Story by Charlie Betts Staff Writer Photo by Oscar Walsh Staff Photographer The Teachers Association of South Pasadena (TASP) voiced concern about the proposed SPUSD instructional models for the upcoming school year and have called for an emergency SPUSD school board meeting to address the problems. In June, teachers were given a variety of instructional models to […]
Anti-Zionism cannot be equated with anti-Semitism
Story by Sam GrotensteinStaff Writer Illustration by Tarry SongStaff Illustrator 2020 has been a turbulent year for the Jewish community. The rise of anti-Semitism in America, along with Israel’s threats to annex large parts of Palestine, have put the question of whether anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism can be seperated under intense examination. Zionism is the belief […]
Anything goes?
Story by Katie HohmanStaff Writer Illustration by Tarry SongStaff Illustrator Among the 800 million people who have downloaded the app TikTok, most are probably aware of the influence and impact that the app has had. Nowhere is that impact more prevalent than in the music industry, which has begun to see a dramatic shift due […]
Residents voice encounters with the SPPD at virtual community forum
Story by Georgia Parsons Staff Writer Photo by Richard Gomez Contributor South Pasadena community members shared their experiences with the SPPD in an effort to improve policing and public safety in the city at a storytelling forum on Thursday, July 16. The forum is the first event organized by the city council’s new Future of Policing […]
Why affirmative action is necessary
Story by Charlie BettsStaff Writer Illustration by Nicholas FormanStaff Illustrator The California State Senate recently passed Proposition 16 (previously known as Assembly Constitutional Amendment 5), a bill to repeal Proposition 209 and re-establish affirmative action. Proposition 16 will appear on voters’ ballots this November, and will end gender and race-blind admissions in public college and […]
L.A. County supervisor, Kathryn Barger, updates city council on continuing efforts to contain coronavirus
Story by Katie HohmanStaff Writer Photo by Katelyn HernandezStaff Photographer The South Pasadena City Council listened to a presentation from the L.A. County Supervisor for the 5th District, Kathryn Barger, on California’s efforts to tackle coronavirus, in its online meeting on Wednesday, July 15. According to Barger, the rate of positive testing for L.A. County has […]
Just Mercy has never been more relevant
Story by Quinn ManzoStaff Writer Illustration by Tarry SongStaff Illustrator Just Mercy’s significance goes beyond its merits as a well-made film. The story that it tells forces the viewer to confront a truth that many are too sheltered or unwilling to acknowledge, even as it is brought to brighter light every single day: racism is […]
School board recommends total distance learning to begin, passes hybrid models for future implementation
Story by Kahlen Miao Staff Writer Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor The South Pasadena School Board advised Superintendent Geoff Yantz to begin the 2020-2021 school year with 100 percent distance learning at its meeting on Thursday, Jul. 16. The board also approved hybrid instructional models for both the elementary and secondary levels that will be utilized when […]
Coronavirus case increase prompts statewide reclosing of businesses
Story by Eddie Zhou Staff Writer Photo by Oscar Walsh Staff Photographer California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a revised order requiring the immediate closure of moderate-risk businesses after a recent uptake in coronavirus cases — effective Monday, Jul. 13. Additionally, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) announced its plans to hold instruction strictly online come August in […]
Punisher: Heartbreak and healing
Story by Georgia ParsonsStaff Writer Illustration by Alicia ZhangStaff Illustrator Phoebe Bridgers’ Punisher is a reassurance in the darkest of times. In her first album since the 2017 release of Stranger in the Alps, Bridgers explores the same heartbreak, but instead emphasizes her journey on the path to healing. The native Pasadenan is best known […]
School board discusses health measures for a potential return to in-person learning
Story by Charlie Betts Staff Writer Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor The South Pasadena School Board discussed the health protocols necessary to safely reopen schools in August at its meeting on Thursday, Jul. 9. Dr. Michael Smit, an infectious disease expert, recommended safety guidelines to the Board in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The […]
‘Digital blackface’ — a subtle perpetuation of stereotypes
The digital era of the 21st century has given people a new platform to enforce America’s structural racism in the form of ‘digital blackface.’
Intersection: Books, movies, and TV shows about and/or created by LGBTQ+ people of color
Story by Georgia Parsons & Eddie ZhouStaff Writers Illustration by Tarry SongStaff Illustrator Intersectional LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream media is growing increasingly prevalent as film, books, music, and TV strive to be more inclusive. Although queer and racial stereotypes still appear frequently in popular media, more projects continue to move towards telling stories about complex […]
The pitfalls of hustle culture
Story by Eddie ZhouStaff Writer Illustration by Alicia ZhangStaff Illustrator People are conditioned to believe that constant productivity is a requisite step in order for one to succeed in an increasingly competitive world. In turn, many attempt to overexert themselves in order to match perpetual productivity idealized by the media. This resulting external pressure manifests […]
D.U.D.E.S. performances and outdoor community artwork replace traditional Fourth of July parade and fireworks
Story by Quinn Manzo Staff Writer Photo by Oscar Walsh Staff Photographer Dads Uniting Dads in Education and Service (D.U.D.E.S) is bringing the Fourth of July festivities to South Pas residents in light of the cancellation of the annual parade and fireworks show. In addition, the South Pasadena Recreation Department and the South Pasadena Arts […]
Residents with signs supporting BLM discover clusters of nails on their driveways
Story by Sam Grotenstein Staff Writer Photo by Amy Betts Contributor South Pasadena residents who had publicly shown support for the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement through lawn signs recently found piles of nails left on the end of their driveways. Amy Betts was the first community member to report the incident on a local Facebook group, […]