Friday, August 29, 2025

Altadena Fire Cleanup Entering Final Phase

By ANDRÈ COLEMAN, Managing Editor

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials said Tuesday that debris removal and restoration work following January’s Eaton Fire is nearly complete and remains on schedule for a full handoff to local agencies by the end of the year.

“Our attention has turned towards the completion of the last few projects within our mission,” said Lt. Alexander Cummings.

The January fire decimated Altadena, burning approximately 14,000 acres.

As of July, the official death toll reached nineteen people.

Cummings told Los Angeles County supervisors that the Corps’ private parcel debris removal program has wound down and crews are focused on completing the last projects within their mission.

“We remain on schedule to complete a handover back to the Department of Parks and Recreation by the end of 2025,” Cummings said.

A restoration plan to repair the irrigation system, in coordination with the Department of Public Works, is being finalized. Cummings said the Corps expects earthwork and irrigation repairs to be finished by mid-October.

Thursday, August 28, 2025

Altadena Cookie Co. Awarded $10,000 Grant for Wildfire Recovery

The small business was selected for its resilience and civic engagement following the Eaton Fire

Altadena Cookie Co., co-owned by local entrepreneurs Michelle Taylor and Jessica Christopher, has received a $10,000 grant from Bank of America and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, recognizing the small business’s resilience and community impact following the devastating Eaton Fire earlier this year.

The grant, announced Aug. 26 provides critical financial support for the business’s recovery efforts. The program was coordinated in part by the Pasadena City College Women’s Business Center, which selected Altadena Cookie Co. for its demonstrated need and civic engagement (“Meet the Grant Winners,” Pasadena City College Women’s Business Center, June 30).

Taylor and Christopher’s business suffered extensive losses during the Eaton Fire, which destroyed half of their baking equipment, all ingredients, and rendered both of their home kitchens nonfunctional. A February 2 GoFundMe campaign titled “Share the love for Altadena Cookie Co!” described the impact in stark terms: “Michelle lost her home and Jessica’s is unsafe to live in after the recent Eaton fire.

Thursday, August 28, 2025

With Candidates Bowing Out, California’s Gubernatorial Race Remains Wide Open

By Dan Walters, CALMATTERS

Given California’s size and its cultural and economic impact around the globe, whoever captures its governorship instantly becomes one of the nation’s most prominent politicians and a potential candidate for president.

However, running for governor is not for the faint of heart. It requires early commitment, stamina, a thick skin and the ability to raise the huge amounts of cash.

That’s why, in most cases, serious candidates come from the ranks of lesser officeholders, spend years laying the groundwork their campaigns and declare themselves at least two years in advance of the election they hope to win.

Of the 10 men who have won the governorship since World War II — including Jerry Brown twice — only two didn’t use other offices as springboards: actors Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

However, the historic pattern is not holding for 2026 as Gavin Newsom’s governorship ends. Two of the most prominent potential Democratic candidates, former Vice President Kamala Harris and Lt.

Thursday, August 28, 2025

Community Vigil Planned Today After ICE Detains Six Car Wash Workers in Pasadena

A community vigil and fundraiser will be held Thursday evening in response to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid that resulted in the detention of six car wash workers last week in Pasadena.

The incident occurred shortly before noon on Friday, Aug. 22 at the Pasadena Car Wash, located at 164 W. Del Mar Blvd. near Old Pasadena. According to organizers, seven employees were initially detained by individuals believed to be ICE agents. One worker was released shortly after the operation, while six others were taken into custody. No Pasadena police officers were present or witnessed the raid.

The National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), a Pasadena-based nonprofit advocating for immigrant and low-wage workers, announced the vigil as part of a broader community response. The event, titled “Vigil for Justice,” is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at the site of the raid. Attendees are encouraged to bring candles and join in solidarity.

“This cruel enforcement action will be met with love,

Thursday, August 28, 2025

Teen’s Fire Relief Nonprofit Expands to Permanent Location

Organization founded after Eaton Fire has distributed over 1 million items to victims

A teenage entrepreneur who launched a nonprofit to help peers affected by the Eaton Fire announced she is opening a permanent location in Old Pasadena this fall.

Avery Colvert, who will turn 15 soon, started “Altadena Girls” in January following the devastating wildfire. A CBS News report said the organization has since distributed more than one million items to fire victims.

The new facility will feature a music and yoga studio, plus a “Sliving” lounge funded by media personality Paris Hilton, who has become a major supporter of the organization.

“I can’t believe an idea I had in January is turning into something this big,” Colvert told CBS News Los Angeles.

The nonprofit continues serving families still recovering from the fire. Melanie Bran, 15, recently visited to shop for school clothes after her family lost their home.

“When I came back to the house and I saw that it was in ashes,

Thursday, August 28, 2025

Harabedian Co-Chairs First Hearing of New California Housing Affordability Committee

The committee will host additional hearings in the fall and new year

Assemblymember John Harabedian (D-Pasadena) co-chaired the inaugural hearing Wednesday of the newly formed Select Committee on Housing Finance and Affordability, marking a the beginning of a new phase in the State Legislature’s efforts to confront California’s housing crisis.

The committee, created earlier this year by Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, convened lawmakers, housing experts and advocates to examine pragmatic solutions for expanding housing access across the state. Harabedian leads the committee alongside Assemblymember Ávila Farías (D-Martinez).

“California families are being priced out of the very communities they helped build,” Harabedian said. “This Select Committee will attempt to cut through the gridlock and find tangible solutions that make housing affordable and attainable again.”

Farías called for a recalibration of housing policy that starts with bringing policymakers, industry partners and housing practitioners to the table.

Speaker Rivas spotlighted that California’s climate policies should deliver real results for Californians. “We can’t afford to leave any housing solutions on the sidelines,” Rivas said.

Thursday, August 28, 2025

NAACP-Pasadena Reflects on Voting Rights Legacy, Saying ‘Threats … Persist’

Organization marks 19th Amendment anniversary with call to protect ballot access

The NAACP Pasadena Branch marked the 105th anniversary of the 19th Amendment on August 26 with a reflection on Black women’s voting struggles and a call to defend voting rights. 

The organization posted a statement on Facebook acknowledging the difficult path Black women faced in gaining ballot access. The 19th Amendment, ratified in 1920, granted women the right to vote but did not guarantee equal access for all women. 

“For Black women, that path was anything but easy,” the NAACP-Pasadena statement said. 

The group highlighted the political influence of Black women voters. Referencing “the 92%” in their statement, they said this demographic “has consistently shown that our vote is powerful, transformative, and undeniable.” 

Current voting rights challenges prompted the organization’s call for community action. 

“Today, as threats to voting rights persist, our community must stand united in fighting with everything we have to protect this fundamental right,”

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Golf Clinic Offers Respite for Eaton Fire Victims

Children displaced by the Eaton Fire found unexpected joy swinging golf clubs Saturday at Brookside Golf Club, where a free clinic offered families a brief escape from disaster recovery.

First Tee-Greater Pasadena, with sponsorship from East West Bank, provided golf instruction, clothing and financial literacy materials to youth and adults affected by the fire during the August 23 event.

“For many of the attendees, it’s their first exposure to the game of golf. At First Tee – Greater Pasadena, we take on a huge responsibility of introducing the game to the members of our community,” First Tee said in a statement.

The nonprofit uses golf instruction to teach core values including respect, confidence, honesty and courtesy. Its curriculum focuses on building character and life skills in young participants.

“The program aims to develop self-confidence and resilience that children can apply beyond golf. These qualities help kids in various aspects of their lives,” the statement said.

East West Bank’s sponsorship enabled the organization to expand its community impact.

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Pasadena Congresswoman Demands Answers Over Presence of Armed Federal Agents at Newsom Event

Lawmaker seeks explanation for federal deployment outside the Governor’s recent Little Tokyo press conference

U.S. Rep. Laura Friedman, who represents the Linda Vista area of Pasadena, is demanding answers from the Department of Homeland Security following the deployment of approximately 100 heavily armed federal agents outside Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Aug. 14 press conference in Los Angeles.

Friedman led a letter signed by 14 other members of California’s congressional delegation, including Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, questioning the scale, timing and intent of the operation.

The lawmakers are seeking a written response from the Department of Homeland Security by Sept. 4.

Media reports indicate that agents — many in tactical gear and masks — were stationed directly outside the Japanese American National Museum during Newsom’s remarks. Only two individuals were reportedly arrested, prompting concerns about the scale, timing and intent of the deployment.

“The American people must be able to trust that Immigration and Customs Enforcement,

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Pasadena-Based ForensisGroup Helps Communities Navigate Wildfire Insurance Claims and Legal Disputes

ForensisGroup, an expert witness referral firm based in Pasadena, is playing a pivotal role in helping local residents affected by recent wildfires in Los Angeles County and their lawyers navigate complex insurance claims and legal disputes, according to a company statement.

The firm, which connects attorneys with independent experts across thousands of technical disciplines, said its specialists are assisting with cause-and-origin investigations, fire behavior analysis, construction cost estimating, environmental remediation, and forensic accounting for business interruption claims. These services are being used to support litigation and mediation efforts across Southern California.

“Recovery for wildfire-impacted communities is about more than rebuilding structures—it’s about restoring trust,” said Mercy Steenwyk, CEO and founder of ForensisGroup. “Objective, credentialed experts bring clarity that keeps the process grounded in truth.”

The company noted that wildfire-related legal matters often require multidisciplinary expertise, including electrical and utility safety, meteorology, structural engineering, and psychological damage assessments.

Director Emily Steenwyk said expert analysis helps translate complex technical issues into defensible insights for negotiations and trial.