Monday, December 22, 2025

Guest Opinion | Chris Holden: Edison Must Advance Housing Relief and Agree to Fair Mediation

Nearly a year after the Eaton Fire destroyed thousands of homes across the San Gabriel Valley, a historic coalition has demanded that Southern California Edison keep families housed until they can get back home. The Eaton Fire Action Network’s proposal addresses the immediate crisis facing families who are running out of financial options.

The solution is straightforward: Edison must front up to $200,000 per displaced household in temporary housing relief based on verified costs, provided without legal waivers.

The Crisis Is Immediate

Edison’s fire doubled or tripled local rents, pushing costs from roughly $1,800 a month to $4,000–$6,000 or more. Insurance meant to cover the loss of use of someone’s home that is supposed to last years is depleting in months. According to the Eaton Fire Collaborative Housing Impact Survey, 72% of renters still need housing, yet 78% cannot afford current rents. Families face eviction or homelessness long before recovery is possible.

Meanwhile, Edison reports record profits. In October, regulators approved a rate increase generating nearly $1 billion annually,

Sunday, December 21, 2025

Pasadena’s LIFT International Church to Provide Wildfire Relief and $35,000 in Assistance on Sunday

LIFT International Church will provide critical relief supplies and direct financial assistance to families impacted by recent wildfires during a distribution event Sunday at its North Lake Avenue location, according to the church.

The event is scheduled for 11 a.m. at 1757 N. Lake Avenue in Pasadena. LIFT International Church and Ever After Events, working with partners including the California Community Foundation, The Black Freedmen Fund and LA Wildfires, will distribute more than $35,000 in direct financial relief to 25 to 30 local families, the advisory said.

The church will provide essential household items, childcare supplies and direct financial relief, while also fulfilling Christmas wish requests submitted by families through its community portal.

Items being distributed include Sealy air mattresses, pillows, air purifiers, amenity kits, tech decks, baby strollers, 8-piece nursery crib sets, child sleeping bags, clothing for men, women and children, and grocery gift cards.

Sunday, December 21, 2025

Altadena Workshop to Offer One-on-One Help as County Rent Relief Program Opens for Eaton Fire Survivors

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger is urging Altadena residents affected by the Eaton Fire to apply for the county’s newly launched Emergency Rent Relief Program, which is now accepting applications from eligible landlords and homeowners. The announcement comes as county officials prepare to offer in-person application assistance Monday at the Altadena Community Center.

The program offers grants to cover eligible rental debt and related housing expenses, with assistance potentially covering up to six months of rent debt and mortgage assistance—subject to program limits. It is accepting applications from landlords and homeowners impacted by the Eaton Fire and other emergency-related hardships.

Landlords must submit applications first, after which tenants will complete a required tenant profile to support eligibility. Homeowners displaced by the Los Angeles Wildfires as well as landlords whose rental properties have outstanding fire-related repairs are also eligible.

Designed to stabilize housing in communities impacted by emergencies, the program helps renters remain housed while also supporting landlords and displaced homeowners facing financial strain.

Sunday, December 21, 2025

So Cal Edison Announces First Payments Issued by Eaton Fire Compensation Program

Southern California Edison said the first payment in its Wildfire Recovery was made last week, 45 days after the program’s launch on October 29. The program provides compensation to community members directly impacted by the Eaton Fire.

SCE reported that more than 1,500 claims have been submitted. As of Dec. 15, the company listed 1,551 total claims; 3,293 claimants and household members involved; 27 offers extended; and one payment made.

Twenty percent of claims were submitted by plaintiffs’ attorneys, according to SCE.

The three most common loss types were non-burn damage (43%), total loss (40%) and partial loss (5%).

“We are grateful to community partners — neighbors, local organizations and first responders – for their tireless efforts to support recovery,” said Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International, SCE’s parent company. “We committed to helping quickly, too, delivering offers within 90 days and payments within 30 days. Today, we’re making good on that promise in a fraction of the time,

Saturday, December 20, 2025

Police Warn of Zero-Tolerance Approach as Security Tightens for 137th Rose Parade

“The folks that formerly used to throw tortillas at cars, that’s a no-no this year,” Pasadena Police Chief Gene Harris warned, setting a zero-tolerance tone for the January 1 137th Rose Parade that will see hundreds of officers deployed along and near the parade route.

“No shenanigans. We have zero tolerance for people coming to ruin the parade,” Harris said at a Dec. 18 press conference at Tournament House, where city and Tournament of Roses leaders outlined new security measures for the Jan. 1, 2026 parade and the 112th Rose Bowl Game.

Observation towers, Meridian barriers, air assets, perimeter security, and officers in both visible and non-visible deployments will ring the parade route, officials said, referencing lessons learned from over the years and studies of protecting crowds at large public events.

“Every corner of what we’re doing out here [will be] evaluated, looked at, making sure we provide a safe environment,” Harris said, noting that local, state, and federal partners will join Pasadena officers throughout the event.

Saturday, December 20, 2025

New Data Show Population Drops in LA County in Fiscal Year 2025

CITY NEWS SERVICE

Los Angeles County remains the most populous county in the state, but its population saw the largest decline during fiscal year 2025, partly due to impacts of the Palisades and Eaton wildfires and a significant decrease in international migration, according to data released Friday by the California Department of Finance.

Los Angeles’ population as of July 1 was 9,867,045 — down from 9,895,529 in 2024, a decline of 0.29%, data showed.

Overall, California’s population grew by about 19,200, or 0.05%, in the fiscal year, reaching 39,529,000 people, the department found.

The 0.05% increase marks the third year of population growth for the state following two consecutive years of declines during the pandemic.

With the Trump administration’s immigration policy, and deaths returning to long-term trends, California is likely to experience slower growth over the coming several years, according to the state finance department.

The state’s 10 largest counties — including Los Angeles,

Thursday, December 18, 2025

Holiday Travel Crunch Expected to Ramp Up Saturday

CITY NEWS SERVICE

The year-end holiday travel season is expected to ramp up beginning Saturday, with a record 10.2 million Southern Californians expected to voyage at least 50 miles from home.

According to the Auto Club of Southern California, the anticipated number of travelers is a 2.8% increase from last year’s volume of 9.9 million SoCal travelers. The Auto Club defines the holiday period as Saturday, Dec. 20, through Jan. 1.

“Year-end travel brings together everything from family road trips and friends’ getaways to tropical escapes,” Auto Club spokesman Doug Shupe said in a statement. “Each household celebrates the season differently, but the common thread is a shared desire to travel — whether heading home or discovering someplace new.”

The vast majority of SoCal travelers, roughly 8.9 million, are expected to reach their destinations by automobile, while 945,000 will fly and 332,000 will use other means, such as train, bus or cruise ship. The most popular destinations for Southern Californians are expected to be San Diego,

Thursday, December 18, 2025

Metrolink Offers $10 SoCal Day Pass for Upcoming Holiday Travel

STAFF REPORT

Unlike previous years, Metrolink will not be offering special early morning service for the Tournament of Roses Parade on Jan. 1

Metrolink, Southern California’s regional rail agency, announced Thursday it will offer $10 holiday day passes providing unlimited rides throughout the region on Christmas and New Year’s Day.

The SoCal Day Pass permits unlimited rides across Metrolink’s 545-mile rail system and six-county network — including the Arrow service, which connects San Bernardino and Redlands.

On both holidays, trains will operate a weekend schedule on all lines except the Riverside Line, which does not run on weekends or select holidays.

Unlike previous years, Metrolink will not be offering special early morning service for the Tournament of Roses Parade on Jan. 1.

Metrolink officials also provided a few tips for holiday train travel:

• The SoCal Day Pass is available for purchase on the day of travel via the Metrolink mobile app or at any station ticket machine;

Thursday, December 18, 2025

Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena Launches New Dena Teen Center with Grand Opening

STAFF REPORT

Teens, families, and supporters celebrated the new space with free food, activities, and ribbon cutting led by the Mayor of Pasadena

On Saturday the Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena (BGCP) proudly celebrated the grand opening of its new Dena Teen Center, a dedicated 10,000sf space for teens from Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre. As a major milestone in the Club’s Future Ready work, the Dena Teen Center officially opened its doors at the BGCP Clubhouse at 2020 North Fair Oaks Avenue, featuring a newly designed, fully separate entrance and space created specifically for high school youth.

The December 6 community launch event drew an enthusiastic turnout of teens, families, and local supporters who gathered for an afternoon of food, fun, and celebration. A highlight of the day was the ribbon-cutting ceremony led by the Mayor of Pasadena, Victor Gordo & Board Chair, Melina Montoya, marking the official opening of this exciting new resource for local high school teens.

Thursday, December 18, 2025

Sharp Spike in ER Illness After Eaton Fire Smoke, Cedars-Sinai Study Shows

Emergency room visits surged for heart attacks, lung illness and systemic symptoms following January wildfires

Emergency room visits for heart attacks, lung illness and severe systemic symptoms rose sharply among Pasadena-area residents exposed to smoke from the Eaton Fire in Altadena and the Palisades Fire, according to a Cedars-Sinai Medical Center study that has a key clarification to its reported findings.

The study, published Dec. 16 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found a 46% increase in acute myocardial infarction, a 24% increase in acute pulmonary illness, and a 218% increase in abnormal blood chemistry encounters during the 90 days after the Jan. 7 fire ignitions.

Cedars-Sinai said general illness encounters rose by about 118% over the same period, while the 218% statistic applies specifically to the increase in abnormal blood chemistry encounters, which rose at a rate ratio of 2.18, meaning the frequency more than doubled.

Although Cedars-Sinai is located roughly 20 miles from Pasadena,