Velázquez, who is not seeking reelection.

Candidates will answer questions in a moderated format and share their priorities and vision with educators,

Sunday, September 27, 2026

LA County Gas Average Hits $6.387, 10.6 Cents Short of Record After 39 Straight Increases

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County rose 5.1 cents Saturday to $6.387, 10.6 cents short of the county’s record, according to figures from the Amedrican Automobile Association and the Oil Price Information Service.

Saturday’s increase was the 39th consecutive daily rise and lifted the countywide average to its highest level since Oct. 10, 2022. The figure is a countywide average rather than a measurement of prices at Pasadena stations.

The county record is $6.493, set Oct. 5, 2022, according to the AAA and Oil Price Information Service figures.

Over the 39-day streak, the average has climbed 74.5 cents. It is 69.3 cents higher than one month ago and $1.665 higher than one year ago.

The average has increased $1.693 since the joint U.S./Israel war on Iran began Feb. 28, a conflict City News Service reported sent oil prices higher and drastically accelerated increases at the pump.

“Typically, the start of autumn brings lower gas prices,

Sunday, September 27, 2026

Eaton Fire Case Management Still Faces Sept. 30 End

FEMA Money Stays Unpaid, Altadena Coalition Says

The Federal Emergency Management Agency still has not paid $10 million it approved earlier for Eaton Fire survivors’ case managers, an Altadena recovery coalition said Saturday, Sept. 26, four days before the program is set to end.

The Disaster Case Management Program pairs survivors of the January 2025 Eaton and Palisades fires with case managers who help with insurance, FEMA and Small Business Administration issues, financing and rebuilding, according to Los Angeles County.

If the program ends Wednesday, Sept. 30, about 109 staff positions will be eliminated and more than 1,500 survivors will lose their case manager, the Eaton Fire Collaborative said in a press release.

More than 1,000 of the program’s active cases involve Eaton Fire survivors, four California members of Congress wrote Sept. 10, citing program providers.

The California Department of Social Services has said the program will be forced to end Sept. 30 because FEMA has not provided enough funding,