Story by Sofia AlvaAssociate News Editor Photo contributed by Kelly WuContributor Senior Kelly Wu didn’t think much of it. Falling was normal, so she brushed it off and continued to skate. It wasn’t until a couple hours later when Wu saw a deep, bloody cut on her bottom. She was quickly rushed into emergency surgery, but never […]
SPHS data highlights racial inequities
Story by Sofia Alva News Associate Editor Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor Graphics by Charlotte Cohen Associate Design Editor The district’s annual School Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) revealed evidence of racism and other inequities at SPHS. The data, which analyzes performance level across a variety of demographics, generated severe criticism from parents and students. The SPSA […]
City Council districts spark cries of local gerrymandering
Story by Sofia Alva Staff Writer Photo courtesy of South Pasadena City Clerk Contributor Residents voiced concern that South Pasadena’s irregular council districting reflects a larger pattern of corruption inside City Hall following the first election with the districts. The tenure of City Council members Richard Schneider, Michael Cacciotti, Diana Mahmud, and Bob Joe have troubled […]
Community calls on City Council to launch investigation into SPPD
Story by Sofia Alva Staff Writer Photo by Oscar Walsh Staff Photographer Local activist groups Care First South Pasadena, Black Lives Matter (BLM) South Pasadena, the Anti Racism Committee, and the South Pasadena Tenants Union are calling on the City Council to commission a third-party investigation into the SPPD due to alleged bias against women, people of […]
Abajian and Martinez-Miller win School Board election
Story by Sofia Alva Staff Writer Photo by Oscar Walsh Staff Photographer South Pasadena voters elected incumbent Dr. Suzie Abajian and previous School Board member Patricia Martinez-Miller to serve on the School Board. Abajian and Martinez-Miller ran against two other candidates, SPUSD parents Erik Gammel and Alan Reynolds to fill two open spots. Abajian received 39.37 percent […]
SPHS welcomes new PE teacher Jill Timothy
Story by Sofia AlvaStaff Writer Photo courtesy of Jill TimothyContributor South Pasadena native Jill Timothy made her teaching debut at SPHS on Monday, Spet. 14, working with mainly freshman and sophomore physical education classes. Timothy, an avid runner, wife and mother of three, is excited to be back in South Pasadena and hopes she can return to […]
Annual Club Rush transitions to Zoom
Story by Sofia Alva Staff Writer Photo by Oscar Walsh Staff Photographer Clubs have adapted from their typical in-person meetings to a virtual setting as distance learning continues, and ASB held the annual student-led Club Rush through Zoom for the first time since its creation. Each club presented in its own breakout room instead of […]
Finance Director Karen Aceves resigns from City post
Story by Sofia Alva Staff Writer Photo by Katelyn Hernandez Staff Photographer South Pasadena Finance Director Karen Aceves announced her resignation effective immediately on Tuesday, Oct. 6. The reasoning for Aceves’ resignation is still unclear, though it comes after City Manager Stephanie DeWolfe left the City a few weeks earlier. In 2017, the City hired Aceves, who […]
Residents question SPPD’s ties to anti-LGBTQ+ hate group
Story by Sofia Alva Staff Writer Photo by Tony Chen Contributor Community members are calling for an investigation into the SPPD for its planned public prayer event with an anti-Black and anti-LGBTQ+ hate group that was set to be held at City Hall on Saturday, Sept. 26. Police Chief Joe Ortiz sent an email (attached below) […]
Care First group calls for defunding SPPD
Story by Sofia Alva Staff Writer Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor Graphic by Charlotte Cohen Staff Graphic Designer The global movement for police accountability has inspired local protests and initiatives to defund the police, including resident-led group Care First South Pasadena. Partnered with activist organization South Pasadena Youth for Police Reform (SPY4PR), the group has worked […]
New gym construction nears completion
Story by Sofia Alva Staff Writer Photo by Sarah LeeStaff Photographer The SPHS athletic facilities are near completion after being under construction since January 2020. After being delayed in March 2020 due to stay-at-home orders, work has resumed in order to complete the project during the fall semester. Gym construction has been ongoing throughout the pandemic, but the […]
City council postpones height limit increase and creation of more bike lanes
Story by Sofia Alva Staff Writer Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor The city council voted to not allocate Measure M funds, despite a heavy push by residents for money to be used for more bike lanes, at its meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 5. Council members also unanimously voted to keep the building height limit increase off […]
LARPing: an activity to experience the game beyond the board
Story by Sofia AlvaStaff Writer Illustration by David SohnStaff Illustrator As the live action role-players move across the field, the only thing on their mind is winning. In order to succeed they must work together to defeat the enemy and come out on top. Live action role-playing (LARPing) has become widely popularized in the past […]
City council votes down proposed budget while approving sub-committee on future of policing in South Pasadena
Story by Sofia Alva Staff Writer Photo by Katelyn Hernandez Staff Photographer The city council voted down the proposed budget and instead opted to continue appropriations of the 2019-2020 budget at its meeting on Wednesday, June 24. Council members also approved the creation of a six member sub-committee regarding the future of policing in South Pasadena. […]
City schedules more reopenings, prepares for outdoor dining program
Story by Sofia Alva Staff Writer Photo by Katelyn Hernandez Staff Photographer The City Council prolonged the local state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic for 60 more days and approved workplace reopening protocols at its meeting on Wednesday, June 17. A local emergency was first proclaimed at a meeting in mid-March, however, it […]
City budget falls under intense scrutiny
Story by Sofia Alva Staff Writer Photo by Katelyn Hernandez Staff Photographer The City Council discussed and reviewed the draft budget for fiscal year 2020-2021 at its meeting on Wednesday, June 10. Multiple parties criticized the City for its lack of accountability in creating a sustainable budget, in addition to calling for SPPD to be […]