Story by Alison Wang Staff Writer Photo by Erin Lee Staff Photographer The city council approved the reallocation of 162 thousand dollars worth of Metro grant funds to increase the number of streets in the city’s Slow Streets Program at their meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 1. The program intends to use the grant funding to implement temporary […]
City council approves pocket park designs at Grevelia Avenue and Berkshire Street
Story by Charlotte Dekle Staff Writer Photo by Erin Lee Staff Photographer The City Council voted to approve two concept designs for pocket parks at Berkshire Ave. and Grevelia St. at its meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 18. In addition to the designs, the action included the approval of a memorial tree, bench, and plaque dedicated to Dr. […]
City council approves all-way stop sign at Meridian and Oak
Story by Charlotte Dekle Staff Writer Photo by Erin Lee Staff Photographer The City Council voted to approve a resolution to install an all-way stop sign at the intersection of Meridian Ave and Oak St. at its meeting on Wednesday, July 21. This resolution was part of a larger movement to implement all-way stop signs at three […]
City Council denies approval of ordinance banning gas-powered leaf blowers
Story by Veronica KoutskyStaff Writer Photo courtesy of William KellyContributor The City Council voted not to approve an ordinance that would phase out the city-wide use of gasoline-powered leaf blowers at its meeting on Wednesday, Jul. 7. The ordinance would replace the gasoline-powered leaf blowers with quieter and emissions-free electric machines as a part of […]
Community members invited to meet new City Manager candidate Arminé Chaparyan at special forum
Story by Katie Hohman Staff Writer Photo courtesy of Leon Worden Contributor South Pasadena residents will have the opportunity to meet City Manager candidate Arminé Chaparyan at a special forum hosted by the City Council on Wednesday, April 28 at 6:30 p.m. The forum comes after community outrage surrounding the City Council’s lack of transparency over […]
City Council stands by Moffatt Street extension project despite widespread community opposition
Story by Zoe Schlaak Associate Sports Editor Photo courtesy of Planet Home Living Contributor The City Council unanimously reapproved the Moffatt Street extension project after a reconsideration of its previous approval at a special meeting on Tuesday, April 20, despite continued community opposition. The extension was originally brought to the Council in October 2020, but due […]
City Council approves $3 per hour hero pay for grocery and drug store workers
Story by Sofia Alva Associate News Editor Photo by Sophie Yeung Staff Photographer The City Council unanimously adopted a 60-day ordinance to establish hero pay for grocery and drug store workers at its meeting on Wednesday, April 21. The ordinance requires that all major grocery and drug stores in South Pasadena increase their employees’ pay by $3 […]
City solicits community input on 2021-2022 budget
Story by Sofia Alva Associate News Editor The City of South Pasadena has requested resident input regarding the 2021-2022 fiscal year budget through a survey released on Thursday, Apr. 15. Community members can submit their budget priorities up until Friday, Apr. 30, and the Finance Commission will review all responses in their drafting of the budget […]
City Council retracts City Manager post from Chris Jordan following widespread community opposition
Story by Katie Hohman Staff Writer Photo by Katelyn Hernandez Staff Photographer The City Council yielded to resident criticisms of the possible appointment of Christopher Jordan to the position of City Manager, and decided to rescind his employment agreement that was pending approval, at a special closed session meeting on Tuesday, Apr. 20. Per a press release, […]
City Council gives green light for $3 per hour hero pay ordinance
Story by Zoe Schlaak Associate Sports Editor Photo by Sophie Yeung Staff Photographer The City Council unanimously approved the creation of an emergency ordinance requiring large grocery companies to temporarily increase their employees’ wages by $3 per hour, at its meeting on Wednesday, Apr. 8. This “hero pay” ordinance will compensate grocery workers for the dangerous and […]
City Council sponsors state bill to prioritize local residents in selling of Caltrans properties
Story by Zoe Schlaak Associate Sports Editor Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor The City Council approved the sponsorship of the Senate Bill (SB) 381, aimed to prioritize former owners’ and current occupants’ of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) homes opportunities to buy those properties, at its meeting on Wednesday, Mar. 17. State Senator Anthony Portantino […]
Community gathers at Vons to support temporary hero pay ordinance
Story by Kahlen Miao Staff Writer Photos by Sophie Yeung Staff Photographer A group of about 20 community members rallied outside of South Pasadena’s Vons in support of a 120-day $5 per hour hazard pay ordinance for essential workers on Saturday, Mar. 13. The rally began at about 10:30 a.m. in front of Vons and […]
Upcoming virtual community forum gives residents the opportunity to provide input on search for new police chief
Story by Georgia Parsons Associate Feature Editor Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor The City of South Pasadena and the Public Safety Commission will host a virtual community forum as the City searches for a new SPPD police chief via Zoom on Monday, Mar. 15 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Attendees will be able to […]
Residents rally behind $5 essential worker hazard pay
Story by Noah Kuhn & Lilian Zhu News Editor & Associate Webmaster Photo by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor Nearly 150 community members signed onto a public comment advocating for a 120-day, extra $5 an hour essential worker hazard pay in South Pasadena at the City Council meeting on Wednesday, March 3. The leaders of the workers’ rights activism […]
Residents condemn Caltrans’ use of law enforcement to guard vacant homes amidst homelessness crisis
Story by Noah Kuhn News Editor Reporting by Ava Dunville Contributor Photos by Ella Jayasekera Photography Editor Community members have criticized the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for contracting with private security company Inter-Con to guard empty homes 24/7 rather than give them as housing to people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic. Caltrans had previously paid the […]
City reaches $450,000 settlement over Marquez officer-involved killing
Story by Sofia Alva Associate News Editor Photo courtesy of Alice S. Hall / NBCU Photo Bank Contributor The City of South Pasadena reached a settlement of $450,000 in the wrongful death lawsuit over the SPPD killing of resident and actress Vanessa Marquez on Monday, Feb. 22. Marquez was shot and killed by SPPD officers during a […]